[Ethics in the use of psychedelics: The definition of illicit drugs from the perspective of critical bioethics].

Prohibition of psychedelic substances is sustained more by political and economic interests than by scientific justifications, leading to stigmatization and vulnerability. Drawing on critical bioethics, the essay examines the historical context and varied terminology for psychedelics, problematizing the definition of drugs by highlighting the lack of objective criteria distinguishing legal from illicit substances. It advocates ending prohibition based on ethical arguments, emphasizing the importance of psychedelics in reducing individual and collective suffering, given their therapeutic potential and millennia-long history of cultural and spiritual use.

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Abstract

This essay, situated in the field of bioethics, examines the prohibition of psychedelic use, exploring arguments surrounding the growing evidence of their therapeutic potential and their millennia-long history of cultural and spiritual uses. It initially discusses the historical context of psychedelics and the various terms used to describe them. The essay problematizes the definition of "drugs," highlighting the lack of objective criteria for distinguishing between legal and illicit substances. Drawing on concepts and theoretical frameworks of critical bioethics, it analyzes how the prohibitionist moral discourse is sustained more by political and economic interests than by scientific justifications, leading to stigmatization and vulnerability. The essay advocates for the end of the prohibition of psychedelics based on ethical arguments, emphasizing their importance in reducing individual and collective suffering. The work contributes to a deeper reflection on this socially controversial topic, integrating interdisciplinary knowledge.