Why The Government Fired This Drug Expert

[@JudeBlatant]

Love that Alex kept this under an hour, definelty so he could say he’d never spent an hour talking about nothing but drugs😂.

[@luczeiler2317]

Man oh man that was one special interview for sure...

[@dudethedude1220]

@@luczeiler2317With special people, you get special interviews

[@ericnr9781]

true, he is just so OBSESSED with drugs

[@hectormata449]

I think Alex learned his lesson not to carrying a discussion on drugs for more than an hour after Peter Hitchens impatiently walked off an interview because Alex allegedly was only interested in discussing “drugs” with Hitchens who wanted to go on to other topics. 🙃

[@IroskTheOrc]

​@hectormata449 the autism is strong with this one

[@Zaddish2]

I have been here for an HOUR and you've talked about nothing but drugs!!

[@fairlynuts]

:D

[@andythomas4998]

Did you read the title?😁

[@jedsithor]

@@andythomas4998 It's a reference to the Peter Hitchens interview.

[@ac1646]

😂😂 It'll make Alex laugh. Probably why he's interviewed David Nutt. 😉😉

[@aguspuig6615]

hey its 59 minutes! he would never!

[@dandare1001]

The Nutty Professor is the sort of person who should be working for the government. Disgusting that he was fired for doing a good job.

[@topicthunder1]

To be fair “Drug Tsar” is a pretty dope title 😂

[@ketongu]

Drug Tsar Nutt

[@chinoto1]

I thought you had misspelled "Czar", but apparently "Tsar" is a Russian word. New knowledge! 🎉

[@Dian_Borisov_SW]

​@@chinoto1Both spellings are correct but I suppose "Czar" is more etymologically accurate Also fun fact, the first person to be titled tsar is Simeon the Great of Bulgaria

[@bimbom9712]

it's the title of the first song off of rap album i like 😂

[@dbcooperslilbrother]

alex, you're OBSESSED with drugs

[@SevenPr1me]

I get this reference

[@ashleysherlock5705]

How observant of you, repeating something Alex says 9 seconds into the video. Edit: Obviously this is a Peter Hitchens reference but Alex makes this joke himself many many times starting from 9 seconds into the video, so how can people think they're being clever for saying it themself? It's also his most viewed video so you hardly deserve an award for having seen it.

[@andymcpandy2128]

I was gonna like your comment, but I don't wanna spoil that perfect number.

[@ac1646]

@@ashleysherlock5705 That is the point Sherlock but I can understand if you don't know. It's reference😊😊 See his interview with Peter Hitchens. Is your name _really_ Sherlock? Cool if it is.😎😎

[@ac1646]

@@andymcpandy2128 I'm guessing it's gone up by about 10! Currently at 79

[@mossydog2385]

"The establishment will use drug hysteria to create an international police apparatus" --- William S. Burroughs

[@warbler1984]

That's a bit backwards...they may have been misplaced in pursuing drugs so ardently but you make it sound like it was an excuse to create a global superpolice state.

[@tersiaduplessis3792]

The guest’s bookshelf is fascinating. The conversation enlightning. The topic essential. Thank you Alex.

[@IlIlIlIlIlIlIllIlIII]

I feel like David is trying to subconciously persuade me into getting a beer with that bookcase behind him.

[@MattCooperKay]

Or buy his book...

[@ketongu]

You mean to tell me he's trying to sell his book? I don't believe it

[@greenblue6935]

He's more pro weed, or psychedelics to be fair.

[@WillyJunior]

He used to own a wine bar

[@danielmckerracher2435]

Haha I see the book! Its a book in his case thats titled Drink?

[@francisdec1615]

This would have happened to this man here in Sweden as well. Sweden has a zero policy on drugs - even though you can get most illegal drugs very easily if you want - that even spills over into the field of medicinal use of drugs like opiates, benzodiazepins, weak amphetamine for ADHD patients etc. It's literally extremely hard to get a small bottle of cough syrup or a few tramadol tablets the legal way, unless the doctor is brave enough to go against the authorities and consensus, which most aren't.

