Most of the focus for the blog has been on the government institutions involved. This post will focus on the influence of public sector institutions on psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy and hallucinogen research. One major institution that I have previously mentioned is the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), a non-profit research and educational organization advocating the benefit of psychedelics. They currently have several ongoing research projects with MDMA, LSD, Ibogaine, Ayahuasca, and medical Marijuana. In addition, they offer MDMA Therapy Training. The Zendo Project is sponsored by MAPS and provides a supportive environment with specialized care for people having difficult psychedelic experiences. They provide this support at popular social events that are associated with psychedelic use. The Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research at John Hopkins University is conducting several studies on psilocybin and its use for substance use disorders, Alzheimer’s disease, major depressive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. They are considered the leading psychedelic research institution in the United States and are committed to exploring innovative treatments. The Heffter Research Institute is a non-profit organization created to design, review, and fund leading studies on psilocybin at institutions in the United States and Europe. The Usona institute is another non-profit organization that supports and conducts research into psilocybin and other hallucinogens. The marijuana industry is worth billions of dollars and has contributed significantly to the US economy. Understanding the potential financial gain for manufacturers of hallucinogens and others is an important aspect to keep in mind when discussing the future of this topic.
So far, I have listed organizations that are supportive but not mentioned those who may be opposed. The opposition to the therapeutic use of these substances may be related to safety (mental and physical) or morality. There may be fear related to its misuse and abuse, fear related to the limited knowledge regarding mental or physical benefits, or simply a disbelief in the need for its use. Potential opposition maybe by Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) or Citizens Legalizing Marijuana (CALM) (the organization is also opposed to any law attempting to undermine the Federal Controlled Substances Act). Religion can impact aspects of an individual’s medical care. In 2014, the highest authority in Shi’ite Islam stated that entheogens were acceptable for use, permitted they were taken with a trained specialist. No other major religions appear to be on either side of this discussion as of yet.
There are several private institutions on both sides of this issue however, both can agree that the recreational, purposeless use is not beneficial. As more clinical trials are conducted and conversations about psychedelic use increase, more groups will likely (and should) get involved in the discussion.
References
Citizens Against Legalizing Marijuana. (n.d.). CALM USA. Retrieved from https://calmca.org/
Drug Abuse Resistance Education. (n.d.). About. Retrieved from https://dare.org/about/#MissionVision
Evans, P. (2019, May 7). 8 incredible facts about the booming US marijuana industry. Retrieved from https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/weed-us-marijuana-industry-facts-2019-5-1028177375#the-marijuana-industry-could-soon-be-worth-more-than-the-gdp-of-9-us-states1
Farah, T. (2018, June 15). Iranian Religious Authority Considers Psychedelic Medicines Halāl. Retrieved from https://psychedelictimes.com/irans-top-religious-leader-approves-therapeutic-use-psychedelics/
The beauty of learning is to open our mind to new ideas and thoughts. This post and the previous post regarding the use of psychedelics in psychotherapy have caused me to look at Scheduled I and Scheduled II medications differently. As a prescriber, I never considered scheduled I medications, just assumed they were off limits. I am thankful to understand their history more and the potential future use of the substances.
If the United States has limited funding and resources for research on the use of psychedelics in psychotherapy, what resources are available at the international level? You mention the Shi’ite Islam religion, I found an international journal, Frontiers in Pharmacology, that is working with scientist across the globe to support this important research. In 2018, they published 27 articles, a significant increase in the last few years, the editors are hopeful this will help to increase the awareness. that are also looking at this science. Schenberg (2018), from Brazil, identified a paradigm shift in the research that may support international awareness and funding. He found that organizations are still debating on diagnostics and explanations of mental illness, thus preventing treatment development. He suggests that innovation needs to happen with what scientist know rather than getting stuck in what is unknown. The British Journal of Psychiatry has identified an increase in global research since 2010 and hopes the 20th century will see the world come together to help support those suffering from debilitating mental health illness.
Thank you for your review of this topic, I look forward to the next blog posts and possible federal policy that will help support the care of those suffering and those trying to help ease the suffering.
References:
Carhart-Harris, Leech, Williams, Erritzoe, Abbasi, Bargiotas, . . . Nutt. (2012). Implications for psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy: Functional magnetic resonance imaging study with psilocybin. The British Journal of Psychiatry : The Journal of Mental Science, 200(3), 238-244.
Schenberg, E. (2018). Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy: A Paradigm Shift in Psychiatric Research and Development. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 9(733), 1-11. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2018.00733
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