Historically speaking, the fundamental motive for using drugs springs from a desire to understand reality more fully, not escape it. Many human cultures have placed some drug, held to be sacred, at the center of their religious paradigms, considering it the fulcrum of their systems of interpretation of various aspects of life and reality. Used under appropriate conditions-- that is, in particular environmental and psychological settings-- drugs induce experiences accompanied by profound emotional and intuitive states that can be illuminating and revelatory. The elaboration and interpretation of these experiences contribute to the development of both individual and societal interpretations.

Giorgio Samorini
Animal and Psychedelics
"Animals, Humans, and Drugs: The Why of It All"