[@euep918]

as a Mexican, I'd greatly appreciate if US could stop selling guns to cartels, decriminalize drugs, fix their healthcare system to prevent and attend addiction so people stop dying on both sides of the border

[@victor_2216]

I'd greatly appreciate if cartels could stop sending illegals across the border; if they could stop smuggling fentanyl; if they could stop s$lling wom3n, and ch1Idr3n as $3x slaves. What more decriminalizing of drugs do you even wish for? There's no "fix" to the healthcare system. Economics deals with trade-offs- not solutions. It'd be great to get rid of most socialist forms of healthcare though. And people in Mexico aren't suffering because of guns, instead, it's because of the gun users.

[@bobhill4364]

​@@victor_2216The audacity of the OPs reply was mind bending. Thank you.

[@victor_2216]

I'd greatly appreciate if cartels could stop sending 1ll3g@ls across; if they could stop smuggling fentanyl; if they could stop s$lling wom3n, and ch1Idr3n as slaves. What more decriminalizing of drugs do you even wish for? There's no "fix" to the healthcare system. Economics deals with trade-offs- not solutions. It'd be great to get rid of most socialist forms of healthcare though. And people in Mexico aren't suffering because of guns, instead, it's because of the gun users.

[@victor_2216]

@@bobhill4364 Tell me about it. Too bad YT is on his side and won't allow it.

[@victor_2216]

I'd greatly appreciate if cartels could stop sending 1ll3g@ls across; if they could stop smuggling fentanyl; if they could stop s$lling wom3n and ch1Idr3n as slaves. What more decriminalizing of drugs do you even wish for? There's no "fix" to the healthcare system. Economics deals with trade-offs- not solutions. It'd be great to do away with most socialist forms of healthcare though. And the problem is not the guns, instead, it's because of the users.

[@CrustyCheapster]

Every time Nutt mentions Alcohol, I can’t help but chuckle back at Hitchens’ repeated mocking of Alex by saying ‘but what about alcohol?’

[@marktunnicliffe2495]

If only we had the luxury of a having a government that's willing to have a grown up conversation about the drug question. The cliched phrase of "I'd like to thank drugs for winning the war on drugs" actually rings true. Those in power are fully aware that the tired old punitive approach does not work and will never will, yet none of them are brave enough to face that fact and level with the public. A decriminalised, treatment based, therapeutic based approach has been shown to provide far better results over a punishment and criminalisation based approach.

[@lordmew5]

Wrong and stupid.

[@dynamicworlds1]

Yup, but we won't get that anytime soon because our government isn't interested in the public good.

[@UrbFoxFact]

Horses are crazy dangerous to ride….except when you’ve taken ecstasy….then they are just great to cuddle

[@adriendarnoux475]

Or going in a rave riding a horse 😂

[@UrbFoxFact]

@@adriendarnoux475 that would be epic carnage....especially if horse has some also

[@Tsmowl]

I know this is shallow as hell but in terms of optics I think it's quite good to have somebody who looks like your classic socially conservative uncle who dislikes drugs but doesn't mind a drink or five repping this perspective. cheers guys.

[@m420-nd1if]

You are right, this is incredibly shallow.

[@Tsmowl]

@@m420-nd1if Thanks. I try to make a habit of being right ;)

[@joecurran2811]

​@@Tsmowl😂

[@warbler1984]

​​@@m420-nd1if branding matters..ask rory sutherland

[@zevkurtzman8108]

​@m420-nd1if optics usually are. But optics determines votes which determines policy. I'd much rather have someone in a suit with a real education advocating for drug legalization than some hippy with long hair and an obsession with the new age

[@Theactivepsychos]

David is one of my favourite guys ever. So happy.

[@cowmath77]

An entire shipping container filled to the brim with poppy bulb is the same potency of a small purse of f-en-T. (Spelling to stop YT from deleting.)

[@jakobbauz]

Wow, this is one patient man. Thanks for the interview, very interesting! Also: I didn't know that politicians are actually drunk in parliament. Jesus Christ that is fucked up.

