Ética en el uso de psicodélicos: la definición de las drogas ilícitas bajo la óptica de la bioética crítica

Sergio Alexandre Liblik; Thiago Rocha da Cunha; Carmem Silvia da Fonseca Kummer Liblik; Diego Nicolás Biscioni; Dennys Robson Girardi

doi:10.18294/sc.2024.4630

Ethics in the use of psychedelics: The definition of illicit drugs from the perspective of critical bioethics

Sergio Alexandre Liblik Master in Bioethics. Professor, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil. , Thiago Rocha da Cunha Doctor in Bioethics. Professor, Postgraduate Program in Bioethics, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil. , Carmem Silvia da Fonseca Kummer Liblik PhD in History. Researcher, CNPq/PUCPR Bioethics, Global Health and Human Rights Research Group, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil. , Diego Nicolás Biscioni Master in Public Health. Professor, Department of Health and Physical Activity, Universidad Nacional de Avellaneda, Avellaneda, Argentina. , Dennys Robson Girardi Master in Health Technology. Doctoral student in Business Law and Citizenship, Centro Universitário Curitiba, Curitiba, Brazil.

Received: 19 August 2023, Accepted: 5 February 2024, Published: 14 February 2024

https://doi.org/10.18294/sc.2024.4630 | PMID: 38381110

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Abstract

References

Abstract

This essay, situated in the field of bioethics, examines the prohibition of psychedelic use, exploring arguments surrounding the growing evidence of their therapeutic potential and their millennia-long history of cultural and spiritual uses. It initially discusses the historical context of psychedelics and the various terms used to describe them. The essay problematizes the definition of “drugs,” highlighting the lack of objective criteria for distinguishing between legal and illicit substances. Drawing on concepts and theoretical frameworks of critical bioethics, it analyzes how the prohibitionist moral discourse is sustained more by political and economic interests than by scientific justifications, leading to stigmatization and vulnerability. The essay advocates for the end of the prohibition of psychedelics based on ethical arguments, emphasizing their importance in reducing individual and collective suffering. The work contributes to a deeper reflection on this socially controversial topic, integrating interdisciplinary knowledge.

Keywords: Psychedelics, Legal Interdiction, Public Health, Bioethics, Human Rights

Categories: Dissidences, Policies, Psychoactive substances, Bioethics

Full-text of the article is available for this language: Español.

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