In a research done in the late 1960's, Roland Fischer gave small amounts of psilocybin to graduate students and then measured their ability to detect the moment when previously parallel lines became skewed. He found that performance ability on this particular task was actually improved after small doses of psilocybin. When he and Terence Mckenna discussed these findings, he smiled after explaining his conclusions, then summed up, "You see what is conclusively proven here is that under certain circumstances one is actually better informed concerning the real world if one has taken a drug than if one has not."

Some psychoactive substances in the right doses have been known to improve alertness, muscular co-ordination, visual acuity, certain cognitive processes and even improve general creativity. Some psychoactive substances such as DMT are endogenous to the human body. Cannabinoids which are found in cannabis are produced naturally in the human brain. In fact, THC, which is the psychoactive 'ingredient' in cannabis is very much similar to anandamine, which is a natural neurotransmitter in the human brain.

Many ancient cultures had been well aware of the effect of certain plants on the mind and body. Many ancient religious practices were based around the use of psychoactive 'drugs' for spirituality, as some still do today. Even the Adam and Eve story, and similar legends from other cultures present a subtle hint at the use psychoactive substances. "The fruit of the forbidden tree literally 'opened' their eyes, and suddenly made them conscious". It is not a surprise that modern users of some psychoactive substances, especially the psychedelics, also comment about the drugs "opening their eyes" and "expanding their consciousness". Coincidence?

Often in today's culture, when people think of psychoactive substances, they tend to focus on episodes of intoxication, but many forget that many 'drugs' are used and accepted in subthreshold or maintenance doses; coffee being an obvious example. People tend to forget that almost any substance when overdosed on could be dangerous.

The ridiculous 'illegality' of almost all known psychoactive substances has hindered important research on their effect, synthesis and use in society; even though many have proved to have useful purposes beyond our imagination. We've successfully altered our external environments, hence, easing some aspects of living. We alter our bodies to improve sexuality and comfort. I wonder why altering our minds (which may be the most important improvement of all) with drugs that have been proven active and useful is deemed "illegal". It appears very foolish indeed if you give it enough thought.

Before we commit ourselves irrevocably to the chimera of a drugfree culture purchased at the price of a complete jettisoning of the ideals of a free and democratic planetary society, we must ask hard questions: Why, as a species, are we so fascinated by altered states of consciousness? In fact, ample anecdotal evidence supports the existence of a preference for intoxicated states among elephants, chimpanzees, and even some butterflies. It seems as if it is not humans alone that want to peer beyond the curtain of our normal conscious state.

Around 70,000 years ago, probably around the same time as our Toba population bottleneck, when the total amount of breeding humans may have dropped below 2,000; something suddenly happened; referred in history as 'The Cognitive Revolution'. This period marks the start of human culture, and the evolution of the primitive 'Homo sapiens' into the modern thinking and cultural being we are today. You might say, it was this point we stopped being "animals". Modern science has little explanations for this drastic change in our consciousness and cognitive abilities.

And there are fringe theories that buttress the aid of psychoactive substances, especially psychedelics, in the evolution of our modern consciousness. In fact, studies of the human brain and it's processes seem to suggest that it is "pre-designed" for the use of psychoactive substances. Some psychoactive substances are even endogenous to our bodies. Certain compounds in some psychoactive substances are already present in the human brain as neurotransmitters; aiding the use of these substances. Random coincidence? Or co-evolution of hominids and these plants?

Our present consciousness is still a mystery to science. For all we know, the Bible traditions might be right after all; and our distant "Adam and Eve" ancestors may have had their eyes "opened" by 'eating' from plants we now foolishly forbid; by eating of the fruits of the Forbidden Trees