[@rachelkrumpelman5131]

As an American, I always wondered why parliament was so raucous and entertaining.

[@Johnnystammy]

It's because they're drinking moet and chandon champagne cheaper than the price of a pint of beer and made cheap because we subsidise it.

[@ConradSpoke]

Hitchens' behavior was APPALLING. It's good to know that men like Nutt are willing to have an honest discussion on drugs and harm.

[@malgrosskreuz01]

Exactly. I actually agree with Peter Hitchens on drugs but I was utterly shocked by his conduct (or lack thereof)

[@Johnnystammy]

Peter has always been the gilded hammer to his brother's elegant fencing Sabre.

[@NoMastersNoMistress]

How can anyone even take Peter Hitchens seriously at all, ever?

[@DinnenG]

I never have. Realistically, no one would remember his name if not for his older brother.

[@Zaddish2]

This has been about nothing but drugs! You're obsessed with drugs!

[@DJWESG1]

Fact is.. none of it is about drugs proper, drugs is the proxy war in a greater agenda to capture and keep power. Drugs have become a barometer through which behaviours and actions can be regulated and controlled, studied and researched. The debate about drugs are always debates about rules and how society is ordered.

[@RanEncounter]

​@@DJWESG1 Why did you miss the obvious meme? Did you not watch the Peter Hitchens debate?

[@DJWESG1]

@@RanEncounter AHH, I did miss that... Thanks for reminding me. Thing is, I've been seeing hitchens on vids for decades spouting same crap so when I see him pop up from time to time I just skim through or pass over it .

[@dianadeejarvis7074]

​@@DJWESG1You didn't miss much. Peter Hitchens basically threw a fit about Alex had a few questions on drug policy. He went on and on and on and on about how Alex must be obsessed with drugs. One of them was definitely obsessed, but it wasn't Alex. Hard to believe Peter's really related to Christopher.

[@dynamicworlds1]

​@@dianadeejarvis7074yeah, people are very often widly different to their relatives. One of the many reasons monarchies are bad.

[@olliejarvis1200]

Being honest here, I started watching this while I was shaving and trimming my facial hair. The moment the sponsor came on, and Alex mentioned being productive, some water splashed on the screen and sped up the video x2. Even my phone can't argue with tash man's power. Great video as always, engaging from the get go 👏

[@etunimenisukunimeni1302]

Politics is not about making decisions for the society, it's about finding the "right" things to say and do to get re-elected

[@etunimenisukunimeni1302]

...and to get the money from lobbyists, you shouldn't forget the money

[@BlendtutsES]

I thought Alex was going to talk about nothing but drugs for an hour AGAIN. But 59 minutes? That I can listen to ;P

[@algorithm-w7o]

When my grandparents were younger, cannabis grew like a weed on the side of the road. Grandpa called it "Wiled mustard "

[@TheScawer]

Wow this interview was amazing! Thank you both.

[@flowerpower7288]

Our PMs do love a nice line of charlie along with their hypocrisy

[@badabingbadaboomboom]

😆 OMG so true!

[@nickgordon5986]

There was prohibition in Wick in Scotland from 1922 to 1947! All pubs were closed, and you couldn’t buy alcohol in shops. The Old Pulteney distillery had to close, and bootlegging became rife.

[@darren_mcgarvey]

If you ever want to talk about the drug crisis in Scotland, get in touch. I've written two books touching the topic. Love your work. Been following you since the early days.

[@PlumpClump]

what a nice person! Congrats Alex, another top convo

[@jamestyler3449]

This is such an important, but profoundly depressing interview. Society should be so grateful for people like these guys who try to stick to evidence and push back against the insanity of misinformed, righteous do-gooders.

[@nezar-6889]

Governments hate him Find out why this man was fired by the government

[@joecurran2811]

Alex, you brought me here under false pretences!

[@whirlwhind666]

It’s a redundancy!

[@novacaine_]

Alcohol is the most harmful drug in the world even when you account for per usage and it's legal. Thats all you need to know that the uks drug laws make absolutely no sense

[@jakobbauz]

"even when you account for per usage"? 🤔 What data are you referring to?

