Opinions - A Brief Print-Out for Parents and the Uneducated (re: drugs and use)

[mouthwater]

I wrote this preliminary informational guide. I thought the drug community could elaborate on it. Please post further studies, advocates, correct any misinformation, etc., etc. to include. Some info may read too similarly to Wikipedia, this should be corrected by the community before declaring a finished version (although subsequent version would likely to occur).
-------------------------------
Notable psychedelic drug advocates:

1. Richard Alpert – Former Harvard professor (affiliations with the Social Relations Department, Psychology Department, Graduate School of Education, and Health Services as a therapist). Received research contracts with Yale and Stanford. Experimented with psilocybin mushrooms, studied in India under Bhagavan Das and Neem Karoli Baba, was given the name “Ram Dass” (which means “servant of God”), returned to America to promote spiritual awareness (bhakti yoga and Buddhist, Tibetan, and Zen Buddhism), and wrote “Be Here Now,” a book explaining his spiritual transformation from Alpert to Dass.

2. Stanislav Grof—M.D. from Charles University in Prague, Ph.D in medicine at Czechoslovakian Academy of Sciences, former Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and former Chief of Psychiatric Research at the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center. Supports psychedelic psychotherapy and developed “holotropic breathwork” after LSD became illegal.

3. Albert Hofmann—Studied at University of Zurich, joined Sandoz Laboratories, was the first to synthesize LSD, began studying other hallucinogenic substances, calls LSD “medicine for the soul,” disagrees with its prohibition, has written over 100 scientific articles, and is 100 years old. Is quoted saying “I think that in human evolution it has never been as necessary to have this substance LSD. It is just a tool to turn is into what we are supposed to be.”

4. Aldous Huxley--Went to Eton College, later studied English literature at Ballilol College, Oxford, graduated with First Class Honours, and best known for his famous novel Brave new World. Wrote “The Doors of Perception,” which inspired a famous rock band to name themselves The Doors. This book details his experiences using mescaline, and features the quote regarding psychedelic experiences: “To be shaken out of the ruts of ordinary perception, to be shown for a few timeless hours the outer and inner world, not as they appear to an animal obsessed with survival or to a human being obsessed with words and notions, but as they are apprehended, directly and unconditionally, by Mind at Large— this is an experience of inestimable value to everyone and especially to the intellectual.”

5. Ken Kesey—Graduated from University of Oregon’s School of Journalism and was awarded Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship to enroll at Stanford University. While there, he participated in government-financed studies on LSD, psilocybin mushrooms, mescaline, and others. As the government’s psychedelic medical guinea pig he was inspired to write the famous novel “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.” This novel later inspired a movie starring Jack Nicholson that won Academy Awards for Best Picture, Actor, Actress, Director, and for Writing Adapted Screenplay. He was good friends with Jack Kerouac (who wrote “On The Road”).

6. Timothy Leary—Received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from University of Alabama, a master’s degree from Washington State University, and a Ph.D. in psychology from University of California, Berkeley. He became an Assistant Professor at Berkeley and a lecturer at Harvard University. He was good friends with Richard Alpert (Ram Dass) and argued that psychedelics, when used properly (in a comfortable set and setting, etc., etc.), are vastly beneficial for introspection and freeing the mind from the ruts of societal-based conditioned thinking. According to his autobiography he gave 300 professors and 200 clergymen LSD, and 75% of each of them declared it one of the most education and religious experiences of their lives. He carried out the Concord Prison Experiment, where 36 prisoners were given psilocybin mushrooms—80% of those never returned to prison, although this study is disputed to be flawed.

7. John C. Lilly—Studied physics and biology at California Institute of Technology, medicine at Dartmouth Medical School, and received a medical degree from University of Pennsylvania. He studied ‘consciousness,’ developed the first isolation/sensory deprivation tank, experimented with LSD and spent the last years of his life studying how dolphins communicate with each other.

8. Ethan Nadelmann—Has a B.A., J.D., and Ph.D degrees from Harvard University and master’s degree in international relations from the London School of Economics. He’s taught at Princeton University and had articles published in Science, Foreign Affairs, American Heritage, and National Review. He is currently the executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, a non-profit organization working to end the war on drugs. He is quoted with saying “We won't win until the average parent believes drug reform protects kids better than the war on drugs.”

9. Hunter S. Thompson—Had minimal college education and became one of the 20th centuries' most recognized authors. He is known best for writing Rum Diary, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and from articles in The Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune, ESPN, Esquire, National Observer, New York Times, Rolling Stone, and Time. Much of his work was explicitly inspired by drug use.

How Can Drugs Be Used Responsibly?
By the user…
1. Affirming they will understand the effects of any drugs they plan on taking to the best of their ability-- including neurochemical, psychological, physiological, and spiritual effects-- and legal issues.

