Social Drugs and Drug Addiction
Drug dependence can be a disaster for both the individual and society.
In modern society in most countries, nearly everyone makes daily use of one or several commonly-available addictive substances, including tea, coffee, alcohol and tobacco.
(For the sake of possible doubters; yes it is true: caffeine is a powerful psychoactive substance. Caffeine and related compounds are available from tea, coffee and cocoa).
All of these were discovered by pre-scientific man. In other societies around the world historically and also today, widespread use is made of other powerful psychoactive and addictive substances including the coca plant, LSD, cannabis, mescaline and opium, in various forms and under various nick-names. Khat reembles amphetamines. Synthetic derivatives or relatives of these, like Crack, H, Horse, Puff, Speed, Ecstasy, etc. are the active substances underlying the appalling social disaster of the illegal drugs trade.
These facts are well known. The purpose in reciting them here is only to emphasise that drug abuse and addiction are commonplace and treatable.
It is neither inconsistent nor a matter of morals for us to be opposed to the use of illegal drugs and at the same time wish to help those who are addicted. It is rather a practical, medical and also a legal matter.
To sacrifice one's life for any drug is a tragedy, a form of self-imposed slavery; and who wishes to be a slave? Although the social use of drugs in small quantities is universal in human societies, Society and not the individual will determine which drugs it will allow to be used and when. There is no human right to be stoned: it is at best a misfortune and often a crime.