The Columbia professor Carl Hart spent his career studying the effects of drugs, and uses heroin himself. In his book Drug Use for Grown-Ups, he argues that not only can drug use be safer, but that it’s our right. 

This week on The Experiment: how villainizing drug use interferes with our right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

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This episode was produced by Alvin Melathe and Katherine Wells, with help from Gabrielle Berbey. Special thanks to Michelle Ciarrocca. Fact-check by William Brennan. Sound design by David Herman. Engineering by Alexander Overington.

Music by r mccarthy (“Fine”), infinite bisous (“Touch 2 Much (Morsel)”), Ob (“Mog”), Parish Council (“Marmalade Day,” “Museum Weather,” “Heatherside Stores,” and “Mopping”), and Column (“｢The Art of Fun｣ (Raj),” “Quiet Song,” and “Morsel Code”), provided by Tasty Morsels. Additional audio from CNN, FOX News, The Breakfast Club, and Pee-Wee Herman.