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by junon 1896 days ago
Why is this being downvoted? Studies are great, but let's not act like drugs are suddenly safe to use in all cases. I'm sure the studies didn't conclude that.

Be pro-shrooms but don't act like they're safe in every case. Education is required before partaking in anything, let alone shrooms.
2 comments
standardUser 1896 days ago
Can we point to any data showing that mushrooms or acid (for example) are more dangerous than, say, a coronavirus vaccine or driving a car?

Because generally speaking, unless something is concretely documented as dangerous we don't just assume it is dangerous "because". Especially when that "because" is because of a well-documented, decades-long propaganda campaign by the federal government.

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GordonS 1894 days ago
I used to use mushrooms from time to time in my youth, and had some great experiences (which I've written about on HN before).

As far as danger, I think that, as with many things, it's about maturity, education and harm reduction.

I had a single bad experience with mushrooms, and it put me off ever taking them again. I was too young and immature (something like 15/16), and took about 5x more than I'd ever taken before. I can see now that it was obviously very stupid. If I'd been in a different location at the time, god only knows what could have happened to me - I'd say that, if abused, mushrooms can be far, far more dangerous than driving a car.

But - if the science backs it up, psylocilin could do amazing things for those with depression. And furthermore, sensible people can have amazing experiences. So as long as education and harm reduction is in place, I'm all for it.

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junon 1895 days ago
You haven't had any negative experiences with drugs, have you?
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standardUser 1894 days ago
I have had plenty of negative experiences with the many, many drugs I have done. But the most danger I have ever been in due to drugs has been being the passenger of a drunk driver. That's maybe the only real physical danger I have encountered. I have a hard time even imaging how mushrooms would lead to physical danger.

Did you have a point to make?

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nabla9 1896 days ago
The subject has been studied. There is no good evidence supporting that. Cause and effect is not easy to separate and anecdotal evidence is just anecdotal.

People who are not well are known to 'self medicate'.

For example: Increase of alcohol use among people with preexisting problems is well documented. Link between tobacco use and schizophrenia is also well documented. See: "Smoking and schizophrenia" https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19794359/ "It has been suggested that smoking may be an attempt by schizophrenic patients to alleviate cognitive deficits and to reduce extrapyramidal side-effects induced by antipsychotic medication."

Psychedelics are not the type of drug people keep using if it harms them. If they don't work for you, you really don't want to do them again.

(ps. I would not recommend _regular_ drug use of any kind)

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