[@SineN0mine3]

​@@jakobbauzpretty much any study will show that alcohol related problems outnumber other drug problems even when you account for the fact that more people drink than use drugs. If you drink alcohol you're more likely to have negative consequences from it than you are from taking drugs according to literally every single study.

[@ShmoeBoe]

@@SineN0mine3 What drugs are you referring to, meth, heroin, fentanyl? What counts as a negative outcome? Does a hangover qualify, an overdose?

[@jakobbauz]

@@SineN0mine3 Name one study "showing" this.

[@AlexHeisEngholm]

Sugar is also maybe a giant drug issue. Coffee? Both of them has been grown with the use of slaves. I have a theory that coffee has an impact on the life of people. It seems to me that people a getting grumpy and sloppy without their coffee, which is a sign of an unhealthy addiction, in my eyes.

[@yoanageorgieva3068]

I feel bad for all the people that came on the show during the moustache era.

[@jedimasters8086]

LOL

[@SeldonnHari]

My girlfriend likes it

[@DonAlonzo]

In order to be a proper host, Alex simply mustache his guests the right questions.

[@CDChester]

i like the stache tbh

[@Wanteyt]

😂

[@jayplay8140]

This is the important stuff, great job Alex and David, thank you

[@penofficial_]

To quote the great Mr. Mackey, "drugs are bad mmkay."

[@randomchannel-px6ho]

The question to me is less the governments stance and more why normal everyday people actually just mindlessly accept that the governments nonsense is based upon a real consideration of human health and scientific evidence...

[@dynamicworlds1]

Normal, everyday people are stupid, deferential to authority, spiteful, cowardly, and eager to slurp up whatever propaganda is put in front of them. Of course they mindlessly accept the government's nonsense.

[@havenbastion]

Let's talk about the larger issue that the people controlling drugs aren't better people than anyone else and have zero right to tell others what they can have.

[@prof.crastinator]

I just love how being strict about drug use inevitably leads to more dangerous drugs and even more dangerous organizations. Policing is what gives drugs their valuation on the black market… and it incentivizes stronger drugs that take up less space- in other words it incentivizes higher potency and violence used to distribute it. There is a direct correlation of more and more militarized policing and drug deaths. The more we escalate the war- the more drug deaths. It’s insane that we keep doing the same thing😢.

[@victor_2216]

How is it that stronger drugs are only incentivized if they are illegal?

[@WillyJunior]

​@@victor_2216take cannabis for example - growing it in a hurry (which is necessary if the operation is clandestine) causes it to be extremely THC-heavy and light on CBD which increases paranoia and psychosis in the user. I guess with fentanyl, only tiny doses are needed so less of it needs to be transported to make a profit than other opiates/opioids

[@cowmath77]

@@victor_2216think about transporting a shipping container of opium poppy vs a briefcase of fentanyl. They both contain the same amount of opioid analgesia. Now think of how often you hear about people dying from fentanyl vs opium syrup.

[@Dovahkiin0117]

@@victor_2216cus they make variants that skate by laws at the time and tend to have more detrimental side effects Like during prohibition with bathtub gin and moonshine making people go blind

[@cowmath77]

@@victor_2216I am writing this comment again because KZbin deletes it every time that I use the actual name of the substance. An entire shipping container of poppy flower bulbs has the same potency of a small purse of phent. Consider which you see more in the news.

[@dudethedude1220]

Alex really stopped at 59 minutes just so he can silently roast Peter Hitchens

[@xxmortikaixx4975]

Almost all drug addicts are victims of some type of childhood trauma/CPTSD/abuse/neglect etc… drugs aren’t to blame, the addicts aren’t to blame…the trauma/abuse/neglect that opened the empty hole of pain in their mind/being that they are trying to make disappear from their awareness is to blame.

[@badabingbadaboomboom]

I totally agree! And.... MDMA, and other psychedelics, remain one of the most effective treatments for trauma and PTSD (when used with conscientious set, setting and dose). Iboga also has very good evidence for treating addictions (also when administered with care and by trained practitioners) - we need to differentiate between these substances, they are not all addictive/bad

[@victor_2216]

Will you apply the same thought process to guns and shooters?

