> If you mean Hallucinogens, they have been studied extensively and don't seem to be medically useful.
That's not true at all. "Hallucinogens" is a group of drugs so wide that it already includes many drugs already used in conventional medicine. Just go through the many drugs on this list[1] of hallucinogens, you'll quickly find references to potential medical benefits.
Just "potential benefits" though, since there hasn't been nearly enough research done on most of them yet. A lot of them haven't been scientifically studied at all, the basic work Shulgin did is the only things we know about them.
The most common hallucinogens (mushrooms, LSD, MDMA) were considered as very promising by many in the field until research of the potential benefits of them essentially was banned for decades due to the drug war, but that has begun to change now. [2][3][4]
Recent research indicate that certain hallucinogens may be very useful in treating a variety of medical issues - like depression, anxiety, alcoholism, cluster headaches, PTSD, etc etc. [5][6]
There have been ongoing studies as recently as 2010. The issue is Hallucinations are considered a significant side effect, so you need a vary large benefit to over come it or a low enough dose people don't notice.
PS: You just linked several recent studies which hardly supports the 'completely suppressed' due to drug war argument.
A: Hallucinations are not always that common. You can have intense experiences without actual visual hallucinations.
B: While they made me a side effect, it seems the benefits come from having experiences, not as ongoing medication like SSRIs. That is, people can have a deep experience, possibly have audio and/or visual hallucinations, then recover for a day and have a significantly different outlook on life.
I should have clarified, and have done so now, that I meant that research was stopped for a long time. Since the early '00s research has finally begun again:
> The issue is Hallucinations are considered a significant side effect, so you need a vary large benefit to over come it or a low enough dose people don't notice.
Considered by whom? The "cost"/benefit balance is entirely a matter of opinion, and in my opinion the choice should be left to the sufficiently educated patient. If there are compelling reasons why the patient shouldn't be making that choice, I'd be interested to learn them.
That's not true at all. "Hallucinogens" is a group of drugs so wide that it already includes many drugs already used in conventional medicine. Just go through the many drugs on this list[1] of hallucinogens, you'll quickly find references to potential medical benefits.
Just "potential benefits" though, since there hasn't been nearly enough research done on most of them yet. A lot of them haven't been scientifically studied at all, the basic work Shulgin did is the only things we know about them.
The most common hallucinogens (mushrooms, LSD, MDMA) were considered as very promising by many in the field until research of the potential benefits of them essentially was banned for decades due to the drug war, but that has begun to change now. [2][3][4]
Recent research indicate that certain hallucinogens may be very useful in treating a variety of medical issues - like depression, anxiety, alcoholism, cluster headaches, PTSD, etc etc. [5][6]
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Hallucinogens
[2] https://www.apa.org/monitor/2010/11/psychedelics.aspx
[3] http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/articles/research-psychedeli...
[4] http://www.theglobeandmail.com/technology/science/brain/high...
[5] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psilocybin#Medical_research
[6] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lsd#Therapies