Atheism and mind alteration
So as atheists, I'm curious to hear how everyone feels about mind altering substances and their potential uses and harmful side effects.I'm also curious to hear your stance on the idea of a "drug war".I've just never had an opportunity to grill this demographic about it.I'll tell you now, I'm a major advocate for ending marijuana prohibition.I also (in spite of what at first seems like common sense) believe that opium and cocaine should be legal.I believe the FDA should get involved with the practice of reviewing and approving for use, synthetic recreational drugs.What do you guys think?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Nathan Hevenstone on -
I hate to say it, but Sassan K is absolutely right about psilocybin. When taken recreationally (without control), psilocybin can do irreversible damage. Marijuana is actually the safest drug. Psilocybin is much safer than, say, Crystal Meth or Heroine, but I think LSD is actually safer than psilocybin.
That said, there are studies being done in some countries that psychedelics (including psilocybin, THC, and LSD) may be useful in suppressing symptoms of and controlling migraines and cluster headaches.
Even if not legalized fully, why we are not allowed to test drugs for possible medicinal use is beyond me.
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Permalink Reply by Isaac on -
"Away from the destruction of your health and potentially even dying from complications - the trip that results from shrooms permanently kill brain cells that will never regrow - you diminish your brain's capacity."
Let's see the data in support of such claims.
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Permalink Reply by Albert Bakker on -
Wonders of wonders we agree again: legalization of drugs is the true anti-drugs stance. It is the only way to effectively combat drug use/ abuse and the spread of drug use by undermining the organized drug trade.
To illustrate once again the mind-boggling stupidity of artificially driving up prices and criminalizing users into anonymity take the current rage/ epidemic of "krokodil" in Russia. Reportedly there are between a hundred thousand to a million (depending on source) of these users now in Russia and it's spreading, possibly even to the US (the DEA is keeping a weary eye on it at least.) It is a freaking horror.
Incredibly instead of helping these addicts, distribute safe drugs while providing them with a trajectory to get off that shit and into a situation where they have at least a chance of some future, the authorities are abdicating responsibility and leave it to shop-owners to ration headache tablets (containing codeine) to paying costumers.
Needless to say that "solution" hasn't worked. Banning codeine altogether won't work either, predictably aggravating the situation even further.
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Permalink Reply by Nate on -
-_- Actually no, I don't do any drugs at all. The aspect of prison and losing my job is too great a risk for a momentary feel good. My point was I think its wrong for a governing body to restrict what we put in our own bodies.
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Permalink Reply by Michael R on -
The "war on drugs" has been a complete failure...as it was when alcohol was illegal. I would rather see us spend our money on the problems we would see from legalization than what we are currently seeing (feeding the cartel machine, gangs, etc). As for low-hanging-fruit, I am a particular advocate of legalizing medical marijuana. I live in a state where it is not legal. This is completely ridiculous. I have MS and suffer from nerve pain. I can legally pick up methadone at my local pharmacy but not MJ? We live in a nation of political hypocrites!
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Permalink Reply by Stephen Walski on -
Im not sure what being an atheist has to do with drug stance.
I believe in personal freedom as to what someone puts in their body as long as they stay within their own environment. Basically you shouldn't leave where you are consuming mind altering substances until they are expelled from your body. The problems with mind altering substances are the dangers of a brain unable to fully grasp reality mingling among innocents and causing potential harm.
What we really need is a counter to the mind altering substances that would cause near immediate soberness.
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Permalink Reply by Kevin Dunn on -
In a sense it does because as an atheist you could have two views on the subject or others but I see two obvious ones. Namely that you could take the perspective that on account of their not being a god you can do whatever you want without fear of being judged upon it. Or you could take the perspective that this is your one and only life and that dying would kinda suck. You know lack of future experiences and from that perspective you wouldn't take any of these substances or at least the dangerous ones for fear (with good reason) of death. As for the counter to mind altering substances. Our body calls that vomiting. Though I think that the process could be improved.
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Permalink Reply by mwifjsyi on -
People that don't leave their environment while high is never going to happen. That's trading one control for another.
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Permalink Reply by James on -
If cigarettes and alcohol are legal, I feel that there's no good reason that some other substances aren't.
That said, I don't partake nor do I desire to. But it just doesn't make sense that Tobacco is okay and Marijuana isn't.
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Permalink Reply by Doug Reardon on -
Drugs can: make you sleepy, make you wide awake and wired, make you psychotic, if that's what you desire ok, but drugs are not a pathway to spirituality, nor god, nor enlightenment.
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