[@badabingbadaboomboom]

​@@victor_2216 No, that is really a different topic ... 'guns and shooters' means many things surely? could be military, police, hunters, water pistols, robbery, murder, self-defence, computer games, etc. so it's quite non-specific. I am not a fan of guns generally. This discussion is specifically about drugs

[@victor_2216]

@@badabingbadaboomboom I wasn't talking of legal uses of guns, hence the word "shooter." Water pistols and computer games? Really? That's just pretending not to understand the point so one can avoid the question. Does the criteria apply to guns in the same way it "should" be applied to drugs? That guns aren't to blame. I'm not talking about medicinal drugs, in case you wonder.

[@Dovahkiin0117]

@@victor_2216where’d that even come from? Is ole boi tryna take your guns away Its always been people killing people don’t matter the tool

[@daviddoran]

Hopefully your obsession with drugs will PETER out after this interview Alex.

[@malgrosskreuz01]

Omg 😂😂😂😂

[@phishdough]

Dude is literally obsessed with drugs! Talking about it for a whole hour! If I were the guest I’d walk off, that’s ridiculous.

[@momom6197]

I know this goes against consensus and people won't listen to me, but I'll say it here: I like the mustache!

[@ewganhoff]

I was born in 82 so most of my role models had a moustache, including my dad. Alex is just another in a long list of people I look up to who who rock the tache.

[@brianroyster7510]

Do you also like 70's porn?

[@bladdnun3016]

I like Nutt's mustache, too. Reminds me of Murray Bookchin.

[@jordanhorlock8317]

Thy moustache is divine. But it is the moustache upon the beating heart that truly shines. Alex commands both of these with fine dignity and justice. JIM GORDON!!!!

[@mlineberry25]

Saw the title and came here to just say how obsessed you were with drugs. Only to find you started with that, so thanks for stealing my thunder.

[@TitenSxull]

I cannot imagine the sh*tshow if our Congress in the US had an active bar. Finding out parliament members are drunk while passing laws is insane.

[@guilhermedomingues6360]

0:10 the irony😂

[@shroomjak200]

Your mustache is still the first point of contact between you and my eyes

[@ewganhoff]

I'd like to take the time here today to congradulate Drugs on winning the War on Drugs.😅

[@imperfekt7905]

😄The war never ends as long as there is one nut willing to fight for the ideology. And there are still quite a few; unfortunately many in key spots in U.S. government. But the tide is turning.

[@ketongu]

how you gonna win a war against reality

[@kevinsonkevin3634]

Excellent interview.

[@CannaBusTeD]

Loved this. Excellent podcast Alex, thank you for spreading the other side of the story of prohibition.

[@Thedeepseanomad]

"Help! Our children might feel and experiences strange and sometimes pleasurable things! -concerned parent."

[@SineN0mine3]

Children shouldn't take recreational drugs. That's not a controversial thing to say.

[@re11ik96]

​@@SineN0mine3"Children" doesn't necessarily mean min0rs. Especially when used by a parent.

[@Thedeepseanomad]

@@SineN0mine3 Someone's children can be Adults. Perhaps I should have written offspring. Remember that line about old people wanting to ruin things ( control) for the young.

[@Benjy45RS]

@@SineN0mine3and prohibition makes it more likely that children WILL take dangerous drugs. That should also not be a controversial thing to say… at least not once you’ve used your brain and looked at the evidence. How many more kids need to overdose on fentanyl that they thought was a stupid party pill for people to wake up? How about alcohol? All these anti drug people are fine with their teenagers having a couple drinks. Disgusting, disgusting hypocrisy

[@victor_2216]

@@Thedeepseanomad The way you wrote it sounds like a parent is making decisions for someone who can't make decisions for himself. If the child is an adult, it would make more sense for the adult to be speaking on his own behalf.

