5 ms·

> With drugs you get two choices: ineffective or potentially dangerous, often both. What type of drugs? Pharmaceutical or recreational? Natural or man-made?

> With drugs you get two choices: ineffective or potentially dangerous, often both. What type of drugs? Pharmaceutical or recreational? Natural or man-made? Taken to escape or numb, or with respect and gratitude? Abused or moderated? There is a wide spectrum of outcomes when consuming any substance. Many more than two. > They can give people religion, and without direction they can turn people into troubling zealots for just about anything (and often the drug itself) Religion, politics, or any belief system can breed this without drugs. Selling salvation or enlightenment by taking a substance attracts the emotionally vulnerable. And wouldn't that actually decrease if they could be taken by anyone in a safe and controlled environment alongside a licenced therapist, instead of underground? What are you advocating for or against? I'm genuinely interested, I sense fear and worry in what you wrote but don't really understand the point you are trying to make.

colechristensen 5y ago
>What type of drugs? All. My point seems to have not gotten across. Let me restate. Either a "drug" is fake and worthless, or it is dangerous. There isn't a third direction. If it does anything, it can do too much of it. >Religion, politics, or any belief system can breed this without drugs. Hallucinogens are major religious experiences in pill form with proper dosage (or whatever your preferred delivery method). There isn't really a comparison between something that can readily deliver a life changing experience on demand and those other things. >What are you advocating for or against? I'm genuinely interested, I sense fear and worry in what you wrote but don't really understand the point you are trying to make. I'm advocating against treating this class of drugs like they are magical perfect safe toys. They are powerful, and dangerous tools that can do a lot of good things, but any powerful tool can be misused or have serious drawbacks. I am not against "dangerous" things, there's no such thing as complete safety. I'm advocating for respect and understanding. There is a reason historically and prehistorically they were almost always used within a structured (usually religious) environment.
- stadium 5y ago
  There is space for respect and understanding in between fake & worthless and dangerous. These are multidimensional problems. The titled study seems very thoughtfully designed and operated, in a professional, ethical, and scientific manner. I'm with you on the last point. It's good to be aware of past abuses, but I also see a future where we can integrate what nature has provided into our lives in a respectful and grateful way and grow from it. Definitely not a pill to pop and fix something. A therapy based approach to psychedelics makes a ton of sense to me.

colechristensen 5y ago

>What type of drugs? All. My point seems to have not gotten across. Let me restate. Either a "drug" is fake and worthless, or it is dangerous. There isn't a third direction. If it does anything, it can do too much of it. >Religion, politics, or any belief system can breed this without drugs. Hallucinogens are major religious experiences in pill form with proper dosage (or whatever your preferred delivery method). There isn't really a comparison between something that can readily deliver a life changing experience on demand and those other things. >What are you advocating for or against? I'm genuinely interested, I sense fear and worry in what you wrote but don't really understand the point you are trying to make. I'm advocating against treating this class of drugs like they are magical perfect safe toys. They are powerful, and dangerous tools that can do a lot of good things, but any powerful tool can be misused or have serious drawbacks. I am not against "dangerous" things, there's no such thing as complete safety. I'm advocating for respect and understanding. There is a reason historically and prehistorically they were almost always used within a structured (usually religious) environment.

stadium 5y ago
There is space for respect and understanding in between fake & worthless and dangerous. These are multidimensional problems. The titled study seems very thoughtfully designed and operated, in a professional, ethical, and scientific manner. I'm with you on the last point. It's good to be aware of past abuses, but I also see a future where we can integrate what nature has provided into our lives in a respectful and grateful way and grow from it. Definitely not a pill to pop and fix something. A therapy based approach to psychedelics makes a ton of sense to me.