How Psychoactive Plants Changed the World | News on Drugs 

Watch more from this series: The Rise of Psychedelic Therapies - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Nah1u6EjNY0.html

We’d like to congratulate Drugs for winning the war on Drugs

The fact that we get free documentaries on RU-vid by VICE News is truly a gift 👍

It really says a lot that there are plants that are illegal to grow if you know enough about them, but are completely legal if you don’t

Is it just me, or does anyone else find it humourous that a man named "Pollan" studies plants?

"Not all drugs are good for you, some are great"-Bill Hicks

When you break it down.. the war on drugs is fueled largely by greed - on both sides..

I used shrooms & acid in micro-dose quantities to combat my opiates addiction. I felt sick off Suboxone so I started medicating myself & it totally changed my life! Thank you Mike & JRE

Imagine how much could have been achieved over the last 50 years if we hadn't wasted all that time, money, energy and human life on 'the war on drugs' or most of the other wars that were equally as pointless for that matter.. It would have literally transformed the human race in ways we can't even comprehend!

A better question is why an authoritarian group of people who claim to represent a free democracy are riding around imprisoning people for what is at its absolute worst, willingly poisoning themselves for entertainment.

"I used to do drugs. I still do, but I used to, too." - Mitch Hedberg

ancient humans trying out shrooms for the first time: "well that one was great cooked, that other one killed doug, and that third one made steve trip balls for 3 days straight"

This was one of my favorites. The result of an excellent interviewer and a highly interesting and empathetic human.

The last 3 minutes are just straight up facts

Psychedelic’s definitely have potential to deal with mental health symptoms like anxiety and depression, I would like to try them again but it’s just so hard to find here

"Its not a war on drugs, its a war on personal freedom" Bill Hicks

the aspect ratio and filters on this video are gold. so 1990s or 1980s retro vibes :)

There’s no doubt the caffeine in coffee is a drug. I tried kicking it and had genuine withdrawal - migraines, mood swings, the works. A cup a day or I’m utterly miserable.

I could listen to this guy talk for hours…

16:57 "Many of the harms are related to the fact it's illegal." Truer words have never been spoken! THAT is the solution to the war on drugs.

Michael Pollan is a real treasure, the amount of knowledge and wisdom is unbelieveable!

Man wrote a book on plants and his name is "pollan" lmao

“Drugs are so fucking good, that they’ll ruin your life” - Louis CK

VERY interesting topic. I've had hours upon hours and hours of discussion about this very thing with my friends. But, I think the gist of it is that people who do drugs are really always just looking for something.

Due to anxiety issues, I switched to decaf about a year ago. Yes, I do not feel as productive, creative, motivated... I miss the zip. But my anxiety is now in the background, instead of in my face... I miss caffeine every day.

There is definitely a balance, when we look at MotherEarth as a inventory to profit off of, we dishonor the sacred relationship with the land, plants, air, water, animals, each other....etc Capitalism's incentives continue to not want us to remember.

Every Michael Pollan book is amazing. I’ve audited his classes many times.

The fact that certain plants are illegal and you're a "criminal" for using them is just beyond the beyond in terms of insanity and arrogance. It's totally absurd and criminal to make any plant illegal.

Thanks God I'm smoking weed while watching these...

I just wanna roll up some green every once in a while and enjoy without fear of being thrown in a cage🤷‍♂️

I would like to see researchers look into DMT for severe depression, and psychosis.

Hardcore Terrence McKenna vibes when this guy talks. Great documentary! More please!

If you haven’t read any Michael Pollan, you’re missing out.

I can understand synthetic chemical drugs or refined and concentrated drugs being illegal but its ridiculous for nature to be illegal. "Hey you nature, get back here we just want to talk"

Legalize all of them, gifts from god

As someone who suffers with chronic cluster headaches, I can say that microdosing with LSD has saved my life. The condition is so rare that there is no research really being done by big pharmaceutical companies because there is no money in it for them, so citizen science has had to figure things out on our own. Psilocybin in magic mushrooms has also helped sufferers with cluster headaches.

