Much of the recent sciÂenÂtifÂic research into psyÂcheÂdelics has picked up where researchers left off in the mid-20th cenÂtuÂry, before LSD, psiloÂcyÂbin, and othÂer psyÂchoacÂtive drugs became counÂterÂculÂturÂal means of conÂsciousÂness expanÂsion, and then banned, illeÂgal subÂstances the govÂernÂment sought to conÂtrol. SciÂenÂtists from sevÂerÂal fields studÂied psyÂcheÂdelics as treatÂments for addicÂtion, depresÂsion, and anxÂiÂety, and end-of-life care. These appliÂcaÂtions were conÂceived and testÂed sevÂerÂal decades ago.
Now, thanks to some seriÂous investÂment from high-proÂfile instiÂtuÂtions like Johns HopÂkins UniÂverÂsiÂty, and thanks to changÂing govÂernÂment attiÂtudes toward psyÂchoacÂtive drugs, it may be posÂsiÂble for psiloÂcyÂbin, the active ingreÂdiÂent in “magÂic mushÂrooms,” to get legal approval for therÂaÂpy in a clinÂiÂcal setÂting by 2021. “For the first time in U.S. hisÂtoÂry,” ShelÂby HartÂman reports at Rolling Stone, “a psyÂcheÂdelÂic drug is on the fast track to getÂting approved for treatÂing depresÂsion by the fedÂerÂal govÂernÂment.”
As Michael PolÂlan has detailed in his latÂest book, How to Change Your Mind, the posÂsiÂbilÂiÂties for psiloÂcyÂbin and othÂer such drugs are vast. “But before the Food and Drug AdminÂisÂtraÂtion can be petiÂtioned to reclasÂsiÂfy it,” BritÂtany Shoot notes at ForÂtune, the drug “first has to clear phase III clinÂiÂcal triÂals. The entire process is expectÂed to take about five years.” In the TEDMED video above, you can see Roland R. GrifÂfiths, ProÂfesÂsor of PsyÂchiÂaÂtry and BehavÂioral SciÂences at Johns HopÂkins, disÂcuss the ways in which psiloÂcyÂbin, “under supÂportÂed conÂdiÂtions, can occaÂsion mysÂtiÂcal-type expeÂriÂences assoÂciÂatÂed with endurÂing posÂiÂtive changes in attiÂtudes and behavÂior.”
The impliÂcaÂtions of this research span the fields of ethics and medÂiÂcine, psyÂcholÂoÂgy and reliÂgion, and it’s fitÂting that Dr. GrifÂfiths leads off with a stateÂment about the comÂpatÂiÂbilÂiÂty of spirÂiÂtuÂalÂiÂty and sciÂence, supÂportÂed by a quote from EinÂstein, who said “the most beauÂtiÂful and proÂfound emoÂtion we can expeÂriÂence is the senÂsaÂtion of the mysÂtiÂcal. It’s the source of all true sciÂence.” But the work GrifÂfiths and othÂers have been engaged in is priÂmarÂiÂly pracÂtiÂcal in nature—though it does not at all exclude the mystical—like findÂing effecÂtive means to treat depresÂsion in canÂcer patients, for examÂple.
“SixÂteen milÂlion AmerÂiÂcans sufÂfer from depresÂsion and approxÂiÂmateÂly one-third of them are treatÂment resisÂtant,” HartÂman writes. “DepresÂsion is also an epiÂdemÂic worldÂwide, affectÂing 300 milÂlion peoÂple around the world.” PsyÂchotropÂic drugs like psiloÂcyÂbin, LSD, and MDMA (which is not clasÂsiÂfied as a psyÂcheÂdelÂic), have been shown for a long time to work for many peoÂple sufÂferÂing from severe menÂtal illÂness and addicÂtions.
Although such drugs present some potenÂtial for abuse, they are not highÂly addicÂtive, espeÂcialÂly relÂaÂtive to the flood of opiÂoids on the legal marÂket that are curÂrentÂly devÂasÂtatÂing whole comÂmuÂniÂties as peoÂple use them to self-medÂicate. It seems that what has most preÂventÂed psyÂcheÂdelics from being researched and preÂscribed has as much or more to do with long-standÂing prejÂuÂdice and fear as it does with a genÂuine conÂcern for pubÂlic health. (And that’s not even to menÂtion the finanÂcial interÂests who exert tremenÂdous presÂsure on drug polÂiÂcy.)
But now, HartÂman writes, “it appears [researchers] have come too far to go back—and the fedÂerÂal govÂernÂment is finalÂly recÂogÂnizÂing it, too.” Find out why this research matÂters in Dr. GrifÂfiths’ talk, Pollan’s book, the MulÂtiÂdisÂciÂpliÂnary AssoÂciÂaÂtion for PsyÂcheÂdelÂic StudÂies, and some of the posts we’ve linked to below.
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
Josh Jones is a writer and musiÂcian based in Durham, NC. FolÂlow him at @jdmagness
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