On Drugs

Psychedelics, Philosophy, and the Nature of Reality

Justin Smith-Ruiu author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:WW Norton & Co

Published:23rd Sep '25

Currently unavailable, our supplier has not provided us a restock date

On Drugs cover

In the wake of a personal loss and the upheaval of the pandemic, Justin Smith-Ruiu found himself at a California cannabis dispensary, pondering a profound question: Who am I and how did I get here?

On Drugs blends memoir, investigative reporting and philosophical inquiry as Smith-Ruiu explores the impact of psychedelics on the mind and human consciousness. Drawing on a broad range of intellectual history and his personal experiences, he delves into how these substances challenge Western assumptions about reality, the self and existence. Psychedelics offer a path to a radically new way of thinking and a new philosophical lens that could reshape how we understand ourselves and our place in the universe.

On Drugs offers an insightful and thought-provoking exploration of mind-altering substances, their impact on modern thought and the very nature of reality.

"[Y]ou don’t even need to take magic mushrooms from some geezer in a Dutch head shop (as Smith-Ruiu did) to melt your mind… you could try reading this extraordinary book, whose riches I can only hint at in this review." -- Stuart Jeffries - The Guardian

ISBN: 9781324094975

Dimensions: 218mm x 147mm x 28mm

Weight: 366g

288 pages