Intelligence Squared Michael Pollan: This Is Your Mind on Plants
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Jul 27, 2021 Michael Pollan, award-winning author and journalist, dives into our complex relationship with psychoactive plants. He discusses caffeine as the world's most popular mind-altering drug and reflects on morphine and mescaline's cultural significance. Pollan explores the opiate crisis, emphasizing the intersection of indigenous knowledge and modern medicine. He advocates for the decriminalization of psychedelics and envisions a future where plant-based treatments transform mental health care, urging a reassessment of societal views on these powerful compounds.
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Pollan's Poppy Mishap
- Michael Pollan grew opium poppies, legally, but faced government pushback.
- Slitting the poppy heads, however, is illegal, highlighting drug war absurdities.
Drug War's True Target
- The "War on Drugs" wasn't about public health, Nixon advisor John Ehrlichman admitted.
- It targeted and demonized specific groups: African Americans and hippies.
Defining "Drug"
- Doctors were often incentivized to overprescribe opiates, contributing to the crisis.
- Defining "drug" is complex, as many foods like sugar alter our minds.
