ENTHEOGENS

By definition entheogens are medicines.  They are a natural remedy in indigenous healing, in simple terms, and from an indigenous point of view, they primarily affect the "WIND" of the individual, Their ability to create seemingly miraculous cures should thus not be surprising.  Controversy exists about their prescribed use due to deaths and mental issues associated with inexperienced and unsupervised use.   These substances in general can be very strong, some inducing extremely altered states of consciousness for days.   The knowledge of dosage, contraindications, and dangerous interactions with other medicines and foods, are often overlooked or even unknown to many who "experiment" with these substances.  Whether a healing ceremony,  ritual setting or recreational use, well trained guides are hard to find, and many mistakenly claim to have deep knowledge in traditional medical or spiritual application.  Most of these are categorized with the most illegal drugs known. Unfortunately, little knowledge is sought out by the conventional legal authorities, and the misuse and observed side effects of abuse has kept them on that list.  Great efforts are being made to expose their value in many diseases, and there is undoubtedly great potential in their intelligent use.