[simonswords82]

I get it - a drug is a drug - and like all drugs I am not saying that psychedelics are a cure all for all people.

What I am saying is that it is depressing that we are only just seeing reports from formal sources that psychedelics could be useful for some people.

[encryptluks2]

I mean we could just discuss the issue of freedom and making it illegal for people to grow and consume a mushroom and stop making it about just drugs. Marijuana is the same way. If it isn't for someone then they shouldn't do it and we should make as much information available about something available and provide safe environments, but making it illegal especially when plenty of people have experienced positive effects sometimes profound religious experiences it is just another mechanism of control and taking away freedom and natural rights.

[ganzuul]

Freedom is indeed one narrative. What is being (re-)constructed here is a narrative about plant medicine. The concepts used in each narrative are very different, so if we discussing both at the same time may confound each other.

[encryptluks2]

True, but the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness as stated in the United States Declaration of Independence has it covered pretty well. Growing your own mushrooms or marijuana does not restrict on other individual rights if they do so willingly, and therefore getting caught up in treating it like a drug that needs to be studied more before they consider making it more accessible seems a bit absurd IMO. They're not being made in labs and grow naturally in many parts of the US.

[giantg2]

I'm pretty sure there were formal studies decades ago showing potential use and positive outcomes (I think Stamets books from the 90s reference some formal studies, but i could be wrong). But like a lot of medical research, it never progressed to a market state. I think that's especially true in this case due to the legal classification around it.

[mellavora]

I hear that LSD made the cover of Time magazine 5 times as a wonder drug, curing depression etc. That was pre-1970.

[giantg2]

Yeah, they were able to bring LSD into therapeutic use before it was essentially outlawed. I believe there was one dominant practice in California that became well known as specialists and there were articles written about them and the celebrities that were treated there.