I awoke from The Sickness at the age of forty-five, calm and sane, and in reasonably good health except for a weakened liver and the look of borrowed flesh common to all who survive The Sickness... When I speak of drug addiction I do not refer to keif, marijuana or any preparation of hashish, mescaline, Banisteriopsis caapi, LSD6, Sacred Mushrooms or any other drugs of the hallucinogen group... There is no evidence that the use of any hallucinogen results in physical dependence. (pp. 199-201)
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The author distinguishes physical addiction from hallucinogens, noting no evidence of physical dependence for the latter.
- In plain terms
- Hallucinogens don't cause physical addiction like other drugs.
- What can you take from it?
- Not all drugs lead to physical dependence.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What defines addiction?
- Are all drugs equally dangerous?
Another view
It ignores potential psychological dependence on hallucinogens.
More from William S. Burroughs
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