Prabhupāda: 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.