[@vibzvfx8648]

That background from Professor 💦 is 🔥

[@lvoo48]

In case you didn't know him, I recommend that you read the Spanish philosopher Antonio Escohotado, he was one of the top experts in drugs

[@Sam-sh5ko]

Because Horse Riding is more dangerous than MDMA.

[@DJWESG1]

His only mistake was to use that way to describe that risk. It was the main thing that shocked ppl, myself included. The thought that mdma might become readily available as horse riding or being equated to something seemingly harmless and everyday to many.

[@iwack]

​@@DJWESG1That's the point though, no? To demonstrate the irrationality of drug politics, he described how something seemingly everyday and safe, is actually more dangerous than a drug the government are vehemently demonising.

[@DJWESG1]

@@iwack at the time it wasn't articulated as such and his paper "estimating drug harms" wasn't readily available to everyone, when they heard and saw was the news and mainstream media making mountains out of molehills and telling us that drugs like xtc would be as common place as sweets, talking about harms to children and so on.

[@ketongu]

yeah, that's definitely the point. We're told drugs are illegal because they're harmful, but people are free to ride horses and skydive or even buy chemical substances that could kill them but aren't psychoactive. the real reason for prohibition is because drugs are enjoyable, not because they're dangerous

[@DJWESG1]

@@iwack regardless, ppl don't want drugs everywhere or readily available. Legalisation is a separate issue.

[@jakub_paints6775]

Why should the government have a say in me drinking alcohol? All this harm prevention is always an excuse to tighten the leash a little more.

[@michaelduguay7698]

Alex has been growing the perfect moustache to hit a line with

[@coreywiley3981]

Legalize and regulate!

[@--Justin--]

Alex making the joke in the first 10 seconds so we don't have to.... That won't stop us Alex.

[@hectormata449]

What Alex and Eric failed to discuss and take into consideration about why people take to drugs is the fact of the struggles to cope with life, which most of us who have really struggled to just get by on back breaking jobs, which was pretty-much, the everyday struggle of the truly working stiff, and not the pampered generations of our 21st century. For example, the peasantry of the middle ages, worked six/seven days from before sunrise to sundown at physically demanding tasks and at the end of the day, a little fleeting moment of joy brought on by alcohol made life less intolerable. 19th century we still have men, women, and even children working long hours at mind numbing, back breaking, hazardous jobs that created wealth for the leisure upper class and some opportunities for those of lesser means, but alcohol was still the easiest mind soothing drug for the masses. Even in the early 1960’s, as a common field laborer, i worked all summer school vacations, as a teenager, along side the Mexican bracerros, and the Saturday weekend at the brothels and alcohol mood-enhancing bars was the only salve for these tired souls in a sleepy agricultural community. Since the 1850’s, i allege, those prohibitionists for the most part, were educated ladies and gents who did not have to truly strain under the yoke from sun up to sundown to make a living, and therefore had time to indulge in curtailing the one source of mental escape from the everyday misery of the working under class. I understand why the poor, the disenfranchised, the uneducated turn to alcohol, or other momentarily delusional escape from reality like religion, to cope in this harsh existence. I’m 80 years of age, and will continue to have my daily couple of shots of straight 80 proof booze until they pry my dead fingers from my shot glass. 2X🥃 😱 🙃👍 😜

[@lordmew5]

Those people being degenerates is not an excuse. I've done similar work for similar hours, and never have i ever thought about doing drugs

[@DJWESG1]

Wow, top guest.

[@gerardgauthier4876]

You want to cure the drug problems? Have drug users deal with the problems created by drug users. This is the whole thing in a nut shell... Drug users create problems and its the responsibility of the responsible citizens to step in and fix the damage.

[@theghostofbabanovac7069]

Absolutely correct !

[@imperfekt7905]

I'd like to check out some books from this guy's home library

[@KindGulagDehl3]

Wait... you're telling me... I can eat, drink, or breath this thing and experience an alternate reality? To think thoughts I wouldn't think otherwise? See the world from a different mind than the singular mind I have always experienced? Then go back to normal reality a few hours later? Why would I ever want to do that?

