Hi Minx! I think that you might risk loosing your job if they found out. I'd look out for your own interests first and foremost. Only take that risk when you are in the position to do so. I don't think the spirit would want you to be a martyr or something like that for the cause, especially when people who ARE interested can seek out the information themselves. <3 Blessings.

I am proud to have used these sacraments and will discuss them with anyone who is intrested.

I believe that peoples opinions can be changed for the better by intelligent discussion from real life people. Lots of people misunderstand these substances and the media is not going to help dispell these silly mistruths. Be true to yourself and stand up for what you believe in express your opinion in a rational and sensible way to show the world that drug use is not all meth heads and flakey old hippies.

Steve Jobs and Francis Crick (DNA double helix) spring to mind as unconventional advocates of psychedelics outside of the typical artistic or ethnobotanical sphere.

I think I'm personally at the point in my life where discussing psychedelics with other people is out of the question.

The optimism of some of these posts is nice to read, but at the end of the day, your next door neighbors most likely wouldn't be pleased if they knew you were "cooking drugs with dangerous household chemicals" in your kitchen, and they'd scoff and roll their eyes at you if you explained to them that psychedelics are used for healing and self reflection (it's happened to me and I'm sure it's happened to those of who have shared your motivations with non-believers).

Maybe I'm just pessimistic, or maybe I just haven't found the right people to discuss such matters with - the only people I know that share my love of psychedelics are neo-hippy stoners who think "soul-searching" and "healing" is done by dosing MDMA and going clubbing.

The unfortunate part is that I'm sure there are many open-minded users of psychedelics who are around me at all times, but from past negative experiences (and a very strong personal sense of paranoia), I may never open up the door to a conversation regarding these substances with them.

Interesting topic.

I wonder how you guys with blogs go about this? Even if you use a pseudonym are you not afraid that it would be very easy to find out who you are? Does the use of a pseudonym protect you from everything you write?

Also I noticed there are quite a few groups and pages on Facebook about psychedelics. I wonder if liking these pages is risky? How do you guys go about it? I still believe that just reading these things is not illegal, but I wonder about the consequences this can have in the future.

Minx, you live in Vancouver though, right? Last time I was in Vancouver weed was tolerated (though technically not exactly "legal", there was an Amsterdam styled coffee house, right next to an 'herbal shamanism' shop that sold live salvia plants and similar.


Anyway, how about guys like Sting/ Admit to using entheogens in ceremonies where it is legal, but front like this is something you only do in the amazon and in a traditional context maybe? other than that maybe play it a bit coy and reference the psychedelic experience indirectly with talk of visionary consciousness, trance states, mystical awareness and what-not. Hip people will know what you are about.

IDK, just trying to suggest a middle path.

I'd be cautious about "using" the psychedelic experience in an exploitive or crass manner, you know? Like soley talking about entheogens in an attention-getting type of way. that might bite you in the ass later imo.

I do very much wish we could all come out and be open about these matters.

I have come out more with some people than my wife (who does not indulge) is often times comfortable with...

However, holding a PhD in Medicinal Chemistry forces people to suspend at least some disbelief when I talk about it as it's hard to play the stupid, lazy, drug head card against someone like me... Also the burnout, tripped out hippy without a job doesn't really work since I do hold a high level job and function quite well at it. Having a degree in Med Chem also gives me reason to 'know' about these things...

With that said I certainly do not talk about it with superiors at work, though a recent co-worker volunteered up his experience with shrooms and I took the liberty to enlighten him on the relationship to serotonin, DMT, psilocin and other psychedelics to endogenous neurotransmitters... (Hey I'm trained as a Medicinal chemist of COURSE I would know these things..lol though most med chemists I know of have no clue because of lack of interest).

Now to be certain I keep the spiritual aspects to myself and very close friends. No need to give people something to judge when they are already biased towards the negative societal BS relating to these drugs. I typically stick to the positive benefits and refer them to studies coming out of MAPS on PTSD and depression, etc.

Hope that helps some.

Peace.

Yes, but who notices? We do, because we take an interest in these things...
Does the general public notice or care?
Are these articles published in mainstream media?
Do they have any effect on the general public's perception of psychedelics?

Celebrities often crave attention, and this is just another way for them to "earn their place in the spotlights" so what if some Hollywood star admits to doing psychedelics?

There are countless examples of famous people's drug use throughout the ages... Queen Victoria smoked marijuana to relieve menstrual pains, Sigmund freud was a notorious cokehead (no nosebone left at the end of his life, boxer's nose from snorting) and the list goes on and on and on and on...

