Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Beyond Religious Freedom: Psychedelics and Cognitive Liberty

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Prohibition, Religious Freedom, and Human Rights: Regulating Traditional Drug Use

Abstract

This chapter will examine the blurred boundaries between the sacred and the secular when it comes to psychedelic experiences, and the inevitable ensuing arbitrariness involved in protecting some such rituals and not others. It will put forth the argument that there is a need to move beyond simply seeking exemptions from drug prohibition in the name of religious freedom; rather, there should be a broader right to ingest psychedelics as an aspect of cognitive liberty. Cognitive liberty is the right to control one’s own consciousness. It is a concept that equates to freedom of thought, a right protected internationally by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and enforceable in Europe through Article 9 of the European Convention of Human Rights.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Altham. (2006). EWCA Crim 7.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bakalar, J., & Grinspoon, L. (1984). Drug control in a free society. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beck, G. (2008). Human rights adjudication under the ECHR: Between value pluralism and essential contestability. European Human Rights Law Review, 2, 214–244.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bedi, S. (2007). What is so special about religion? The dilemma of the religious exemption. Journal of Political Philosophy, 15(2), 235–249.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bey, H. (1999/2000). Against legalization. Journal of Cognitive Liberties, 1(1), 34–38.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boire, R. G. (1999/2000). On cognitive liberty (part 1). Journal of Cognitive Liberties, 1(1), 7–13.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boire, R. G. (2000). On cognitive liberty (part 2). Journal of Cognitive Liberties, 2(1), 7–20.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boire, R. G. (2003). On cognitive liberty (part 4). Journal of Cognitive Liberties, 4(1), 15–24.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boiteux, L., Chernicharo, L. P., & Alves, C. S. (2014). Human rights and drug conventions: Searching for humanitarian reason in drug laws (this volume).

    Google Scholar 

  • Bone, M. (2014). From the sacrilegious to the sacramental: A global review of Rastafari cannabis case law (this volume).

    Google Scholar 

  • Bratza, N. (2012). The “precious asset”: Freedom of religion under the European Convention on Human Rights. Ecclesiastical Law Journal, 14(2), 256–271.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, M. R. (2014). Marijuana and religious freedom in the United States (this volume).

    Google Scholar 

  • Carhart-Harris, R. L., Erritzoe, D., Williams, T., Stone, J. M., Reed, L. J., Colasanti, A., et al. (2012a). Neural correlates of the psychedelic state as determined by fMRI studies with psilocybin. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences United States of the America, 109(6), 2138–2143.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carhart-Harris, R. L., Leech, R., Williams, T. M., Erritzoe, D., Abbasi, N., Bargiotas, T., et al. (2012b). Implications for psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy: Functional magnetic resonance imaging study with psilocybin. British Journal of Psychiatry, 200, 238–244.

    Google Scholar 

  • Center for Cognitive Liberty and Ethics. (2004). Threats to cognitive liberty: Pharmacotherapy and the future of the drug war. Davis, CA: Center for Cognitive Liberty and Ethics.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, P. (2003). The drug prohibition church and the adventure of reformation. International Journal of Drug Policy, 14, 213–215.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Criminal Justice Act 2003, Schedule 21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fadiman, J. (2011). The psychedelic explorer’s guide: Safe, therapeutic and sacred journeys. Rochester, VT: Park Street Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Feilding, A. (2014). Cannabis and the psychedelics: Reviewing the UN Drug Conventions (this volume).

    Google Scholar 

  • Feinberg, J. (1986). The moral limits of the criminal law, volume 3: Harm to self. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Feinberg, J. (1990). The moral limits of the criminal law, volume 4: Harmless wrongdoing. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Feeney, K. (2014). Peyote, race, and equal protection in the United States (this volume).

    Google Scholar 

  • Forte, R. (Ed.). (1997). Entheogens and the future of religion. San Francisco: Council on Spiritual Practices.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hardison. (2005). EWCA Crim 1943.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hardison. (2007a). 1 Cr App R (S) 37.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hardison, C. (2007b). Brief history and motivation of an entheogenic chemist. Drugs and Alcohol Today, 7(2), 26–31.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • HM Government. (2010). Drug strategy 2010 reducing demand, restricting supply, building recovery: Supporting people to live a drug free life. London: HM Government.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holt, M., & Treloar, C. (2008). Pleasure and drugs. International Journal of Drug Policy, 19, 349–352.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Husak, D. (1992). Drugs and rights. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Huxley, A. (2004a). The Doors of perception and heaven and hell. London: Vintage Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Huxley, A. (2004b). The perennial philosophy. New York, NY: Harper Perennial Classics.

