Bolstered by a growing body of research on the use of psychedelics to treat depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health conditions, a new political action committee seeks to elect leaders who support the therapeutic use of substances like psilocybin (in magic mushrooms), ketamine and MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy.
The founders behind the newly formed Psychedelic Medicine PAC also aim to secure federal funding to further education and research efforts at a time of increased scrutiny over the dangerous side effects of opioids, especially fentanyl, and other traditional pharmaceuticals.
Advocates have long argued that the therapeutic use of psychedelics can be safer and more effective than prescription drugs, some of which carry the risk of dependency. It’s a movement that has grown in recent years as more clinical studies back those claims and as society grapples with deepening mental health issues exacerbated by the pandemic.
But even true believers say more research is needed to fully understand how the same substances popularized by hippies and ravers can be used to treat potentially life-threatening disorders.
“We have to convince a historically stubborn audience around psychedelics that it’s not the 1960s,” said Ryan Rodgers, co-founder and executive director of Psychedelic Medicine PAC.
“People aren’t going to stare into the sun for their eyes to blow out. People aren’t going to jump off a building,” he said. “This is about healing trauma. It’s not about recreation.”
Melissa Lavasani, the group’s co-founder and executive director, has experienced that healing firsthand after using psychedelics to treat postpartum depression and chronic pain. She led decriminalization efforts in Washington, D.C., where she pushed through an initiative that made cultivation and possession of plant and fungi medicines the lowest priority for local police and prosecutors.
The measure passed overwhelmingly with 76% endorsing it in 2020, the same…
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