[The political uses of prohibitionist "science:" The case of cannabis and psychedelics].
David Pere Martínez Oró, Ismael Apud, Juan Scuro, Oriol Romaní
Salud Colectiva August 19, 2020 DOI: 10.18294/sc.2020.2493 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Cannabis |
| Keywords | Hallucinogens Moral Public policy Science |
| Citations | 12 |
| Key points | Argues that prohibitionist drug policies misuse science to hide a political-moral agenda, and that policies should be based on evidence and core values like public health and human rights. |
Abstract
This article analyzes the use of science as a political tool in prohibitionist logic, adopting an externalist perspective. Prohibitionism strives to have its political-moral precepts be considered scientific, that is, the result of an ideologically neutral research process. The article analyzes the case of cannabis and psychedelics to show how prohibitionism has only resorted to "science" to hide its political-moral agenda, while ignoring the results of scientific research that did not fit its apriorisms. Finally, we argue that drug policies should be based on scientific evidence and on certain basic values - the defense of public health, social cohesion, Human Rights - such that an analysis in terms of power relations would allow us to better understand the contradictory relationships between science and drug policies.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on cannabis, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delta-8, Delta-10, HHC, THC-O, THCP, and THCV: What Should We Call These Products? | 2023 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Model Psychoses Induced by LSD-25 in Normals | 1956 | Historical analysis | |
| Is there a specific ‘cannabis psychosis’? | 2004 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Peak-experience and the entheogenic use of cannabis in world religions | 2021 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Out of Harm's Way?: Illicit Drug Use, Medicalization and the Law | 2003 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cited by 5
- Ayahuasca and Public Health II: Health Status in a Large Sample of Ayahuasca-Ceremony Participants in the Netherlands Journal of Psychoactive Drugs May 28, 2022
- Ancient psychoactive plants in a global village: The ritual use of cannabis in a self-managed community in Catalonia. International Journal of Drug Policy December 1, 2021
- [Ethics in the use of psychedelics: The definition of illicit drugs from the perspective of critical bioethics]. Salud Colectiva February 14, 2024
- Los abordajes de las adicciones como un campo de convergencia entre estudios sobre religión, espiritualidad, salud y drogas Ciencias Sociales y Religión December 19, 2023
- Ayahuasca and personality. A systematic review and meta-analysis of cross-sectional studies with long-term participants (Ayahuasca y personalidad. Revisión sistemática y metaanálisis de estudios transversales con participantes de larga trayectoria) Studies in Psychology Estudios de Psicología January 2, 2023
Cites 15
- Psilocybin produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer: A randomized double-blind trial Journal of Psychopharmacology November 30, 2016
- Rapid and sustained symptom reduction following psilocybin treatment for anxiety and depression in patients with life-threatening cancer: a randomized controlled trial Journal of Psychopharmacology November 30, 2016
- Pilot Study of Psilocybin Treatment for Anxiety in Patients With Advanced-Stage Cancer Archives of General Psychiatry September 7, 2010
- Psilocybin with psychological support for treatment-resistant depression: six-month follow-up. Psychopharmacology November 8, 2017
- Safety, Tolerability, and Efficacy of Psilocybin in 9 Patients With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry November 15, 2006
and 10 more in the library