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‘Not So Happy Camper’

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For decades it’s been in question of whether or not prohibition laws on classic psychotropic drugs should be lifted. This entry discusses the war on drugs and whether or not prohibition laws for psychedelics are imperative.

Before we continue this conversation, I would like to state that this article does not serve an intent to promote illegal drug use. This post is strictly infotainment and harm reduction.

To begin, as time progresses, the War on Drugs appears to become further more illogical, and ineffectual, especially as it pertains to psychedelics. For one, the government’s idea of imposition are programs like D.A.R.E that use gruesome pictures, and implausible statistics as a scare tactic into thinking once touching any of these substances, you’ll breakout in disease and illness and die. In focusing on telling people not to do something, you miss out on an opportunity to be honest and educate. Historically, when has it ever worked out to just tell someone not to do something, and them follow your lead? Curiosity is all throughout the human mind, and it’s apart of having the gift of reason. When you tell curious adolescents not to do something, just for them to see it happening around them but with different results, they’re more likely than not to form a mistrust. I think the point here is, people are going to find ways to do them anyways. Does it make more sense to educate people so they can make a responsible decision with their bodies, or to increase drug crime by creating laws and using media to spread the word that drugs are bad, ultimately losing the “intended control” due to the need to keep drug use discreet?

I thought so too. 

Honestly, it sounds more money motivated than humanistic. Not to mention, the death rate for alcohol and tobacco exceeds that of psychedelics, but every city has a bar, package store, and convenience store. Even prescription drugs are commonly less effective than say, a mushroom. Prescription drugs aren’t comprised of the earthgrown nutrients you need to heal your body, rather, they temporarily numb your symptoms.

Plato, an Ancient Greek philosopher, had this idea that the soul is confined to three different parts, reason, spirit, and desires. He believed that it was aristocratic for a person’s soul to be in full function. Similar to Plato, I believe each entity, your physical, mental, and emotional body are interconnected. If you aren’t in emotionally in shape, it’ll change your physical and mental shape, or vice versa. It’s like suffering from stress, and having hair loss, or an acne breakout. Because psychedelics are a psychoactive drug, and commonly known for their healing abilities, things like trauma, depression, addiction can be sourced and cured; similar to a soul cleansing. The way they affect the mind, our power source, these wise substances have the ability to give us insight, and equip an individual in building the artistocrat’s health.

Psychedelic substances predate us. If we look at ancient artifacts, we can see depictions of mushrooms, or even bowls that were used in an ancient healing ceremony called, an Ayahuasca Ceremony. Certainly, earthgrown hallucinogens contain psychoactive chemicals with the intent of healing, just as alkaline foods. I say, maybe it’s revelatory that one brings the body to physical healing, as the other works with mental, and emotional.  

However, that’s not to imply that people should abuse drugs, or even rely on them. That’s a large part of why I don’t trust in recreational psychedelic drug use. If you’ve read 6 Things to Know Before A Psychedelic Trip, you know that psychedelics aren’t a party drug, and in most cases they’re pretty personal. I wouldn’t even advise recreational psychedelic use unless the individual had the proper mental strength for the experience. For medicinal use, I hold that psychedelics will be useful in a controlled environment. I do hope that one day we’re considering the psychoactive substances in medicine. 

To be quite evenhanded,  I understand the hesitation on legalizing recreational use. For one, there’s the safety side and the mistrust of society from government officials. If people will risk their lives driving drunk, they’ll do the same in a hallucinogenic state. Then, there’s money. We’re all aware of the hoaxy pharmaceutical industry, and there’s definitely more money in a temporary solution than one that’s permanent. Aside from that, pills are easier and faster to create with more control in mass production than a plant would have. This is where human life gets flipped to dollar signs. 

Do I think psychoactive drugs should be legal? Yes, upon restriction. I reckon that ideally, lawmakers should sit and think up a system that is equally beneficial and causes the least harm and poses the best control. Also, the image of hallucinative drugs. Although we’ve seen progression over the years through study, it’s important to continue to change the people’s perception  of psychedelics.

It’s no shock, that with the internet being the largest subworld, this space is an interminable source for information. However, with that, comes a lot of misinformation, and preconceived notion. In this thinkpiece, we’re taking on a panoramic viewpoint in discussing the ruminations pre-experience. 

Before we dive in, I would like to make a full disclosure that this post is strictly for infotainment purposes, and does not serve an intent to promote illegal drug use. This article has been configured around harm reduction. 

 In 1957, Humphrey Osmond coined the term psychedelics to suggest they have a mind manifestive component, that reveals the hidden areas of the mind. The word psychedelic is split up into two Ancient Greek words. The word psyche, which means mind, soul, or spirit. Then there’s delos, which means to make clear, or manifest. Namely, a soul revelation.

