NJ magic mushrooms debate must rely on science of psychedleics

Regarding "Legalizing mushrooms is absurd" (Letters to the Editor, Jan. 28):

Legalizing mushrooms is based on science, not witchcraft.

A letter writer asks, "In what universe is it logical to 'treat' mental health issues with a hallucinogen?" The answer is "any one in which it has been shown that it's safe and effective."

Psychedelics — substances that increase self-awareness — have been news items since 1943, when Albert Hoffman accidentally experienced dramatic effects after ingesting a mold that infects rye plants. They were the subject of psychiatric research at Harvard in the 1950s and 1960s into changing the behavior of patients with especially difficult conditions: out-of-control alcoholics and recidivists (criminals who are incarcerated repeatedly). The early work was limited, but the effectiveness of psychedelic therapy in treating these patients was confirmed consistently.

Before 1943, people died from ridiculously small infections: an infected tooth or even a tiny cut. Penicillin and other antibiotics have saved millions of lives worldwide. (Example: World War II was the first time more people died from wounds than disease.)

More: NJ looks to make magic mushrooms legal for recreational use and to treat mental health

Penicillin was discovered because Sir Alexander Fleming was a slob who left a sandwich to spoil in his lab. But he looked, and he thought, "why didn't the rot spread?" By looking and thinking, he made the world much better. There's a difference between knowledge and opinion.

Penicillin is a deadly toxin to some people. Psychedelics won't cure every serious mental illness. Both have uses. In science, as in life, you crawl before you walk. You use what you have. Period.

Lawrence Wilson

North Haledon

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ magic mushrooms debate: Psychedelic science is essential