I would suspect a lot of people don't have the mental stability or self-control for stronger substances like hallucinogens. Weed is pretty mild/harmless in small amounts, but doesn't seem like a perfect substitute for alcohol. Perhaps there is some substance other than alcohol that would be more optimal for the purpose of mass consumption and facilitating socialization. But neither our culture nor any culture that I am aware of has found such a substance, and the decline in drinking among Gen Z seems like a net negative. We shouldn't knock down Chesteron's fence, especially when we don't have something better to replace it with.
But is alcohol really the optimal intoxixant for that purpose? I contend that other substances, if legalized and normalized, might do the job better.
I would suspect a lot of people don't have the mental stability or self-control for stronger substances like hallucinogens. Weed is pretty mild/harmless in small amounts, but doesn't seem like a perfect substitute for alcohol. Perhaps there is some substance other than alcohol that would be more optimal for the purpose of mass consumption and facilitating socialization. But neither our culture nor any culture that I am aware of has found such a substance, and the decline in drinking among Gen Z seems like a net negative. We shouldn't knock down Chesteron's fence, especially when we don't have something better to replace it with.
Curious to hear your thoughts?