[@jordanhorlock8317]

Don't let people convince you otherwise Alex. The moustache is everything it ought to be. Justice filled, wisdom galore. Respect isn't just given.....it sits sharply upon ones upper lip.

[@SuperMaximus66]

nuts about this scientist. What a pro and gentleman.

[@kylecarter1599]

Drug laws aren't about keeping people safe. They're about controlling your life.

[@oliverthompson9922]

I actually think they are just about pandering to popular opinion. So much fear mongering goes on with drugs, like the media campaigns that happen when 1 young person in a million does from a bad reaction to MDMA, that downgrading drug classification wouldn't be popular.

[@kylecarter1599]

@@oliverthompson9922 it must be nice being naive

[@oliverthompson9922]

​@@kylecarter1599why am I naive? Nonsense. The very reason they sacked David Nutt was because he expressed a view that wouldn't go down well with the party's base. The drug wars in the states is no doubt tied up with racism and taking people off the streets but in the uk it has nothing to do with control. If legalising drugs made them popular they'd do it because that's all they care about.

[@oliverthompson9922]

@@kylecarter1599 it has nothing to do with control. David Nutt lost his job because he expressed a view that wouldn't go down well with the party's base If it made them popular they'd legalise it because that's all they care about. They'd have far more control if they legalised it anyway. Do you honestly think they are concerned with how much fun people have in their homes?

[@oliverthompson9922]

@kylecarter1599 im not the one being naive. David Nutt was fired because he expressed a view that was unpopular with the party's base. The government care about being popular and if legalising made them popular and won them votes , they'd do it. What do you mean by control anyway? They'd have far more control if they legalised drugs. Or do you think they just want to control the amount of fun people are having? You do know that the same government introduced late pub opening hours?

[@daniellegon7268]

Brilliant guest, the typical Sun reader didn't read his findings, looking forward to watching this thx Alex

[@AH-iu1cw]

I live in Vancouver and drug decriminalization is an absolute disaster for public safety and public health.

[@oliverjamito9902]

Students will say, Hello is "it" me you looking for? I can see "it" in your eyes.

[@Mbonic]

we have been talking about drugs for an hour straight!!

[@Dreamspore]

Fantastic!

[@alienatinginsighta.i.3904]

Love you both and amazing discussion ..but I believe it’s almost a crime when discussing cannabis, not to talk about the massive impact to people’s memory…pretty much everyone I know who has taken it long term have serious memory issues

[@888_vav]

Who has deemed this notion of memory loss as a negative impact. Serious question because it seems most people are consumed by the past in the form of memory recall and seemingly out of their conscious will. What if memories are pushed forth by the unconscious mind to reconcile imbalance psychologically for our own growth. I say this strictly from my own experience and comparing before and after an intense "rebirth" in regards to my memory recall and 100% after seems to be congruent to the idea of a "third party" organizing and serving memories that harmonize with real time experience to show a very deep undeniable subjective truth through gnosis. Seemingly irrelevant past events and events that never made sense now converge to provide clarity in philisophical, spiritual and fundamentally existential truth. I've accepted that regardless of my internal feeling of free will from a child, there's always been a hidden choice that's been selected unconsciously by something not understood in its entirety.

[@888_vav]

Just a different perspective that I can personally stand near and provide a story of very unconventional and unorthodox but also unconsciously driven path I've been guided through till now. And if we're being straight I have done an excessive, excessive amount of a range of substances for 20 years until recently and I seem to have issue with seeing it as not part of the invisible path seemingly paved and the invisible push that guided me.

[@888_vav]

And I have zero interest in defending anything other than my experience and the key components that fueled it to my current self and the truth somehow harvested from it.

[@betabenja]

I rode for an hour on my bike to watch this! you're obsessed!

[@betabenja]

with moustaches!

[@deborahmagana5039]

Good interview

[@oliverjamito9902]

Students shared "i" Am will say, what is "HELLO"?

[@JacquesieKwaakie]

A man fired for speaking the truth about alcohol.. yep, that's the world we live in, folks!

