I only have anecdotal evidence to support my views, but in short I don’t believe most drugs are problematic in of themselves, especially if used moderately or for their intended purposes. Psilocybin, from my understanding, has a lot of medical potential, and I know several people who have used careful dosages for therapeutic and recreational purposes - and even the recreational case was more spiritual than just “let’s get high”. I know plenty of people who smoke weed responsibly, drink responsibly, use tobacco products responsibly. I, myself, drink very seldom, but over-consume soda, so I think there’s something to say about different addictive substances having more weight with different people.

Now, all that said, I also personally know people who are too into drug culture, who try everything and anything and think there’s no problem. I’ve argued with a stranger who said meth was the same thing as Adderall and should be legalized, that people only have problems with meth because they don’t know how to use it responsibly. I’ve seen people act like Marijuana and Psilocybin are God’s gift on Earth, the tools for enlightenment. I know people who got hooked on Marijuana, overindulging on it, and showing the same “I don’t have a problem” attitudes and withdrawal symptoms of coffee addicts, or began showing other, more troubling symptoms.

So, to me, I think a large part of the problem is our culture, in several ways. Misinformation, criminalization, demonization, which leads to a reaction of more misinformation and glorification. Most of those people I know who had problems with drugs were suffering intense levels of social and financial stress, looking for a way out. The people I know who responsibly use drugs are in pretty stable situations, with family who can help them if things go poorly. From my perspective, capitalism makes drugs - like so many other things - more hazardous and problematic than they need to be.

But this is all anecdotal, as I said.