MEDICAL USE OF HALLUCINOGENS IMMORAL, HARMFUL

Research on Psychedelic Drug Prescriptions Not Solution to Mental,
Physical Problems

Thank God for the '60s and all it brought to American history books:
bell-bottoms, tie-dye, troll dolls, Chinese fire drills, Woodstock,
Twister, lava lamps, free love and LSD; God Bless America.

Though many of these fads have faded out - some that are not missed,
i.e., the bouffant hairdo and platform shoes - hallucinogens are
coming back for another trip ... no pun intended.

Once taboo, hallucinogens are now being tested for medicinal purposes,
as they are thought to cure the negative side effects of depression,
obsessive-compulsive disorder, life-threatening anxiety,
post-traumatic stress disorder, and addiction to illegal substances.
Just a thought, but how are people suffering from cocaine addiction
going to get better by replacing their kilos with shrooms or LSD? Kind
of an oxymoron, don't you think?

At many universities around the country, including Harvard, UCLA and
Johns Hopkins University, private funds are fueling research of
psychedelics easing the anxiety in patients with terminal illnesses.

In other words, they're trying to find ways to make a dying person's
last few months more enjoyable as they waste away in stuffy hospitals.

Though research has proved psilocybin may improve a patient's mental
and emotional states by giving them what some have described to be a
"profound spiritual experience," prescribing patients illegal drugs to
drift off into La-La Land is immoral and possible grounds for disaster.

As with any illicit drug, there are some serious side effects
associated with hallucinogens, such as high blood pressure, increased
heart rate, nausea, memory loss and heart palpitations.

Despite the fact that hallucinogens alter a person's perception of
reality, which can be incredibly dangerous, they also cause users to
build up a tolerance, causing them to constantly up their dosage.

This is a problem, considering the long-term affects include
unexpected violent outbursts, mood swings, impaired thinking and
suicide. Scientists argue that these drugs could cure you; however, it
seems more likely that they'll kill you.

Life-threatening side effects set aside, what about the immorality
issues that go hand-in-hand with using hallucinogens for medicinal
reasons? Sadly, there are people in this world who would dare to cheat
the system. In a recent "South Park" episode, Randy Marsh decides to
give himself testicular cancer so he can benefit from marijuana
prescriptions.

Though it's highly unlikely someone would stick their man junk in a
microwave to get a doctor's note for marijuana or LSD (after all,
"South Park is just a cartoon"), the issue of legitimacy has to be
raised.

What if someone who doesn't suffer from depression claims to, is
prescribed - by some unethical phenomenon - a hallucinogen for
"medical purposes" and uses it to trip out or worse, sell it on the
streets?

Diseases like depression and PTSD are unfortunate and yes,
inconvenient. However, pharmaceutical companies make specific drugs to
treat symptoms associated with those conditions, and people get
doctorate degrees to help those who are effected cope.

As a society we shouldn't be resorting to illegal drugs to solve our
problems for us. Our society has much higher standards than that.

Lauren Hadley, First-year visual communications student