Re: MAPS: Free lunch with Gen. McCaffrey

["Johnny B. Goode" <copanjohn@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

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The following matter is not about psychedelics but Gen. McCaffrey said that 
NIDA  has funded studies with rhesus monkeys in which male monkeys were 
given a choice of cocaine, food, water or female monkeys. They chose cocaine 
till they died. I thought that monkeys given the option of sex and 
companionship would not kill themselves with cocaine, that only isolated 
animals did this.
Does anyone know if there is any truth to McCaffrey's story?

Rick Doblin
----------

Rick, I don't know about this specific study, but Jonathan Ott argues most 
vehemently in his _Pharmacophilia_ that man (and animal) have a natural 
tendency towards inebriation, even more of a tendency than towards body 
sustenance (food, water) and biological species continuance (i.e. sex).  
There may be detailed information in the long Notes section of the book as 
well.  Bottom line is that mammals, at least, and probably other creatures 
such as pollinators (e.g. the moth which gets "high" pollinating Brugmansia 
trees and so sends its offspring back to the same trees) have an urge to 
change their consciousnesses.  Who is anyone to deny this natural desire for 
pleasure drugs?

Johnny


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