•Chapters 13 through 15 consider the meaning implicit in the terms ‘entheogen’ (revealing the divine within) and ‘psychedelic’ (mind-revealing, or -manifesting), by examining the psychedelic experience and its relationship to pre-natal experiences. This necessitates a discussion of the relationship between spirituality and psychology, including . the relevance of insights stemming directly from the use of psychedelics to psychological theory, and correspondences between transpersonal experiences and religious mythical themes. These chapters interrogate the claim that contemporary practices employing entheogens constitute ‘bona fide’ spiritual inquiries, and consider whether the insights that psychedelics provide constitute any specific threat to society and its moral institutions. Following this, I consider whether the insights that psychedelics provoke, constitute any specific threat to society and its moral institutions.

•  Following Norman Zinberg’s theory of controlled drug use, chapters 16 and 17 examine how the traditional, religious and ceremonial use of entheogens provide the social sanctions that render entheogens safe and beneficial. They examine whether such traditional forms of regulation can be emulated in the modern context. In addition, they examine the implications of theories of social control for anti-drug abuse policies; the example considered is the Netherlands, where drug use is treated primarily as a health issue rather than a criminal problem.  One question asked is whether the sanctioned use of substances would automatically lead to an uncontrollable escalation in their use. Another is the impact easy access to information has on the spread and use of drugs, and ask whether the online trade in entheogens should be considered in the same light as other forms of drugs trade, or whether it offers some scope for social control.

• In chapter 18 I consider the implications of entheogenic and  psychedelic experiences for the evolution of human spirituality.

If there is a general message here, it is that there are complex and diverse issues surrounding the use of psychedelics, that are challenging, need to be addressed because psychedelics are such promising tools for researching consciousness. It is becoming increasingly clear in Western society that mental and physical health, spirituality, law and politics are interrelated, and this leads inexorably to the conclusion that the study of entheogens, psychedelics and altered states of consciousness, if conducted with respect and sincerity, has important implications for our future. The fact that ancient entheogenic spiritual traditions have - by legitimate means - gained a foothold in Western society, testifies to the need for principled, well-reasoned ethical arguments that are supported by good scientific research. The fact that a relatively small and innocuous community might successfully challenge an international law,  (the United Nations convention on Psychotropic Substances) signifies that modern institutions can, despite their enormous bureaucracy, be transformed by the people whose interests they represent. Equally, the continued existence of entheogenic traditions - against all odds - is emblematic of the enduring value and relevance of spirituality to a modern society.