I take a cup of coffee in the morning. Not to wake up but to kickstart my bowel movement

Glad we can use coffee recreationally , getting a card for medicinal use would be a hassle..⚡

Thankyou I needed to hear that right now. Facing a dui for medical canabis and didnt smoke in over 7hrs. The laws in this country and the time it takes to get needed legislation passed is criminal in its own right. Hard to love a country when they constantly call you a criminal for just trying to live.

My intro to Michael started with his Cooked series. I now own two of his books, including "this is your mind on plants" and can't get enough! Let's go Michael!!!

I was addicted to fentanyl and when I kicked it cold turkey it was one of my worst life experiences ever but the problem wasn’t the drug it was the escape I was getting that’s where you get lost when you realize the way you can escape reality

It will be nice when the +65year oldies will be allowed to take what ever is advisable best for them. To slip into the other side in a comfort with no pain ...what a blessed gift from mother nature. Unlike Aldous Huxley on LSD who died with a smile on his face. The eternal trip. What A Way to go.

Pure Opium is not a curse. If you've ever been in real extreme pain. Opium is the only drug/plant that can truly remove extreme pain.

Interesting how he said he wasn't himself without coffee. 100% agree w/ this. Coffee and cannabis.

Vice dropping mind altering gems today

I grew up in the UK and most people drank tea on their breaks but coffee is becoming more popular and you here people say all the time " I need coffee to wake up, I will have my tea later".

The "Scapegoat" Idea is so profound.

We still take psychedelics all the "sub-optimal" ways... Acid in the punch bowl is just fun.

Love these types of documentaries💗 it teaches me a lot more than in high school Lol

It’s not just humans moose get drunk in the fall. And when given an opportunity to eat fresh or fermented berries they will eat the fermented ones.

My daughter gets violent headaches and vomits over and over if she skips coffee. She stays away from it now. Poor girl loves it

Hearing him talk about his crack like coffee addiction while knocking out venti is probably the funniest thing I've seen this week

This is why I'm still subbed to this otherwise unwatchable channel. Sometimes they come through with an interesting video that's devoid of divisive propaganda.

I am forever thankful that mescaline was the first drug I experimented with 🌵

That literal first guy was inhaling paper, no way there was weed in that roach ahahaha

People with undiagnosed adhd often use coffee or smoking to create the stimulate needed to develop focus. It is a means of self medication and has a similar affect as the medication for adhd.

I'd like to see a Vice doc on Datura or nightshades. By far one of the most interesting histories a plant drug or group of plant drugs could ever have. Edit: Would be perfect for Halloween time too

Just the fact that alcohol existed in every culture for thousands of years is an interesting enough phenomenon..I honestly think that all the opiates, alcohol and benzo have some subtle yet significant meaning beyond our current understanding of them. We just simply don't comprehend the message from these drugs yet.

So, given that plants have completely won the war on drugs, when will the US announce its withdrawal from that war?

I’ must be drinking the wrong coffee 😂

I can grow and smoke my own tobacco but not marijuana. What the hell is wrong with this picture.

VICE has some of the best documentaries on psychotropic substances; on par with National Geographic.

So strange when he talks about quitting coffee for three months like it’s a big thing while I’ll go from drinking coffee everyday to not having it for 6 months at a time and feel no difference 🤔

I’ve been an alcoholic for a while it’s not bad minus the finances and hangovers.

I love psychedelics and medicinal plants fungus.

Very interesting man...This is the 2nd interview I have seen with Michael Pollan this week.🙏🏼👋🏼🇨🇦

Pollan has had the exact same talking points for a little while now. Identical soundbytes on Joe Rogan.

90% use coffee, explains a lot, why everyone is stressed out and completely whacked out. The question should be, "How long can you keep on ingesting this crap?" I don't need it, someone else can have mine. I don't know how you guys feel this helps you out.

