Drug Use For Grown-Ups — A conversation with Dr. Carl Hart
Reviewed By: Dr Stanton Peele
Posted on January 24th, 2021 - Last updated: September 18th, 2023
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Dr. Carl Hart explains that the vast majority of people who use drugs do so with no problem. In fact, drugs — yes, even so-called “hard drugs”– offer more positive than negative experiences.
Dr. Hart is a professor (and former chair) of psychology and psychiatry at Columbia University. Today, he opens up to Zach Rhoads about his new book, “Drug Use For Grown-Ups”, in which he’s comes out of the closet about his own drug use and encourages the rest of us to do the same.
And why is he so boosterish about speaking openly about (even illicit) drug use? Well, as he says in this interview:
“As long as you put forth an effort, you might make a mistake. That’s okay, we’re all human. The real crime is when you make a mistake, you don’t acknowledge it, then continue to speak dishonestly about it. We’ve been making tremendous mistakes about drugs, and I’m asking that people admit it and move past it so that we don’t continue to force people to suffer.”
Time Stamps
0:00 – 1:53 Introduction / drug use during the pandemic
1:53 – 5:20 Genesis of the book / when Carl began using illicit drugs RESPONSIBLY
5:20 – 8:34 When and why Carl began using heroin / the positive effects of using heroin responsibly
8:34 – 9:33 Zach opens up about his past heroin use and why he quit using it
9:33 – 12:00 Why even the most BRILLIANT minds of our time get locked into– and then perpetuate– drug / addiction mythology.
12:00 – 14:16 Racism and ignorance in history— how we’ve all come to believe drug myths
14:16 – 15:12 Acknowledging our mistakes, as individuals and as a culture
15:12 – 17:05 Carl’s response to Joe Rogan (re: “My flesh-eating friend on PCP”) and others when they speak nonsense about drugs
17:05 – 20:45 What Carl means by, “harm reduction has to go”
20:45 – 24:14 Psychedelics and spiritual health / Drug exceptionalism
24:14 – 26:24 Addiction is NOT a brain disease
26:24 – 27:20 Is addiction mythology (a la NIDA) foul play OR is it intellectual laziness?
27:20 – 30:15 How and why Carl came out of the closet about his drug use (2.0)
30:15 – 31:50 Dr. Drew is full of shit
31:50 – 33:03 False drug stories about drugs offer people an identity
33:03 – 34:00 Top 3 most egregious drug myths
34:00 – 36:55 What small steps can listeners take to squash drug/addiction mythology?
36:55 – 39:50 “I worry about my family and their interaction with POLICE more than I worry that drugs might harm them.”
39:50 – 41:42 Book reviewers just don’t understood this book’s intention.
41:42 – 42:55 Feeling alone as a truth-teller in academia
42:55 – END — How Stanton Peele has influenced Carl’s work / mutual thanks & signing off!
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