The problem of disclosure expands beyond their therapeutic use – those who use the compounds for spiritual purposes, or as cited in the surveys, for self-exploration, may have even more stigma around admitting their use.
Humans have used mind-altering substances for thousands of years. Sharing stories about using psychedelics recreationally raises big questions over our access to these substances – our right to put in our bodies what we want, and experiment with our consciousness as we want, if it is not a danger to others.
In his essay On Liberty, published in 1859, the philosopher John Stuart Mill discusses the idea that a state or society should only intervene with individual liberties in order to prevent harm to others. Any act that only impacts the individual and not others should fall outside the responsibility of the law.
Mill writes, “Over himself, over his own body and mind, the individual is sovereign.” Psychedelics, indeed, are the perfect example of this. Using psychedelics – whether for therapeutic purposes, spiritual purposes, general recreation, or exploring one’s own consciousness – is an act which carries risk mainly for the individual.
Equally, he explores the idea of freedom of expression:
The liberty of expressing and publishing opinions may seem to fall under a different principle, since it belongs to that part of the conduct of an individual which concerns other people; but, being almost of as much importance as the liberty of thought itself, and resting in great part on the same reasons, is practically inseparable from it.
Secondly, the principle requires liberty of tastes and pursuits; of framing the plan of our life to suit our own character; of doing as we like, subject to such consequences as may follow: without impediment from our fellow-creatures, so long as what we do does not harm them, even though they should think our conduct foolish, perverse, or wrong.
The scheduling of psychedelics as Schedule 1/Class A drugs squashes the ability to advance science, and, under these principles, the criminalisation of psychedelics is unjustified for both personal use and freedom of expression, raising bigger questions over the freedom of our societies. Elsewhere, Mill states:
No society in which these liberties are not, on the whole, respected, is free, whatever may be its form of government; and none is completely free in which they do not exist absolute and unqualified. The only freedom which deserves the name, is that of pursuing our own good in our own way, so long as we do not attempt to deprive others of theirs, or impede their efforts to obtain it. Each is the proper guardian of his own health, whether bodily, or mental and spiritual. Mankind are greater gainers by suffering each other to live as seems good to themselves, than by compelling each to live as seems good to the rest.
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