to wonder when it became acceptable for role models to sing the praises of marijuana and psychedelics?

[Namechangethisevening]

Thinking specifically of prince Harry advertising constantly how great marijuana and psychedelics have been for his mental health. But there are other celebs doing this too.

Surely people in the public eye have a responsibility not to spout this?

Illegal drugs are 1. Illegal and 2. Associated with exacerbation of symptoms such as paranoia (Harry take note) in those with MH probs or prone to them.

How on earth is it considered ok for people who some see as role models, to be spouting the virtues of breaking the law and exacerbating MH issues?

And Harry for one claims to be a bit of a MH guru?

You may not like it but people have a right to share their experiences. I've been on antidepressants and they didn't work for me. Microdosing psychedelics, on the other hand, has been so, so beneficial. Not everyone will have the same experience, but I'm interested in hearing all perspectives.

"People in the public eye" don't have a responsibility to do anything. It's entirely up to the individual whether or not to take any notice of them. The problem with the concept of 'role models' is it implies the general public can impart expected behaviours on people simply because of the job they do, and totally disregards the fact the person themselves is a human being, with flaws, like all the rest of us. It's understandable why young boys, for instance, admire footballers, but they need to be reminded that it's fine to admire them for their footballing skills, whereas being a capable footballer does not mean they are necessarily in any other way the sort of person they should be emulating.

Parents, relatives, and teachers, fine, but total random strangers who have no direct relevance to your life, no. They can do whatever the hell they like within the bounds of the law, and it's not anyone else's business.

What about the significantly raised risks of schizophrenia and psychosis from cannabis, then? Are those all fine?

The death rate for alcohol related deaths are way higher than weed or psychedelics

You should watch 'How To Change Your Mind' on Netflix.

The research on psychedelics and mental health is fascinating.

It not ILLEGAL everywhere though OP. Prince Harry lives in Canada - legal, and California - legal. So he can smoke as much as he likes.

Leaving aside the question of whether Prince Harry is a "role model"....

There's a big big difference between people smoking weed for recreational purposes and the controlled use of psychedelics as part of a therapeutic programme.

There's a big movement in the US in particular of integrating psychedelics into therapy and there's a growing body of clinical evidence that suggests psychedelics can play an important role in managing mental health conditions. In particular, a number of US veterans organisations are actively lobbying for the relaxation of laws to enable them to have legal access to psilocybin and other therapeutics and they are legal in some US states. I'd say the jury is out and they are not for everyone but this is a million miles away from people smoking skunk in their bedrooms.

Also the fact a drug is illegal doesn't of itself mean it's more dangerous that a legal therapeutic. Alcohol is by many leagues of magnitude more dangerous than most psychedelics if taken in moderate and controlled conditions.

I do think people need to tread extremely carefully when experimenting with psychedelics (and I speak from personal experience). But there are a lot of serious people who have faith in their therapeutic potential so I wouldn't write it all off just because it's illegal.

The illegality set research back decades. There is very good evidence that both can be used therapeutically, with fewer side-effects than other drugs. Particularly cannabis for pain, when the alternatives are utterly dreadful for society. I mean opiates are legal medicinally and cannabis isn't? That's clearly really very stupid.

And BTW I take neither. But he isn't wrong.

He's not anyone's role model. And makes many claims, few of them true save in his own eyes.

Celebrities - people who are self made - can spout on about what they like.

Royals, unless they completely renounce their titles and any claim to incomes from the royal estate - should not extol law breaking.

The 1920s, I believe.

‘Reefer Man’ etc

He was smoking it years ago way before moving abroad, that's the point

About a third of UK adults have used cannabis. The law is stupid, not PH.

He's not a random stranger, he's a spokesperson for mental health and for invictus games

Since the 1960's at least. How old are you OP? I can only assume you live under a rock if this is the first time this has come to your attention!

1960s probs

LSD has been found to cure alcoholism in some cases. With a single dose. Which suggests it somehow "resets" some pathways in the brain. Not that I would advise anyone to go out and try and source some to see.

This.

Both cannabis and psychedelics have very useful medical effects.

If Harry has found them useful then why wouldn't he share the information.

There have been several large, longitudinal studies done on psyllicybins (magic mushrooms) recently which strongly suggest that there are significant mental health benefits. Just two studies I can think of are underway at Kings College in London and at Melbourne University.

Obviously they have to be used responsibly and more research is needed, but the results coming through from the research can't be ignored.

Well doesn't Harry live in America most of the time where weed is legal in a lot of states? Similarly psychosis is usually caused by illegally grown weed where the balance of chemicals /THC isn't monitored properly.

What about the significantly raised risks of schizophrenia and psychosis from cannabis, then? Are those all fine?

Where the risk is increased is when strong strains of bioengineered 'skunk' cannabis are used. Natural marijuana use doesn't correlate with psychosis in the same way as skunk does. But also, you have to factor in why people are trying to self-medicate using weed in the first place. It's almost always due to emotional trauma of some sort, which can create schizoid-type disorders. Severely traumatised people can disassociate and in extreme situations depersonalise as a defence mechanism. Sever trauma and self medication through drug use often go hand in hand. It's not as straightforward as take drugs = poor mental health. Almost always the poor mental health came first.

Since before I was born and I'm OLD.

I agree OP. We have a member of the Royal family normalising illegal drug use. It’s awful and I hope my kids are not reading it.

Last time I looked cocaine was illegal even in California.

He talks about taking cocaine ffs