Though this may sound nice on paper, let’s take a look at a few things to be considered before committing to the experience:

1. Everyone’s experience is different

The direction of the psychedelic trip varies between each user. There are actually multiple influences that can contribute to the run of your trip such as, where you’re at in life, or your mindset, past traumas, unresolved emotions, your environment, and who’s around you. Of course dosage is also a huge facet in your experience, even what you’ve had to eat that day

2. A healthy set and setting

Your set refers to your current mindset, or where you are in life at that moment.  As previously discussed, it’s best to consume a psychedelic substance when you’re in a healthy headspace. On one end, If you’re carrying heavy traumas and emotions, you may find yourself in a soul purging. On the other, if your mental state is more serene, you’re in a greater position to carry ease throughout your trip. Furthermore, your setting refers to the location in which you have your experience. Location encompasses importance because, where you are can dictate the direction of your experience. If you’re some place comfortable, you’ll be less likely to trigger anxiety or paranoia. In an uncomfortable setting, you can solve your discomfort by switching rooms, or taking a monitored stroll.  Most of all, it’s important to approach psychedelic substances with respect, and an understanding of why you want to do them. That brings us to our next point.

 3. Your intention

If youre a person who’s doing psychedelics to see vibrant colors and trippy effects, you may want to reconsider taking them. Technically, that idea lives in the realm of drug abuse. A more respectful approach would be to enter it with your own personal pure intent and detach from all expectations. Allow yourself to be the water in a flowing river. Nevertheless, if you’re someone who’s seeking spiritual enlightenment, it’s best if you avoid excessive use. Know when to say no. When a scientist is in the lab, his job is to observe, then analyze. That being said, take some time to integrate your information, and make sense of what you’ve seen. Psychedelic drug use is unavailing if you don’t use time to converge your observations. In an interview explaining his experience with LSD, Anthony Bourdain said, “...I feel that, I kind of really learned what I had to learn, and beyond that it becomes more of a masturbatory experience rather than an enlightening one.” When hedonistically engaging in psyches, you’re opening up a vulnerable space for these drugs to enter into your mind, and unveil the unnerving truth.

4. Researching your drugs

Receiving as much information on the substance you plan to consume prior to the experience is an important aspect of consuming a new drug. You should know what the substance is, what the substance is likely to induce, the effects, and user experiences. Fundamentally, to enter your experience with a full understanding of the pros and cons, so you can make an educated decision.

5. Safety Precaution

With money at the forefront, it’s easier than you’d want to consume phony drugs. Synthetic research chemicals, like 25I-NBOMe, that have enough activity to live on blotter paper are known to be disguised and sold as LSD, and commonly ending in fatalities. These are substances where the dosage is the most prevailing factor. An accidental overdose can, and most of the time does, end ugly. That’s why it’s important to test your drugs. There are plenty at-home test kits online, here’s the link to a popular one.  

I always warn people that, “if you’re going to accept a drug from someone, you don’t want it to be from someone who’ll just give drugs to anyone.” That’s a clear indication that they themselves aren’t concerned about wellbeing and a healthy good time. To that person, profit is on a pedestal, and they’re more likely to be open to giving you screwy chemicals for financial gain. 

Next, having a trip sitter on standby. The person you choose as your tripsitter should be reliable, educated, and someone you’re comfortable with. They play the role of an on-call sober caretaker, should you need them. If you’ve already gotten beyond a point of return, and chose to have a solo psychedelic experience, there are websites like tripsit.me where you can have a live trip sitter, or ask for advice in an emergency. Be aware, this is the less reliant option as not everyone on the internet is trustworthy, and that you’re giving the trust of your wellbeing to strangers. 

Onward, having tripkillers nearby. Trip killers are commonly a drug that reduces panic, anxiety, and paranoia. They will aide in bringing you to tranquility. Benzodiazepines, or benzos are popular trip killers that primarily treat anxiety. However, if you plan on using this safety precaution, like any drug, it should not be consumed abusively. 

Lastly, your genetic predisposition. People often take the route in saying “psychedelics cause death, and mental illness,” because in the war against drugs, it’s easy to pin mental illness to a substance that infiltrates the mind. However, it’s been proven that psychedelics are the least harmful, and cause less psychological distress than other drugs of the same caliber. Other drugs are actually shown to do the opposite. Still, it’s important to understand that psychoactive substances cannot give you an illness. Rather, imitative symptoms such as psychosis, which can be substance, stress, illness, or trauma induced. In fact, in a national survey of lifelong psychedelic use and it’s relativity to mental health issues, we see that long term psychedelic use reduces mental health issues more than it leads to an increase. 

6. The Risk of Unearned Wisdom