Have these people or their drug use ever had a positive impact on how drugs or psychedelics are perceived by the general public?

Also, I think we should be careful for the "preaching to your own choir"-pitfall as it might create a false sense of security or an overestimation of how "open" people are towards psychedelics and the people who use them...

Psychedelics are not "normal" drugs - they alter your perception and can have a great impact on how you think/act/live, mostly in directions opposite to what is "expected or wanted" by "the system"... We are subversive elements, free thinking, job-quitting, insufficiently materialistic non-ratrace-runners...

Need proof of this statement? Go to a club or disco, you'll find "normal" people with "normal" lives who are "productive citizens", let them take some xtc, speed or coke - they don't get half the hassle that's given to "hippies" who go to "goa/psychedelic trance festivals"... Why would this be? (talking about Europe here - Germany especially)

The day when you can go to a job interview and be asked "what are your hobbies" and answer "psychedelics" is far, far away...

Just playing devil's advocate here lol

I think more people are noticing but it is not an instantaneous happening. I had a search in the British Journal of Psychiatry site for psilocybin related materials. I couldn"t read the articles without subscribing but the pattern of titles was very telling. In the 70s and 80s words such as intoxication and abuse are present, whereas the noughties have titles like "can psychedelics have a role in psychotherapy" and "the psychedelic renaissance". I think these titles reflect or affect the change in public opinion towards these drugs.



Celebrities have a massive impact on the general public and someone coming out (or being outed) over their abusive relationship with coke (or whatever) is completely different to admitting to psychedelic use. The two situations are just not in the same ballgame. Granted everyone thought Sting was a nutter when he came out. But that was last century. He wore his heart on his sleeve and went out and tried to do what he thought was best.



I think that if there is any value in psychedelics it will inevitably filter through the population to those that appreciate it. The cream always rises to the top.

There are plenty of rat racers that are finding the benfit s of psychedelics. I suppose it depends what you call a rat race. People have to go out and support their families in the best way that they know how.

Attitudes towards drugs have changed massively over the years. 30 years ago there was a good chance that you would get a beating for smoking pot in the town that i grew up in. Nowadays, in the region that i live, they think you are a bit weird if you don"t smoke.
I will come out to anyone that shows an interest and if they have a negative view of what i have to say then that is their choice.



I appreciate your advocacy of the devil. He has as much right to join in the discussion as anyone else!

I've come to the point where fear is no longer relevant for me when dealing with this subject. I blog about it, I write about it, I have conversations about it. I don't necessarily go advertising my activities to everyone I meet, but I do not lie about it any more.

I suppose blogging is sort of like announcing it to the public, even if I use an alias. I just think that if those that are in the position to bring the hammer down on me wish to do so, then so be it. I don't advocate irresponsible use, I don't sell any mind altering substance to anyone. My use is largely medicinal and spiritual in nature. If I were arrested and forced to go to court my attorney would definitely be presenting my activities in that light...and he/she wouldn't be lying when they did it.

I spent a lot of years being paranoid and worrying about what might happen if I were ever caught. It was like an anchor holding me down, preventing me from attaining a true state of peace. I shouldn't feel guilty or fearful because I use these substances to better my life, regardless of how the government wishes to classify them.

As I said in my previous post, I'm in this paranoid phase right now. How is it that you're comfortable with all this? What about the ramifications that "getting caught" would have on your job/family/etc? I'm not trying to preach here, I'm just trying to figure out your train of thought that led you to this conclusion.

I would never advice anyone to be careless.... but you do realize the "DMT Spirit Molecule" facebook page alone has close to 300,000 likes? Countless other pages make references to psychedelic talk all the time.. on FACEBOOK for crying out loud.

Do you really think the authorities have the bandwidth to go after a blogger? I mean seriously?
Honestly, to be blunt about it, they only care about end users in a cursory fashion. Sites like the Nexus that post extractions are also not that much of a target when much more well known sites like youtube turn up almost 3000 hits for "dmt extraction"...

Consider sites like the shroomery? How many members do they have?

Again I'd never tell anyone to be careless, far from it actually, but as long as you aren't engaging in selling or mass manufacturing of these substances you aren't likely to be a target...... again don't be a fool. I for one don't ever really feel the need to talk openly about anything OTHER than use or benefit of them...

As a matter of fact:

Time Magazine:
‘Magic Mushroom’ Drug Shows Promise in Treating Addictions and Cancer Anxiety
‘Magic Mushrooms’ Can Improve Psychological Health Long Term
Magic Mushrooms Expand the Mind By Dampening Brain Activity: A new brain-scan study helps explain how psilocybin works — and why it holds promise as a treatment for depression, addiction and post-traumatic stress.

