Poll: Should Hallucinogens be legal?

[Kuranesno7]

(this might not apply to the few countries that do legalize any of these drugs)

Been listening to lectures by Terence Mckenna on Youtube. If you don't know who he is, He was one of those philosophers/quasi-scientists that thought in order for us as a species to truely understand the universe, for us to advance as a species, drugs such as psilocyben-containing mushrooms, Acid, and DMT would be required to expand our conciousness into unheard of vistas of reality and perception.

Now, I can understand fairly well the illegality of most drugs, but I can't figure out why the holding of hallucinogenic substances are felonious in most countries? In what ways could they harm someone?

worried about driving while on it? Is in possible to drive when your room is vibrating with every breath you take and there are mercurial spheres giving you disaproving undulations inside of your eyes?

worried about getting hooked? most of the compounds in these drugs build up in your system after the effects go away so you gain a tolerance after only a couple of days of repeated use, which then the tolerance wears off after a few days of not using.

worried about mexican drug cartels and biker gangs getting more money? The drugs are not physically addictive, therefore no repeat business, making these drugs poor drug-lord ventures.

Worried about going into permanent psychosis from one hit? I'll give you that, but no more so than the guy who can go schizophrenic after marijuana usage. However, if I recall, there are medications out there just built for these things called anti-psychotics, if I'm not mistaken.

The only "deaths" I can see happening are the occasional person who think they can fly so they jump out of the window,which probably shows that the person in question is possibly a moron for not trying to fly off from the ground first.

Fellow Escapists, please provide thought, suggestions, rebuttals, any knowledge in helping me understand this question of why most Hallucinogens are illegal. Think I'm just some douche who doesn't know what he's talkin about? Fine call me out on it. give links and whatnot to prove that these things are bad or good for humanity.

I only seek truth to a vexing thought, no more no less.

 

[jumjalalabash]

Only if heavily regulated by doctors and mental health status is determined beforehand.

 

[neonsword13-ops]

Do we REALLY need junkies running down the streets nekid asking for shrooms?

It would be an interesting sight...

 

[KoalaKid]

Yes, absolutely, yes, yes, yes please, but only true hallucinogens, no deliriants, or poisons.

 

[KoalaKid]

Do we REALLY need junkies running down the streets nekid asking for shrooms?

It would be an interesting sight...

\

there are no hallucinogen junkies, true hallucinogens are nonaddictive.

 

[Kpt._Rob]

Hate to break it to you, but citing the good Mr. McKenna is hardly sufficient evidence to say that hallucinogens should become more widely used. Don't get me wrong here, I'm familiar with Mr. McKenna, and he has some interesting hypotheses, but that's all they are. Hypotheses. He's an armchair philosopher, not a scientific wunderkind.

I do think that hallucinogens can, in the right context, have some psychologically beneficial uses. But they're hardly the only road to advancement of the species. And widespread regular use would be more likely to do damage than it would be to do good. Regular overindulgence in psychedelics can do some serious damage to your ability to function.

 

[Tanakh]

Drugs are a Crutch for those who can't deal with reality.

Pff, reality can't be perceived by humans, not by their senses nor by the cultural filters we all have.

And even then, every person is accountable for himself. If anything should be illegal it might be weapons to kill humans, and those are legal in the US, everything else should be fair game imo.

 

[Flopus]

gonna be that guy here...

first off, schizophrenia...

second off, I don't see how we can understand the universe by hallucinating. I think you're thinking of physics which most people do without hallucinations.

 

[Kinokohatake]

Uh no that's a really fucking stupid idea. The second someone kills another person while on them, then bingo, you have your reason for banning them. What is the POINT of them anyway? Expand your mind blah blah blah. Why can't someone live their life without getting ripped out of their mind to...what? Have fun? Hang out?

 

[Kpt._Rob]

Do we REALLY need junkies running down the streets nekid asking for shrooms?

It would be an interesting sight...

\

there are no hallucinogen junkies, true hallucinogens are nonaddictive.

That's not entirely true. The term hallucinogen is used simply to describe a compound which can induce hallucinations. While it's true that LSD and DMT are rarely physically addictive, there are some well established hallucinogens which can be addictive. Mushrooms, for instance, can be psychologically addicting. The prevailing theory right now is that the only reason we don't see mushroom addiction on a regular basis is that they're so expensive that most users can't use regularly enough to develop psychological addiction. And Ketamine (a drug no one would hesitate to call a hallucinogen) is well known to have both physiologically and psychologically addictive properties. Just look up a biography of John Lilly if you don't believe me.

 

[BrailleOperatic]

Drugs are a Crutch for those who can't deal with reality.

Pff, reality can't be perceived by humans, not by their senses nor by the cultural filters we all have.

And even then, every person is accountable for himself. If anything should be illegal it might be weapons to kill humans, and those are legal in the US, everything else should be fair game imo.

Frankly, I'd rather be shot than punched to death. But that's just me and my silly aversion to pain.

OT: I think yes, most drugs should be legalised with two caveats: A) strict regulations on wcan and can't use them, like alcohol and cigarettes, and B) they be highly taxable, to disade potential abuse.

 

[nklshaz]

Trust me, most people are irresponsible enough without drugs. I just don't understand why people would want to use them, unless they're addicted. But when people argue that it should be legalized, they always say it's not addictive. I just don't understand why people would want to throw away so much of they're self control just for a hallucination.

 

[TheAbominableDan]

People on hallucinogens have the potential to be dangerous to themselves and others. I've seen it. That's why they should stay illegal.

 

[DoctorFrankenStein]

I think you should be allowed to do whatever you want with your own body as long as you aren't hurting or infringing on the rights of others.
Do you think snacks should be banned because they tend to make people fat?
I didn't think so.

 

[biggskanz]

I say yes they should be legal and no restrictions should be placed on them. Aside from the fact that adults have the right to do whatever they want with their bodies, there are a lot of positives that can come from hallucinogenic drug use. There was some study done with terminal cancer patients who took either mushrooms or placebo and the ones who took mushrooms were much more at peace with their situation.

There is a theory of evolution called the "stoned ape" theory that says humans evolved from apes through accelerated evolution brought on by hallucinogenic drug use.

The root of most religions actually comes from hallucinogenic drug cults.

You actually trip every night via a drug called DMT that your brain produces massive amounts of. Your brain also produces this drug before death to give us the "near death experience" that has been reported.

 

[viranimus]

Now.. I will grant you, I fully feel that everyone who is stable enough should drop acid at least once in their life... and then never again.

However the problem is with legality, even very regulated legality, it will veer off into unknown and potentially dangerous territories.

It certainly has its purpose and place, but legal status will typically do more harm than good.