Prabhupāda: Drugs? That is another side of madness. Anyone . . . just like human being, after the evolution, eight million forms of body, he comes to human body to understand philosophy, these Vedas. So instead of utilizing life for that purpose, he wants to become again like the cats and dog, and therefore he takes drugs. He is already cat and dog. He's no better than cats and dog, because he has no interest in this knowledge. He was meant for this knowledge, but he remains like cats and dog; therefore he is not satisfied, therefore he takes drug to forget himself. This is the philosophy of drug. He was meant for becoming satisfied by taking this knowledge. He does not get the chance. Nobody leads him to this knowledge. He remains like cats and dogs. But as a human being if he lives like cats and dogs, he'll never be happy. Because there is no happiness, therefore he takes these drugs, to forget. This is the drug philosophy. Drug philosophy means to forget one's present suffering. And he must suffer, because his consciousness is developed. He must take this Vedic knowledge, but he does not take. Therefore he is dissatisfied, and to counteract this dissatisfaction he takes drug. This is drug philosophy.
Kim Cornish: Perhaps often it is that, but . . .
Prabhupāda: Not "perhaps." There is no question of "perhaps." We want to speak factually.
Kim Cornish: But Patañjali says that perhaps siddhis, powers, can be produced by drugs, so perhaps . . .
Prabhupāda: Drug is meant for medicinal purpose, not for drinking or taking regularly. Every herb, every vegetable, is a herb, is a drug meant for curing particular disease. This is nature's gift. Just like if you cut your finger, you take little grass and take a little juice and apply it. It will act as tincturizing, immediately. They are meant for this purpose. These vegetable, drugs, are meant for when you are sick or disturbed, you can utilize. Not for intoxication. Just like opium. If you have severe type of dysentery, diarrhea, a little opium it will immediately cure. But opium is not meant for using as an intoxication. There is use of opium. Morphia, opium, they have got use at a certain time, not for using it for intoxication. That is foolishness.