Our relationship to plant medicine is as natural as our bodies craving food and water, it’s called “Herbalism.” Herbalism is a result of our ancient ancestors' evolutionary history with sacred plants containing higher quantities of Dimethyltryptamine, or DMT for medicinal purposes for tens of thousands of years. Due to the epigenetic effects these plants have on our gene expression, our bodies are naturally "wired" to interact with DMT at a cellular level, and has lead to a biological predisposition to respond positively to DMT. This is why we are all instinctively drawn to these plants, it’s literally in our DNA to have a relationship and seek them out. Yet it remains federally illegal. As a result, citizens in the U.S., a country, founded on the freedom of religion, are persecuted and imprisoned for this normal and natural act. If not by the government, shame can come from a society brainwashed by the demonization of these sacred plants. Some of you might relate to my struggles trying to share the truth of plant medicine with conservative family members. Being lectured by an uninformed relative with a daughter who’s addicted to heroin, who dismisses my efforts and claims “they know enough”, or live with limitations like “All I need to know is…” have no problem taking prescribed medications or drinking alcohol, equating “legal” as “healthy” and never realizing that the perpetrated misbelief is being reinforced by their own inflated egos. The ego knows best and doesn’t need to know more. Outcasting me with limited logic and insight with “Who ever heard of curing a drug addiction with another drug? That’s just dumb, Eric”. One issue we share is the mislabeling of the word “Drug.” “Drug” is a word the DEA can apply to any chemical they deem illegal. Without logic or reason. Did you know you can’t even use any pharmacological evidence to protect yourself in a court of law? That's the same as not being allowed to use forensic evidence to defend a murder charge. That puts “illegal drug use” up there with how the Salem witch trials were conducted in court. Our laws need an update in the worst way.