We all take substances every day that impact how our brains process reality. Yet we arbitrarily divide these into “good drugs” and “bad drugs” without much thought.
I used to assume the institutions defining drugs had society’s best interests in mind. But the more I learn, the more I realize how misguided many of their judgements have been.
Take alcohol. It was once considered so harmful it was Constitutionally banned. Now it’s such an accepted part of life that even Neil deGrasse Tyson doesn’t consider it a mind-altering substance.
Yet alcohol wrecks our gut biome, fuels addiction and violence like few other drugs. The costs to society are immense.
On the flip side, psychedelics remain highly restricted and stigmatized. But evidence shows they can treat depression better than leading medications. Unlike most pharmaceuticals, they actually regenerate the brain rather than just numb symptoms.
Clearly our definitions of “good drug” and “bad drug” are upside down. Just look at how wrong we’ve been in the past:
- Heroin and cocaine were once recommended by doctors for depression and fussy babies.
- Powerful stimulants like Adderall were created by Nazis to make soldiers more aggressive. Now they’re prescribed freely to teens.
- Opioids were pushed as non-addictive wonder drugs, igniting today’s addiction epidemic.
My point is not that all illegal drugs should be legalized. It’s that we need to think critically about the substances we put in our bodies rather than blindly trusting the gatekeepers.
The real “drugs” damaging our health include stress, lack of sleep, junk food, environmental toxins. Meanwhile nutritional and lifestyle changes can prevent nearly all chronic disease yet are ignored.
What we put in our brains and guts shapes our reality more than anything. It’s time we re-examine what substances help versus hurt us. And not let outdated institutions decide for us.
