A brief history and motivation of an entheogenic chemist

The text recounts the 2004 arrest of Casey Hardison for producing psychedelic drugs (LSD, 2C-B, DMT) and argues that authorities never asked about his motivations, assuming greed was the reason. Hardison claimed his actions were a stand for cognitive liberty and personal transformation through expanded consciousness, but the judge dismissed this as a ruse. The author presents Hardison's perspective as a committed defense of cognitive liberty and a vision of a world where people understand the connection between individuality and unity.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Casey Hardison was arrested in spring 2004 for the production of psychedelictype drugs ie. LSD, 2C‐B and DMT. In the three years since, not one person from ‘authority’ had bothered to ask him what motivated him to synthesise psychedelic drugs. It was as if the a priori assumption that ‘all illegal drugs are bad’ had provided the answer. Hence, the Judge asserted that Hardison did it for ‘that basest of human emotion, greed’ as though the psychospiritual benefits of an alchemical path dedicated to expanding consciousness and personal transformation, through insights integrated into action, upon which he had expounded at great lengths during trial, were some elaborate ‘portmanteau defence’, just some ruse to get him out of the dock. It was not, it was a committed stand for ‘cognitive liberty’ and for a world full of people who understand the fine line between alone and all one.