[@phillipjackson1517]

I just wanted to make a comment about what Alex said with respect to psychedelics showing decreased brain activity. It's not true that there's a net decrease in brain activity on psychedelics. Rather, it's that some areas show reduced activity while others show heightened activity, and it roughly equals out such that there is no net increase or decrease in overall brain activity. There's basically a redistribution of brain activity, not an increase or decrease. Certain particular areas may increase or decrease, but the brain as a whole does not decrease its activity on psychedelics.

[@badabingbadaboomboom]

Psychedelics are consistently shown in fMRI scans to increase neuroplasticity and neurogenesis

[@roykeane1922]

Citation for alcohol being the biggest killer under 50? An incredibly dangerous claim; as far as I’m aware for men it is suicide. Very difficult to prove a causal link aswell

[@Homeoftheclan]

I’ve had over 30 years working in the governments anti drug industry and just because prohibition doesn’t work doesn’t mean it’s not going to continue.

[@greenblue6935]

Well yeah we know, and it's ridiculous 😂

[@Dovahkiin0117]

Oof why ya go and do ya thing like that 😅

[@bgrune1]

Whether a drug or ingredient is "natural" does not really matter. Every drug should be judged on it's own merits regardless of it's origin.

[@oliverjamito9902]

Students shared "i" Am will say, if came in front? Will ye say, who are you= who am I? Nor remember thy shared "i" Am in front!

[@oliverjamito9902]

Students will say, many will say, what is a burning bush?

[@SpecsJigglypuff]

He was telling the truth thats why

[@PaebloLeon]

Sigh. *Goes to the comments searching for Hitchens references*

[@Cledwyn-E]

I heard the truth of drugs was 'I actively dislike you.'

[@oliverjamito9902]

Students will say, who can able to hold HE HOLDING? Students shared "i" Am will say, come try to carry HE carrying with delight!

[@scottmccallum1929]

Thanks!

[@anonymouseicecube91]

What he's saying on schizophrenia is not entirely true. To people who have a genetic predisposition to schizophrenia smoking weed can advance the disease or cause its start. It's one of the most classic examples of interaction between nature and nurture in psychology books

[@calebplumleeoutdoors]

You should have stormed out on him for talking about drugs so long... would have made a hella funny teaser clip

[@adrianthom2073]

Peter Hitchens will think you’re obsessed with Drugs.

[@alexiachamberlin8019]

I must be weird because I've never had the desire to take drugs

[@FraserChapman]

I feel like I was tricked into watching this on false pretenses, frankly it is extremely bad manners /s

[@ChezStorytime]

These comments are hilarious 😂😂😂

[@jjkthebest]

"The netherlands listens to its scientists" Well, we used to anyway

[@DavidGraybeard]

Fascinating interview and a very interesting man. Within Reason is growing in good directions. Alex has a solid, serious, intellectual core so that he doesn’t fall into the traps of two bit interviewers like the fatuous Rogan.

[@Chris-yr8qo]

Im not sure how i feel about this? Im 37 and took loads of drugs in my early 20's coke etc, and and dont anymore, ive seen loads of lives ruined by them, including the families of addicts. So i dont necessarily think older people vote anti drugs stuff to punish the young, obviously there will be some, but a lot simply dont like what drugs do to people and their communites and want to protect them.

[@ScottPalangi]

Christopher Reeves ever do ecstasy? I like spaghetti.

[@gerardgauthier4876]

People have to understand this simple fact about drug addicts.. Drug addicts behave like a special case sociopath or psychopath because the addict's normal emotional responses are overwhelmed by the urges to use. Drug addicts are not normal because what we see as normal human responses are pushed down and overridden by using... BTW... Legalizing drugs doesn't deal with addiction. It deals with the direct problems of addiction. It would be like having a rash of robberies and concluding that legalizing robberies would help and having the government provide residents for the legal robberies.

[@PhilosophyFunTime]

the beard is better than the mustache

[@black-cross]

when i tried ecstasy and got the double vision, i thought my life was over. i thought i had messed my brain up. i thought i had a bug running inside it.