I use cannabis but not caffeine. I'm already naturally hyper and cannabis settles me out.

This is an excellent introduction to the work of Michael Pollan.

Good to see Vice trying something new and making a video about drugs

this man is asking and answering the right questions

Weed should be legal and have the same laws as cigarettes and tobacco.

I have been telling MD's and drug counselors that my drug problem exists only because of the laws prohibiting the use and possession. When they are finally legalized and taxed I wonder if we will receive an apology for being ostracized from many groups and places. 40 years addicted to my pain meds and the dope to replace them. How nice.

Sorry, I missed the part about what they were saying about growing beautiful poppy flowers in my garden... who knows - probably not important ;) ;)

Incredible stuff! Thanks Michael Pollan!

As I sit here smoking my fat afternoon joint!!

It is 3 spiecies of cacti that priduces mescaline. Peruvian Torch is almost as strong as peyote,but it grows to size in 12-18months,not years.

Wish someone would do something on morning glory seeds, when used properly.

Thank you, thank you so much! Our creator made all the plants for man and animal. We must use them with respect!

I got a weird feeling that when it’s all over we won’t even care.

Thank you Vice News for providing with interesting content, it's getting more and more difficult recently

Mushrooms 🍄 and weed is all I need 🙏🏽🖤😤🔥✨😮‍💨

well said

could you imagine if we actually do lose coffee due to climate change in the next 100-200 years? future generations would never forgive us

well...thanks, dude, for the official implication...preciated...

Beautifully explained, and confirmed for me the observations i made as a kid/young adult myself, comparing all prohibition examples, seeing the connection that in all prohibitions, the black market just risen through the roof, giving criminals a market to make them profit. And even the war on drugs keeping back research for humanity. All in the sake of keeping people in check? What kind of price is that, that we are willing to pay such a huge sacrifice in time and resources, that we evaluate it as being worth it? These years have known more crazy people then ever before, and with crazy i mean indoctrinated, or well past the point of simple confusion, its a mental warfare, in which i strongly feel ww2 and other incidences of inhumane experiments have led to this massive manipulation... All for greed... I wish they realised the more you have, the more terrified you'll be of losing it... If we can congratulate the war on drugs for something, it is the point that it has destroyed more lives, deliberately held back knowledge from the people, criminalised us, in all sorts of way for growing a plant, and i can continue, but i guess the point is understood. Sadly, its still going on today in a world where portugal has decriminalised all drugs, and suicide rates and crime rates have gone down with over 50%... The proof is right in our face happening on earth right now, how come politicians dont see that? Internationally speaking we should be so connected, they can see that this model works, so they can apply it to every western civilised country as well. Why dont they do it? Profits. Profits > Humanitarian evolvement, purposely holding us whole mankind back, all just because some fellow humans cant look at themselves in the mirror and evaluate what they have been doing to their fellow man. Imho feels as a nazi from ww2. Imho even worse than that, because they get away with it, even painting it in a picture that its good for us.

I drink passionflower tea. Connecting with nature is magical.

Mushrooms and grass are really safer to be shared. I really like that people have opened up to this, but the kinda abandon about this and popularizing stuff like opium is a little problematic with the wrong teacher.

Fantastic conversation ! Well facilitated ...

All religious revelations were received while on drugs

Really god job picking the music, editor-san!Any chance for ID of a song at 0:50?

Wow great video! Pollan and his writings are always great. Thanks.

Michael Pollan seems to be a really chill guy to hang out with.

Thank you SO much for bringing out the truth.

I don't honestly get the whole psychodelics being used for anti depression or healing. I love it but it didn't cure my depression.

this is so cool, we need to heal as a species

Mrs pamela Morgan and her method works like magic I keep earning single week with new strategy

Super interesting. Michael Pollan is a great speaker and writer with a knack for making fascinating subjects sound even more interesting.

The reason why most people take drugs in my opinion, is because life is full of poverty, bad influences, suffering and hardship.