We're on the cusp of another psychedelic era. But this time Washington is along for the ride
We're on the cusp of another psychedelic era. But this time Washington is along for the ride
From Congress to the Biden administration, there’s enthusiasm for the drugs’ ability to treat mental illness.
There are at least 245 studies in the U.S. related to psychedelics listed on ClinicalTrials.gov, as well as dozens of publicly traded psychedelics companies. It amounts to big business. And while the biotech sector as a whole, including psychedelics companies, has struggled in 2023, the psychedelics market is projected to be valued at $11.8 billion by 2029, up from $4.9 billion in 2022.
“The results that are coming out are just groundbreaking — earth-shattering,” said Rep. Morgan Luttrell (R-Texas), a former Navy SEAL who credits therapy and two psychedelics, ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT, with helping him overcome the trauma he suffered after his Black Hawk helicopter went down during a 2009 training mission. “D.C. actually is getting their head around it.”
If Washington assents, manufacturers are poised to deliver. After decades of psychedelics research and advocacy, the California-based Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) plans to file for regulatory approval of MDMA, commonly called ecstasy, by the end of the year. That could put the drug on track to get the FDA’s endorsement as a treatment for PTSD in 2024.
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Can't wait for pharmaceutical companies to try and profit off of psychedelics
They will find a way. All the more reason to preserve indigenous practices!
I wouldn't even mind. Assuming it means no-trip pharmaceutical alternatives to trip-based plant medicines, it could greatly improve many lives. If they want to just put some mushrooms in some capsules and charge thousands for it, not so much.
It'll be interesting to see in what ways the healing can be attributed to the trip vs. the pharmacology. I went to a conference recently where someone presented his (preliminary) research on mystical experiences and improvements in depression. Based on self-reports of drug-naivety, intensity of the experience, and subjective improvements, it appeared that a more intense mystical experience directly correlated with more significant improvements in symptoms. In other words, the substance alone may not be enough without the trip.
Personally I have never experienced any amount of mysticism or spirituality in my trips. My first psychedelic experience was a light mushroom trip. There were barely any visuals. It was more like a daydream almost. Afterwards, I realized I had lost all interest in alcohol, whereas I was drinking heavily as recent as the day before the trip. I have since moved on to dmt and have had similar positive results. I quit drinking entirely for a while but have since picked it back up socially. When I notice that I'm starting to fixate on alcohol, a bit of dmt gets rid of those cravings.
Even some of my most difficult trips have been positive long term. I tend to prefer more moderate intensity rather than a huge ego death type experience.