The “Gentle” Enticement of Hallucinogens

The use of illicit substances is one of the most serious temptations teenagers face. Hallucinogens are unfortunately fairly easy to obtain, and if enthusiastic users are to be believed, they provide attractive escapes. Most young people avoid the hazards. Health officials remain concerned.

After the hallucinogen heyday of the 1960s and 1970s, use of the substances dropped during the 1980s. A new generation of Americans began to experiment with them in the 1990s. At the turn of the century, almost a million

Americans ages twelve or older were using ecstasy, LSD, hallucinogenic mushrooms, and similar substances. One in six college students acknowledged they had used hallucinogens.

For many individuals, the decision to use or shun hallucinogens depends on one question: are the benefits worth the risks?

Other people don't bother to weigh the pluses and minuses. Either they plunge into substance use impulsively, perhaps in a moment of anger or yielding to pressure by friends, or they ignore illegal substances because they simply aren't interested.