Writing in Vox news, Luke Winkie describes a new and growing trend for health-conscious Americans: “microdosing.” It consists of introducing small amounts of marijuana, magic mushrooms, ketamine, or other formerly illicit substances into a daily routine. The goal is to stay on top of mental health issues.   

“What the government once considered contraband is being claimed by wellness culture, one tiny dose at a time,” Winkie writes; “After all, the chaos of the last few years has left so many Americans with a singular priority: to be calmer and happier, by any means possible.”  

While the health benefits of microdosing are inconclusive at best , what is becoming clear is how we’ve confused coping with curing. That should be a warning sign. A world that treats every problem as a medical one misses the point. A population that increasingly needs dubious chemicals just to feel “okay” is one that’s not OK. 

One early adopter put it this way: “I felt a disconnect from my logical, ever-critical brain to my soul.”  That feeling is real, even God-given. The answer she needs is one the Church is tasked with providing.