--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am convinced that there are genuine and…" description: "\"I am convinced that there are genuine and valid levels of perception available with cannabis (and probably with other drugs) which are, through the def..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02f/lester-grinspoon-48296_cannabis_i-am-convinced-that-there-are-genuine-an_313854.jpg" --- # I am convinced that there are genuine and valid levels of… ![“I am convinced that there are genuine and valid levels of perception available with cannabis (and probably with other drugs) which are, through the defects of our society and our educational system, un-available to us without such drugs.” quote by Lester Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02f/lester-grinspoon-48296_cannabis_i-am-convinced-that-there-are-genuine-an_313854.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02f/lester-grinspoon-48296_cannabis_i-am-convinced-that-there-are-genuine-an_313854.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02f/lester-grinspoon-48296_cannabis_i-am-convinced-that-there-are-genuine-an_313854.jpg) > “I am convinced that there are genuine and valid levels of perception available with cannabis (and probably with other drugs) which are, through the defects of our society and our educational system, un-available to us without such drugs.” [Lester Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lester-grinspoon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Cannabis can reveal perceptual insights that society and education often suppress, making them inaccessible without the drug. **In simple terms:** Drugs may unlock hidden ways of seeing that mainstream culture blocks. Key Takeaway Consider how social structures limit perception. Themes perception drugs society education consciousness Mood curious reflective critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - creative brainstorming - artistic inspiration - alternative problem solving - personal introspection Key Concepts Neuroscience philosophy cultural critique Questions to Reflect On - How might you explore these perceptions responsibly? - What non‑chemical methods could achieve similar insight? A Different Perspective These insights may be fleeting or distorted, not a substitute for disciplined learning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cannabis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cannabis/) [Defects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defects/) [Drug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drug/) [Educational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/educational/) [Educational system](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/educational-system/) [Marijuana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marijuana/) [Our society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-society/) [Perception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perception/) [Wine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wine/) ## Related quotes > [I have come to doubt whether the FDA rules should apply to cannabis. There is no question about its safety. It is one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-grinspoon/i-have-come-to-doubt-whether-the-fda-rules-should-apply-to-cannabis/) [Lester Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lester-grinspoon/) > [I've been smoking marijuana for 44 years now, and ... I think it's a tremendous blessing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-grinspoon/i-ve-been-smoking-marijuana-for-44-years-now-and-i-think-it-s-a/) [Lester Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lester-grinspoon/) > [Cannabis is remarkably safe. Although not harmless, it is surely less toxic than most of the conventional medicines it could replace if it were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-grinspoon/cannabis-is-remarkably-safe-although-not-harmless-it-is-surely-less/) [Lester Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lester-grinspoon/) > [“You can be an expert any field of study with consistent effort and consistent learning.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/you-can-be-an-expert-any-field-of-study-with-consistent-effort-and/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Whatever the explanation, it's perfectly obvious that our educational system has nothing to do with education: it's a babysitting service designed to replicate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-donaldson/whatever-the-explanation-it-s-perfectly-obvious-that-our-educational/) [Stephen R. Donaldson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-donaldson/) > [“If you don’t have common sense, ask someone who does”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-withrow/if-you-don-t-have-common-sense-ask-someone-who-does/) [Sonya Withrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-withrow/) > [I don't think the Gallup Poll technique is going to be very helpful in determining the goals of our educational system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sargent-shriver/i-don-t-think-the-gallup-poll-technique-is-going-to-be-very-helpful/) [Sargent Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sargent-shriver/) > [In relation to the political decontamination of our public life, the government will embark upon a systematic campaign to restore the nation's moral and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/in-relation-to-the-political-decontamination-of-our-public-life-the/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [I think my deepest criticism of the educational system . . . is that it's all based upon a distrust of the student. Don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-rogers/i-think-my-deepest-criticism-of-the-educational-system-is-that-it-s/) [Carl Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-rogers/) > [Our educational system is appallingly poor right now. Yet, somehow we're turning out some of the most intellectual and powerful sophisticated minds in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-wallop/our-educational-system-is-appallingly-poor-right-now-yet-somehow-we/) [Malcolm Wallop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-wallop/) > [If you think advantage lies in resources, then you think the best educational system is the one that spends the most money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/if-you-think-advantage-lies-in-resources-then-you-think-the-best/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“Universities are reluctant to update their syllabus as per industry requirement, not because their students will have to take the trouble to learn new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/universities-are-reluctant-to-update-their-syllabus-as-per-industry/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [We are completely void of anything to do with God. Teachers can't touch a child - even to hug a crying child. Young boys…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-murray-1st-earl-of-mansfield/we-are-completely-void-of-anything-to-do-with-god-teachers-can-t/) [William Murray, 1st Earl of Mansfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-murray-1st-earl-of-mansfield/) > [There's all of this stuff where we have so much debate over nonsense; it could be cured if we had a better educational system,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-r-ehrlich/there-s-all-of-this-stuff-where-we-have-so-much-debate-over-nonsense/) [Paul R. Ehrlich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-r-ehrlich/) > [We can't live true to our set of values unless American educational system is strong. I really believe that if we don't get that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/we-can-t-live-true-to-our-set-of-values-unless-american-educational/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) ## More by Lester Grinspoon > [I began to study marijuana in 1967... I had not yet learned that there is something very special about illicit drugs. If they don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-grinspoon/i-began-to-study-marijuana-in-1967-i-had-not-yet-learned-that-there/) [Lester Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lester-grinspoon/) > [Cannabis