To: K-list
Recieved: 1999/09/15 14:35
Subject: Re: [K-list] Drugs vs. Breath??
From: Roger Bose
On 1999/09/15 14:35, Roger Bose posted thus to the K-list:
>From: "Roger Bose" <bose_45ATnospamhotmail.com>
>To: david.bozziATnospamsnet.net, bose_45ATnospamhotmail.com
>Subject: Re: [K-list] Drugs vs. Breath??
>Date: Wed, 15 Sep 1999 14:28:33 PDT
>
>
>
>
>>From: David Bozzi <david.bozziATnospamsnet.net>
>>To: Roger Bose <bose_45ATnospamhotmail.com>
>>Subject: Re: [K-list] Drugs vs. Breath??
>>Date: Wed, 15 Sep 1999 17:16:39 -0400
>>
>>Roger Bose wrote:
>>
>> > I agree...
>> > Following, if you already do not have it, is a link to an excellent
>> > organization devoted to furthering research into psycedelics. Many
>>scores
>> > of people have been helped by these substances. Many also fear comming
>>out
>> > of the closet or try trivializing their experience as "oh.... I did
>>acid in
>> > my immature younger days." I think this response is due to the person
>>trying
>> > to fit into this damaged system. To try and conform. Granted it's not
>> > always easy, the ride can be many times quite rough for people who have
>>had
>> > the psychedelic experience, but the spreading truth in these times is.
>> > Their is no doubt in my mind that these substances warrant further
>>research.
>> > Great post.....
>>
>>Thought you might like this article:
>>
>>THE PROBLEM WITH ANTI-DRUG FAIRY TALES
>>
>>Salim Muwakkil.
>>
>> Carl Sagan, the late astronomer and prolific author, once wrote a
>>pseudonymous essay touting marijuana as a stimulus to his intellectual
>>work.
>>In fact, according to an article by his biographer in the Aug. 22 San
>>Francisco Examiner magazine, Sagan was an avid pot smoker for most of his
>>
>>life.
>> Not surprisingly, news of the influential astronomer's smoking choice
>>had
>>to hide under a pseudonym or wait until his death, lest he suffer
>>America's
>>puritanical wrath.
>> It's the same wrath currently being ducked by George W. Bush, as he
>>refuses to answer questions about his "rebellious" youth. It's a
>>wrath--fed
>>by ignorance, mythology and selective morality--that condemns drug use as
>>
>>irredeemably evil.
>> But the Carl Sagan model of the drug user has been more my experience.
>>To
>>be specific, some of the most creative and productive people I've known
>>also
>>have used drugs.
>> I say that not as an advertisement; for I've also encountered those
>>drug
>>abusers who have made their (and their families') lives miserable.
>
>I think this "miserableness" has much to do with the draconian society we
>live in. perhaps a welfare state, like the netherlands, access to medical
>care, help if you fall between the cracks, etc...etc... Psycedelics are not
>addictive, they disolve patterns of habit by illuminating them. But
>sometimes the person needs some time to re-integrate into society, I think
>this is were some families get "miserable."
>
>But as
>>one
>>who has witnessed the social carnage of the imbecilic war on drugs, I
>>find it
>>increasingly difficult to tolerate the simple-minded propaganda employed
>>for
>>that war.
>> Thus, Bush's current travail offers a rare opportunity to provide a
>>more
>>realistic portrayal of the typical drug user. While on one hand I support
>>
>>Bush's decision to end the inquisition into his wayward past, I still
>>urge
>>him to fess up if he has used drugs.
>> Aside from the political benefits of candor, his admission would help
>>transform the perception of drug users from stereotypes of depraved
>>sociopaths to something closer to reality. But it's an uphill climb.
>> In order to justify our punitive treatment of those who use illicit
>>substances, our cultural media demonizes them and wildly exaggerates the
>>dangers of the drugs. This "bogeyman strategy" not only insults the
>>intelligence of adult Americans, it also does little to discourage
>>substance
>>abuse.
>> The bogeyman strategy is the modus operandi of Drug Awareness
>>Resistance
>>Education, which is popular in suburban America. According to a recent
>>University of Illinois study, however, DARE participants are more likely
>>to
>>use drugs in the future than students who haven't participated in the
>>program.
>> It's clear that youth are more likely to pay heed to our anti-drug
>>lectures if our "facts" have some connection to reality.
>> The reality is that people use drugs for many reasons. For most of
>>humanity's history, drug use was connected to religious worship. It still
>>is
>>in many cultures: certain Buddhist and Hindu sects, Rastafarians and
>>various
>>Native American groups all use natural sacraments designed to alter
>>consciousness.
>> But even in secular cultures, drug use has been connected to a search
>>for
>>the Divine. The irresponsible use of LSD, mescaline and other
>>"psychedelic"
>>drugs popularized in the West during the 1960s was fueled by these
>>substances' reputed ability to facilitate mystical states.
>> For others, drugs provide different routes of escape; their potential
>>for
>>abuse is a function of our need for escape.
>> The drive to alter consciousness is as ancient as humanity itself.
>>Some
>>anthropologists argue that psychoactive substances are so common to so
>>many
>>cultures, their use may have some evolutionary benefit.
>> But to acknowledge this ancient relationship, to some, is tantamount
>>to
>>sanctioning drug use. Thus we are presented with kindergarten stories
>>about
>>the demonic evils of drugs and the despicable characters who purvey them.
>>In
>>such a cardboard world, drug users can't grow up to be presidents or
>>influential astronomers.
>> True enough, drug addiction is not an effective route to success
>>(unless
>>the drug is Prozac or caffeine) and getting caught with an illegal
>>substance
>>can cause ruinous criminal sanctions. But those consequences are more the
>>
>>result of social attitudes than the intrinsic effects of the drugs.
>> We should have learned that substance abuse is not handled well
>>through
>>prohibition; the last time drive-by shootings were common was during the
>>alcohol prohibition era of the 1920s.
>> The European strategy of "harm reduction"--which decriminalized drug
>>use
>>and transforms the problem of drug abuse from one of criminal justice
>>into
>>one of public health--seems to be the most logical.
>> But until folks like George "Dubya" comes clean, or someone with as
>>high a
>>profile as Carl Sagan can candidly express his affections for pot, we're
>>stuck with anti-drug fairy tales and erroneous notions that competence
>>and
>>drug use are mutually exclusive.
>> ----------
>> E-mail: salim4xATnospamaol.com
>>
>>Copyright Chicago Tribune
>>
>>
>> > <http://www.maps.org>
>> >
>> > P.S. The current issue of the MAPS journal has a great issue on
>>psychiatrist
>> > Dr. Oscar Janiger. Dr. Janiger treated roughly 900 with LSD in
>> > pre-prohibition days, during the 50's and early 60's. The article is a
>> > follow up interview on a number of the persons involved with his early
>> > experiments. Most are in their 70's, elderly people. Most agree that
>>it
>> > was a positive experience in their lives.
>>
>>Thanx for the link. Will investigate. BTW I'm very familar (and impressed
>>with) Grof's work.
>>
>>David
>>
>
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