The New York Times:
How Psychedelic Drugs Can Help Patients Face Death
Hallucinogens Have Doctors Tuning In Again

Psychology Today:
Psychedelics Open the Mind: Psilocybin boosts Openness to Experience
Psychedelic Healing: Psychedelics, Psychotherapy, and Change: Is psychedelic therapy a useful tool for lasting change in adults?
High Time to Destigmatize Psychedelics: After 50 years, the research is being revived.

MSNBC:
Banning Psychedelic Drugs Hurts Research, Scientists Say
'Magic mushrooms' could help treat addiction: Hallucinogen found in the fungus could help people suffering from a variety of psychiatric disorders
'Magic mushrooms' have long-lasting benefits: A year after study, volunteers say they still feel better due to experience

Fox News:
Ketamine: A miracle antidepressant?
Psychedelic science conference highlights therapeutic benefits of mind-altering drugs
Could Natural Treatments Have Helped Amy Winehouse?

CNN:
Can psychedelic drugs treat depression?
Psychedelic Drugs For Your Health? CNN's Campbell Brown April 2010
CNN: Science takes new look at psychedelics

That's about five minutes of googling, there are dozens, scores, maybe even hundreds more similar articles. Yes the mainstream media is taking notice, yes the public opinion is shifting.

Wow, that is pretty impressive...

I don't ever check any of the American media - seems like maybe I should

BBC News:
Can a hallucinogen from Africa cure addiction?
Psychedelic drug 'hope for OCD'
Medicine hope for psychedelic drugs: Could illegal hallucinogenic drugs like LSD and psilocybin ever become credible prescription medicines?
Ecstasy could ease crime trauma: The dance drug Ecstasy is set to be used in a medical trial involving patients with post-traumatic stress.

I'm at the point in my life where I'm becoming very open about my usage of psychoactives. There are many ways to remain illusive. Some forms of expression such as artwork can be subjective; although, I'm favoring transparency instead.

It's getting to the point where I want to dress up in the nicest suit possible and have written on my back in large bold colorful letters " L S D "

I'm getting tired of being a slave you know? Does anyone else feel the same?

I suppose it's about relinquishing fear and standing by your beliefs. I realize that I very well could have my entire life ruined by the authorities. But without these substances my life was in shambles anyhow. If I was forced to stop using them I know for a fact I would spiral downward again. I may be able to keep the depression in check as that is more of a psychological issue...but the cluster headaches and migraines are worse than anything you could imagine. Psychedelics are the only things that have given me relief from these problems in my life, so naturally I feel really strongly about my right to use them.

As I see it it's not really my problem that these substances are viewed so negatively in our society at present. I see them as true medicines and tools of self-reflection and even spiritual catalysts. Any mind altering substance can be abused and demonized but I feel that psychedelics are low on the list of 'potential for abuse', no matter how governments choose to classify them.

I don't know...maybe at some point I just realized I have zero fucks to give anymore

Hear hear brother

I perfectly agree with you on the fact that they don't have the bandwidth to go after them, but the way they work is by inducing fear. You only need one story of someone who has been imprisoned for smoking dmt to induce fear. Of course it's up to the rest to stand up against it or like Metanoia not give a damn about it.

As for me personally, I talk about psychedelics with a lot of people, even the ones who I know are not really fans of them. I also believe in getting people to change their minds when approached in a correct way. The thing that works best is just living the way you do and showing the people around you that it works.

If they see the difference between myself and a heroine junk on the street that should ring a bell.

As for the media, yes I believe that the documentaries that have come out the last few years have a positive impact as well. All the coverage is also very good, my only concern is that it will be so overly commercialized reducing psychedelics to nothing more than another product on the shelf. I know this sounds a bit crazy, but it's already happening. That's why I'm an advocate of the proper use of psychedelics, use them with respect and read about them.

Unfortunately, from the trouble I got in recently, I trust almost no one to talk to about drugs anymore. I just keep to myself, well, besides with you guys. I get paranoid often, even sometimes being on here, but I also refuse to live in fear.

I think it is always OK to talk about these things in the past tense, like saying that you tried such and such one time, or years ago. As far as I know one cannot get arrested for something they did, like taking LSD, in the past. Being high is not illegal (besides alcohol in public, ironic?) only possessing at the moment, they need physical evidence.


BTW, here is a good site LEAP - Law enforcement against prohibition.

http://www.leap.cc/

You don't hear me not complaining!