is remarkably safe. Although not harmless, it is surely less toxic than most of the conventional medicines it could replace if it were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-grinspoon/cannabis-is-remarkably-safe-although-not-harmless-it-is-surely-less/) [Lester Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lester-grinspoon/) > [Marijuana is effective at relieving nausea and vomiting, spasticity, appetite loss, certain types of pain, and other debilitating symptoms. And it is extraordinarily safe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-grinspoon/marijuana-is-effective-at-relieving-nausea-and-vomiting-spasticity/) [Lester Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lester-grinspoon/) > [I've been smoking marijuana for 44 years now, and ... I think it's a tremendous blessing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-grinspoon/i-ve-been-smoking-marijuana-for-44-years-now-and-i-think-it-s-a/) [Lester Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lester-grinspoon/) > [We in this country have to make up our minds -- -- we can not have it both ways: we cannot be both drug-free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-grinspoon/we-in-this-country-have-to-make-up-our-minds-we-can-not-have-it-both/) [Lester Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lester-grinspoon/) > [I have come to doubt whether the FDA rules should apply to cannabis. There is no question about its safety. It is one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-grinspoon/i-have-come-to-doubt-whether-the-fda-rules-should-apply-to-cannabis/) [Lester Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lester-grinspoon/) > [Marijuana is one of the least toxic substances in the whole pharmacopoeia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-grinspoon/marijuana-is-one-of-the-least-toxic-substances-in-the-whole/) [Lester Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lester-grinspoon/) [Explore all 8 Lester Grinspoon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lester-grinspoon/) ## More Cannabis quotes > [Freedom is that faculty that enlarges the usefulness of all other faculties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/freedom-is-that-faculty-that-enlarges-the-usefulness-of-all-other/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [Many artists and writers have used cannabis for creative stimulation - from the writers of the world's religious masterpieces to our most irreverent satirists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-herer/many-artists-and-writers-have-used-cannabis-for-creative-stimulation/) [Jack Herer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-herer/) > [The trick is to use the drugs once to get there, and maybe spend the next ten years trying to get back there without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/the-trick-is-to-use-the-drugs-once-to-get-there-and-maybe-spend-the/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [A Prohibition law strikes a blow at the very principles upon which our government was founded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/a-prohibition-law-strikes-a-blow-at-the-very-principles-upon-which/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [We didn't have a strong drug scene by any means. Originally, it was just purple hearts, amphetamines, speed or whatever you want to call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-wooler/we-didn-t-have-a-strong-drug-scene-by-any-means-originally-it-was/) Bob Wooler > [“We must go to the laboratory at once. I have some cannabis.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooklyn-ann/we-must-go-to-the-laboratory-at-once-i-have-some-cannabis/) Brooklyn Ann > [Every cannabis user is a medical patient whether they know it or not](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-peron/every-cannabis-user-is-a-medical-patient-whether-they-know-it-or-not/) Dennis Peron > [Cannabis always made me paranoid; I felt like people were watching me. And now I'm sober, and I've got this talk show in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/cannabis-always-made-me-paranoid-i-felt-like-people-were-watching-me/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [Hemp is a part of the cannabis plant, and it is very useful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziggy-marley/hemp-is-a-part-of-the-cannabis-plant-and-it-is-very-useful/) [Ziggy Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziggy-marley/) > [I smoked this joint and then it hit me. I thought, what you gotta do is play your own simply blues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iggy-pop/i-smoked-this-joint-and-then-it-hit-me-i-thought-what-you-gotta-do-is/) [Iggy Pop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iggy-pop/) > [“The grimoires were already illegal; authoring or possessing them was punishable by torture and death. In that case, listing belladonna as an ingredient in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-leitch/the-grimoires-were-already-illegal-authoring-or-possessing-them-was/) [Aaron Leitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-leitch/) > [Breaking down some stress, rolling up some regrets, add a light to the tip, let me enjoy this shit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raghib-clitso/breaking-down-some-stress-rolling-up-some-regrets-add-a-light-to-the/) [Raghib Clitso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raghib-clitso/) > [I don’t know what life is like without cannabis, I hear there is such a thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/i-don-t-know-what-life-is-like-without-cannabis-i-hear-there-is-such/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [I have used cannabis all over the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-steves/i-have-used-cannabis-all-over-the-world/) [Rick Steves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-steves/) > [It would be wryly interesting if in human history the cultivation of marijuana led generally to the invention of agriculture, and thereby to civilization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/it-would-be-wryly-interesting-if-in-human-history-the-cultivation-of/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) [Browse all 200 Cannabis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cannabis/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I am convinced that there are genuine and valid levels of perception available with cannabis (and probably with other drugs) which are, through the defects of our society and our educational system, un-available to us without such drugs.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lester Grinspoon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-grinspoon/i-am-convinced-that-there-are-genuine-and-valid-levels-of-perception/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cannabis" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-grinspoon/i-am-convinced-that-there-are-genuine-and-valid-levels-of-perception/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02f/lester-grinspoon-48296_cannabis_i-am-convinced-that-there-are-genuine-an_313854.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02f/lester-grinspoon-48296_cannabis_i-am-convinced-that-there-are-genuine-an_313854.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02f/lester-grinspoon-48296_cannabis_i-am-convinced-that-there-are-genuine-an_313854.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I am convinced that there are genuine and valid levels of perception available with cannabis (and probably…” — Lester Grinspoon", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Lester Grinspoon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lester-grinspoon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I am convinced that there are...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-grinspoon/i-am-convinced-that-there-are-genuine-and-valid-levels-of-perception/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-grinspoon/i-am-convinced-that-there-are-genuine-and-valid-levels-of-perception/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```