Yes it's EXTREMELY foolish. Millions of people who are addicts believe that they can use drugs in moderation or use other drugs and wind up dying.
I love how non addicts, people who are addicts but in denial, and addicts that are not committed to actually being sober think you can "just" smoke pot, "just" trip, or "just " drink while you are an addict.
Sobriety doesnt work like that. Recovery and sobriety is abstaining from everything, or nothing. Half steps avail no measures, and lead to relapse and a slow or fast early death, and addictions to other drugs or a total relapse.
Couple things, alpha_centauri (all understood in the context that I know you have folks' best interest at heart).
Sobriety may not work that way (i.e. allowing some drug use) *for you* or even for a group of people, but for many folks it's perfectly realistic to 86 some drugs while continuing to use others. While I'm sure you're living proof that total abstinence works for you, many folks here on SL are living proof that other approaches to recovery are viable, too.
Labeling behavior you disapprove of as denial gives 12-step and similar modes of recovery such a black eye. And I say this as a person who is heavily involved in NA--working steps with a sponsor, involved in service, etc.
I do agree with you that when it comes to recovery, half-measures are problematic, even dangerous. But goals short of total abstinence don't necessarily entail half-measures. Likewise, an unexamined, non-critical recovery based on total abstinence can easily be chock full of them.
I get cranky about this stuff b/c I think the accumulated folk wisdom of 12-step fellowships can have a productive role to play in modern recovery. But resting on dogma and shaming people's intuition really undercuts this role.
Come on, man...honesty, open-mindedness, and willingness, right?