    Google Scholar 

  • James, W. (1961). The varieties of religious experience. New York, NY: Collier Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • James, A. (2012). Neurotheology and the scientific investigation into spirituality. Erowid. Retrieved March 11, 2013 from http://www.erowid.org/tech/neurotheology_article1.shtml.

  • King, M. L. (1963). Letter from Birmingham Jail. African Studies Centre. Retrieved March 11, 2013 from http://www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham.html.

  • Kokkinakis v Greece. (1994). 17 EHRR 397.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lander, D. R. (2014). Legalize spiritual discovery: The trials of Dr. Timothy Leary (this volume).

    Google Scholar 

  • Leary, T. (1980). The politics of ecstasy. Oakland, CA: Ronin Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee, M., & Shlain, B. (2001). Acid dreams: The complete social history of LSD. London: Pan Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lenson, D. (1995). On drugs. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meyers United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, November 5, 1996, 95 F.3d 1475.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mill, J. S. (1982). On liberty. London: Penguin English Library.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mithoefer, M., Wagner, M., Mithoefer, A., Jerome, L., & Doblin, R. (2011). The safety and efficacy of ±3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted psychotherapy in subjects with chronic, treatment-resistant posttraumatic stress disorder: The first randomized controlled pilot study. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 25(4), 439–452.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS). (2008). Special edition: Technology and psychedelics. MAPS Bulletin, 17(1).

    Google Scholar 

  • Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS). (2009). Special edition: Psychedelics and ecology. MAPS Bulletin, 19(1).

    Google Scholar 

  • Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS). (2010). Special edition: Psychedelics death and dying. MAPS Bulletin, 20(1).

    Google Scholar 

  • Nutt, D. J., King, L. A., & Phillips, D. (2010). Drugs harms in the UK: A multicriteria decision analysis. The Lancet, 376(9752), 1558–1565.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Quayle and others. (2005). EWCA Crim 145.

    Google Scholar 

  • Regina (SB) v Governors of Denbigh High School. (2006). UKHL 15.

    Google Scholar 

  • Richards, D. (1986). Sex, drugs, death and the law: An essay on over-criminalization. Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ruiz-Sierra, J. (2003). Is it time for a cognitive liberty social movement? Journal of Cognitive Liberties, 4(2), 53–62.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seddon, T. (2009). A history of drugs: Drugs and freedom in a liberal age. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sentencing Guidelines Council. (2007). Sexual Offences Act 2003: Definitive guideline. London: Sentencing Guidelines Council.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shulgin, A., & Shulgin, A. (1991). PIHKAL: A chemical love story. Berkeley, CA: Transform Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, H. (2000). Cleansing the doors of perception. New York, NY: Jeremy Tarcher.

    Google Scholar 

  • Szasz, T. (1996). Our right to drugs: The case for a free market. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Szasz, T. (2003). Ceremonial chemistry: The ritual persecution of drugs, addicts and pushers. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Taylor. (2001). 1 Cr App R 37.

    Google Scholar 

  • van Ree, E. (1999). Drugs as a human right. International Journal of Drug Policy, 10, 89–98.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walsh, C. (2011). Drugs, the Internet, and change. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 43(1), 55–63.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walsh, C. (2014). Plant psychedelics in the English courts: Legal uncertainty, guinea pigs and “dog law.” In D. Luke & A. Hope (Eds.), Ecology, cosmos and consciousness: Essays from the edge of culture. London: Strange Attractor Press (in press).

    Google Scholar 

  • Watts, A. (1968). Psychedelics and religious experience. California Law Review, 1, 74–85.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williams, R., & Dawkins, R. (2012, February). Dialogue 23. Oxford University. Video available via: http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/articles.php/2371/dialogue-with-archbishop-rowan-williams-and-professor-richard-dawkins.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Law, University of Leicester, England, 83 Regent Road, Leicester, LE1 6YG, UK

    Charlotte Walsh

Authors
  1. Charlotte Walsh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Charlotte Walsh .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Economic Research And Education, Aguascalientes, Mexico

    Beatriz Caiuby Labate

  2. Nucleurs for Interdisciplinary Studies of Psychoactives, San Francisco, California, USA

    Clancy Cavnar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Walsh, C. (2014). Beyond Religious Freedom: Psychedelics and Cognitive Liberty. In: Labate, B., Cavnar, C. (eds) Prohibition, Religious Freedom, and Human Rights: Regulating Traditional Drug Use. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-40957-8_11

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation