It has seemed to me for a while now that there is something of a pushback on the easy access to (and overuse of) recreational drugs (of the "other than alcohol and nicotine" kind) being reflected in the big US news sources I subscribe to. (And it's funny how they are classified by Rightists as "too far Left", even today.)
First, the New York Times editorial board:
It’s Time for America to Admit That It Has a Marijuana Problem
Some of the highlights:
This editorial board has long supported marijuana legalization. In 2014, we published a six-part series that compared the federal marijuana ban to alcohol prohibition and argued for repeal. Much of what we wrote then holds up — but not all of it does.
At the time, supporters of legalization predicted that it would bring few downsides. In our editorials, we described marijuana addiction and dependence as “relatively minor problems.” Many advocates went further and claimed that marijuana was a harmless drug that might even bring net health benefits. They also said that legalization might not lead to greater use.It is now clear that many of these predictions were wrong. Legalization has led to much more use. Surveys suggest that about 18 million people in the United States have used marijuana almost daily (or about five times a week) in recent years. That was up from around six million in 2012 and less than one million in 1992. More Americans now use marijuana daily than alcohol.
This wider use has caused a rise in addiction and other problems. Each year, nearly 2.8 million people in the United States suffer from cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, which causes severe vomiting and stomach pain. More people have also ended up in hospitals with marijuana-linked paranoia and chronic psychotic disorders. Bystanders have also been hurt, including by people driving under the influence of pot.
The article does not argue for re-introduced prohibition, though, but makes a very reasoned case that the legalisation in the US has happened with far, far too light a hand on regulation. (Something that has been obvious to outside observers - like me! - from the start.)
The rest of the piece makes some good, practical suggestions, the first of which (significantly raising tax on joints) I bet will have induced some fury in the comments. But the second point is so obvious, it's baffling why it hasn't happened already:
A second step should be restrictions on the most harmful forms of marijuana, which would also be similar to regulations for alcohol and tobacco. Today’s cannabis is far more potent than the pot that preceded legalization. In 1995, the marijuana seized by the Drug Enforcement Administration was around 4 percent THC, the primary psychoactive compound in pot. Today, you can buy marijuana products with THC levels of 90 percent or more. As the cliché goes, this is not your parents’ weed. It is as if some beer brands were still sold as beer but contained as much alcohol per ounce as whiskey.
Not surprisingly, greater THC potency has contributed to more addiction and illness. The appropriate response is both to make illegal any marijuana product that exceeds a THC level of 60 percent and to impose higher taxes on potent forms of pot, much as liquor is taxed more heavily than beer and wine.
Anyway, it's well argued. Let me dip my toes into the comments section, which (if past experience is any guide) might be full of users naysaying that there is a problem at all.
Well, blow me down: I've probably scrolled though to about 50 - 100 comments, and I would say those supporting the editorial are running at about 7 or 8 out of 10. Seems to me there may be something of a real sea change going on.
Another couple recent articles of interest appeared at the Washington Post, written by a doctor, warning of the dangers in the rise of recreational use of the fly agaric mushroom (you know, this one):
Despite those dangers, a fast-growing consumer market has taken hold. Vape shops, convenience stores and a cottage industry of online retainers now sell harvested amanita mushrooms and products containing their main psychoactive compound, muscimol. These products are frequently marketed with sweeping and baseless health claims, from curing anxiety and depression to enhancing creativity, improving sleep and offering a “safe” psychedelic high. ...Eric C. Leas, a public health professor at the University of California at San Diego, believes the surge is partly due to consumers conflating these mushrooms with psilocybin. That confusion is amplified by aggressive marketing and distribution. “A lot of companies are looking for a new edge in the competitive market of loosely regulated psychoactive substances and trying to capitalize on consumers’ interest in mushrooms,” Leas told me.
A 2026 meta-analysis of 14 studies found no overall cognitive benefit from microdosing psychedelics. In fact, users showed a significant decrease in cognitive control.
People who choose to use these substances for lifestyle enhancement should understand that the current evidence does not back up the promised effects. If the goal is better mood and improved mental sharpness, they should consider evidence-based approaches, including regular physical activity and strong social connections.
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