On drugs and states of being
Last night I was seriously contemplating about the illegal status of drugs. What if drugs were in fact a mind-altering substance that brought us to a higher level of being? I recognize the issues with addiction and possible health issues. Yet, isn’t everything capable of being a form of unhealthy addiction? Some of which have worse health impacts than others - ie, over or under eating, alcohol, tobacco products, the list can go on. I can only talk from a qualitative point of view. Naturally, because I think I am a pretty respectable and safe person, I haven’t seen some of the uglier side of drugs. I suppose I just wonder how anyone can limit what we choose to put into our bodies and expand our minds with.
It’s strange that I have this somewhat open mind to the possibility of taking drugs. (I should probably qualify that when I imagine drug taking experiences, I hope that they are safe and well controlled experiences. I know not everyone is taking drugs for the “right” reason. But neither are people writing, acting, banking, running, learning for the right reasons. Anything can be a destructive decision.) Because I myself am a recovering alcoholic. I haven’t drank in almost three and a half years. My feelings toward addiction are a mix of personal reflection and reading up on scientific studies. I feel extremely saddened when I see someone who clearly has an addiction to any substance. Perhaps it’s because it’s no longer “fun.” More importantly, because addition is greater than one person putting a substance in their body - it affects a wide web of people. As much as I think we can use substances to bring ourselves to either a higher state of being or just a different state of being, substances can diminish us from what is human. They can bring us to the lowest state of humanity, and sometimes, an uglier side of humanity. I think about myself, some of the people I’ve seen on the street who are clearly in need of help, and people I have had (or lost) in my life.
I suppose I can be very misguided when thinking about substances and states of being. I don’t know all the chemical after effects of consumption. Nor, have I looked into the legal reasonings for criminalization of substances. Maybe I am a sheltered optimist. But, contemplating the legality of drugs last night left me confused. I am a strong advocate for achieving higher states of being through meditation, sobriety, living in the moment, and finding love/peace. Yet, I also wonder if we can feel as if we can either get closer to god or understand our humanity/life more through safe drug consumption. I have glossed over many of the negatives from both sides - legalizing and the criminalization of drugs. But for now, I’m ok with that.
