Drugs

The Rest is Uncertain · Jul 23, 2026 · 25m

A history of inconsistencies.

In this episode, Laurance begins by noting that there are several areas of dispute surrounding the nature and use of drugs – both legal and illegal – some of which are factual (empirical) and others more conceptual or moral. A clue to his approach concerning drugs is noting that the most widely cultivated drugs are alcohol and cannabis, where, by and large, the former is legal and the latter not. The legal/illegal distinction does not adequately reflect the degree of harm caused by certain drugs, and many so-called prescription drugs can be extremely harmful. It…