When looking at pharmaceutical drugs that also have a recreation use I think the number one thing to be concerned with is how addictive they are. From what I can find there really isn't any evidence to support the claim that ketamine is very addictive.
Also depression is in and of itself dangerous. Even avoiding the entire topic of suicide, depression can lead to a variety of self destructive behaviors and poor decisions. Additionally plenty of people suffering from depression will naturally 'self medicate' with drugs that don't actually address the underlying neurological issues that ketamine might, and certainly can cause physical harm.
I think it's somewhat odd that in the 21st century we still aren't comfortable seeing physical and mental illness on the same level. People committing suicide die of an illness in no different a way than people dying of cancer. Yet there is very little in the way of public support of combating suicide the way there is for cancer. There is little debate that opiates (dramatically more risk for abuse) should be used to treat physical pain, and yet people get very nervous about the potential for misuse in a much less risky drug which could provide similar relief to mental anguish.
Agreed. Treating mental illness and preventing self-medication is the only approach I can think of that would actually constitute a legitimate effort to reduce demand for actual dangerous substances.
Yes, some of those that are illegal are certainly physically addictive but at the other end of the spectrum are the likes of LSD and Ketamine, so far off the map that if you could even find someone engaging in addict-like behavior they very likely already have a much larger mental problem.
Some social critics say psychology/psychiatry's rise is in part because it let other people and institutions do victim blaming, and not invest in treating societal problems.
It also fits well with neo-liberal thought:"little concern for externalities", "rational consumer" and this kind of bullshit.
Also depression is in and of itself dangerous. Even avoiding the entire topic of suicide, depression can lead to a variety of self destructive behaviors and poor decisions. Additionally plenty of people suffering from depression will naturally 'self medicate' with drugs that don't actually address the underlying neurological issues that ketamine might, and certainly can cause physical harm.
I think it's somewhat odd that in the 21st century we still aren't comfortable seeing physical and mental illness on the same level. People committing suicide die of an illness in no different a way than people dying of cancer. Yet there is very little in the way of public support of combating suicide the way there is for cancer. There is little debate that opiates (dramatically more risk for abuse) should be used to treat physical pain, and yet people get very nervous about the potential for misuse in a much less risky drug which could provide similar relief to mental anguish.