2. Affirming they will take low doses before trying high doses.

3. Affirming they will take all measures to know that their sources are pure.

4. Affirming they will take into account their own body weight, diet, and health conditions when dosing.

5. Affirming they will never take physical risks that could harm themselves or others when under the influence.

6. Affirming they will take unfamiliar drugs in the present of sober ‘trip-sitters.’

7. Affirming they will never trick or be dishonest towards other people about drugs and their use.

8. Affirming they will defend the rights of others to make educated, responsible decisions about drugs use.

9. Affirming they will not let their drug use became dangerous to their health or personal relationships.

Various Studies
1) LSD and psilocybin are being used to treat cluster headaches, a rare disorder that has been described as more painful than child birth without anaesthesia. In a recent study, 53 cluster headache patients were given psilocybin or LSD to treat their pain. 22 of 26 reported that psilocybin aborted the attacks. 25 of 48 psilocybin users and 7 of 8 LSD users reported the attacks ended sooner. Citation: Response of cluster headache to psilocybin and LSD. From the Biological Psychiatry Laboratory (J.H.H., H.G.P.) and Clinical Research Laboratory (R.A.S.), Alcohol and Drug Abuse Research Center, McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA. http://www.neurology.org/cgi/content/abstr...ract/66/12/1920

2) Studies are determining whether or not psilocybin helps treat OCD and MDMA helps treat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Citation: Medicine hope for psychedelic drugs. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3528730.stm

3) An FDA approved study is underway to determine if psilocybin helps treat Stage IV cancer patient’s anxiety. Citation: Stage IV cancer patients and psilocybin - Patient Interviews. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/14202.php

What Does This All Mean?
This should serve to…
1. Demonstrate that demonizing drug use is arguably unethical, as there are many people who have, and continue to, benefit from psychedelic drugs, and there is no excuse for suppressing this information in an age nearing global-consciousness.

2. Drug education is more effective than drug demonization. As Ethan Nadelmann points out, drugs aren’t going anywhere, and “The true challenge is how [to] learn to live with these substances in such a way that they cause the least possible harm and the greatest possible good. What will cause people to wake up and say ‘Stop?’ What will cause people to say, ‘Enough is enough?’ What will cause people to say, ‘I value my freedom even if that freedom involves a measure of risk?’”

3. There is such a thing as responsible drug use.

[rxbandit]

I think this is a grand idea. If we could all compile a streamline and too the point letter and distribute it to public places and personal mailboxes it could possibly help people make an informed decision on their own or at least stop prescribing to fear mongering.

I think it would be wonderful to add facts on how our tax money is squandered on fruitless unethical operations and how the war on drug has had a negative impact on the population. I also think a bried bit of history on illegalization and research would be good. Also a bit on harm reduction would be excellent.

If we could get this together and each member spread 100 or so randomly in their neighborhoods, im sure we could at the very least get people to question there biasts on drugs and the current policy.

[grandbaby]

Nice attempt, mouthwater, but I don't think starting with a list of famous psychedelics-users is going to score any points with the straight world. The names Timothy Leary, Baba Ram Dass, Hunter S. Thompson and Ken Kesey are not exactly tickets to legitimacy in most people's eyes.

The user's code of ethics is good. The studies section could be expanded upon greatly and this version focuses entirely upon psychedelics.

I'd take as a starting point the government's arguments for continuing prohibition and refute them one by one.

This is a big, delicate project. Kudos to you for taking an initial stab at it. Keep it up.

[Heretic.Ape.]

Yes, nice idea. I agree with granbaby about starting with refuting government arguments, as well as that most people won't be thrilled to see people like Leary and Thompson as a reason to rethink their views on drugs.
rxbandits point on focusing on the negative impacts of the drug war and the historical context of prohibition is stellar.
Perhaps formatted in a fashion that lists the myths about drugs and the logic of the war on drugs, with information debunking said myths. This could make for a very concise and readable format.

[Mint boi]

Good work! But i'd question putting albert hoffman in there! I dont think the general public will exactly look on the synthesizer of lsd as a great man (fools...). Anyway if you plan on keeping the famous psychedelic users why not add Francis Crick? He came up with the DNA double helix model and used lsd to help come up with his theories ect.

[darawk]

Originally Posted by mint boi

Good work! But i'd question putting albert hoffman in there! I dont think the general public will exactly look on the synthesizer of lsd as a great man (fools...). Anyway if you plan on keeping the famous psychedelic users why not add Francis Crick? He came up with the DNA double helix model and used lsd to help come up with his theories ect.

Albert Hoffman is an extremely well-respected scientist. He is not in the same category in most people's minds as Timothy Leary. However, you should definitely add the Shulgin's to that list.

[rxbandit]

I think a main selling point would be coming up with how much the war on drugs costs. using facts like "98% of weed eradicated by the DEA is wild hemp, and millions of your tax dollars are spent for this purpose" etc. with links to each source.

This followed by how innefective these tactics are and then the moral and ethical history of why the majority of drugs were illegalized. example; the william randolph hurst story about how marijuana was villianized in the media for corporate purposes...

Then possibly a bit on the plight of medical marijuana users and the financial drain nonviolent offenders who are improsined burden our society. Then say something about reform and/or how this effects everyones life.

Also including an outline of drugs their effects, use, and risks, and disabuse some of the myths associate with them.

if we could all get a good coherent letter and we all distributed it, im sure we could at least get the information out to a good deal of the population.

[Evil GIR]

Ya missing out Francis Crick, the guy how co-discovered the DNA double helix he actually admitted using lsd to help him do this.

I think a list of famous scientist and there discoveries would be useful, not a scientist but rather politician Churchill used NO2 lots for fun.

[rxbandit]

the guy who invented the mouse for the computer apparently came up with it while on acid too... i think i threw up this article awhile ago but its worth checking out again if you missed it http://www.wired.com/science/discove...urrentPage=all

[mouthwater]

I don't have much time to elaborate on this 'project' in the near future, but I was thinking with beginning the article with a time-line of American (and perhaps global) prohibition. Anybody else have any suggestion on how to structure the information?

The 'notable advocates' list is mostly a demonstration that not all users amount to nothing, etc., etc.