Psychedelics are the latest trend among performance-enhancing drugs, not to enhance physical performance but to increase emotional and intellectual acuity, proponents claim.
Star NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers publicly called for the legalization of natural hallucinogens after consuming ayahuasca, a drink made from psychoactive Amazonian plants. He’s not afraid of being denounced by prohibitionists.
“It will be difficult to cancel me because of last year [in 2019] — 26 touchdowns, four interceptions, we had a good season,” Rodgers said at the Psychedelic Science 2023 conference in Denver, according to CNN. “Ayahuasca – 48 touchdowns, five interceptions, MVP. What are you going to say?”
Conservatives say “just no” to psychedelics, which is a major obstacle. Without legal avenues, users risk consuming adulterated or poorly calibrated products and being prosecuted, which is why its advocates are clamoring for legalization.
“I guarantee you all these bums who want to stalk me online because of my experiences and whatnot have never tried it,” Rodgers added. “They are the perfect people for this; We have to get these people to embrace it.”
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Rodgers isn’t the only one to claim that psychedelics like ayahuasca and psilocybin from magic mushrooms improve emotional stability. Most sports organizations do not ban hallucinogens because they do not improve physical ability and are difficult to detect in blood or urine tests.
For over a decade, tech executives in Silicon Valley have been touting psychedelics, including LSD, ketamine, MDMA, and peyote. Proponents say altered perceptions, hallucinations, and euphoria expand their minds, increase creativity, and reduce anxiety.
Federal and state laws prohibit all hallucinogens except ketamine, which is approved as a general anesthetic. The Wall Street Journal reported last week that Elon Musk is taking small daily doses of ketamine for depression. After the article was published, Musk tweeted that he believed ketamine was superior to prescription psychiatric drugs.
Former Gov. Rick Perry has called for more research into psychedelic therapies since 2021.
Hundreds of research experiments have shown that psychedelics are highly effective in treating major depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and addiction. The Food and Drug Administration recently published the first draft of a clinical trial guideline.
“Psychedelic drugs are initially emerging as potential treatments for mood, anxiety and substance use disorders. However, these are still investigational products,” said Dr. Tiffany Farchione, director of the Division of Psychiatry at the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.
LSD, ketamine, MDMA, and psilocybin, the active ingredient in mushrooms, affect the brain differently. They have different side effects and interact with prescription drugs in ways that doctors don’t fully understand. However, they are not considered addictive.
Psychedelics are gaining popularity among younger adults who use them for self-medication. Voters in Colorado and Oregon approved referenda legalizing psilocybin, and as I reported from the Southwest Conference and Festivals, professionally prepared and packaged magic mushroom products are being illegally distributed across the country.
Hallucinogens follow a path similar to marijuana. They remain illegal in most jurisdictions, including Canada, but authorities are allowing some experimentation as more and more doctors realize its medical potential. It may take a while before they are legal.
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While 39 states allow some form of legal marijuana use, Republicans continue to block attempts to change the federal law. Proponents of psychedelics show little interest in waiting decades for legalization.
The Lotus Entheogenic Church in California has partnered with non-profit organizations to offer psilocybin therapy to treat drug addiction. The Pearl Psychedelic Institute in North Carolina bills itself as a psychedelic healing center that uses MDMA to treat a variety of issues.
For those seeking a luxury experience, The Journeymen Collective offers therapeutic magic mushroom retreats in the mountains of British Columbia.
About 30 million Americans were experimenting with psychedelic drugs in 2021, according to Norwegian researchers. Investors are pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into companies developing pharma-grade products, and Data Bridge Market Research estimates that the US psychedelics market will be worth $6.8 billion by 2027.
More than a dozen companies are developing psychedelic treatments and planning to apply for FDA approval, leading to a showdown with drug prohibitionists.
Executives like Musk pose another challenge. As the Wall Street Journal asked, what does a corporate board do with a CEO who smokes weed on podcasts and uses psychedelic drugs in a way that isn’t FDA-approved? What should an employer do if an executive is arrested for buying magic mushrooms?
If illicit drugs are a more effective therapy than licensed drugs and improve job performance, shouldn’t employers push for legalization? The people who could benefit from psychedelics can’t wait for a generation to remove the stigma of the war on drugs. We must allow scientists to expand their research so that it doesn’t just happen in back rooms.
Named 2021 Columnist of the Year by the Texas Managing Editors, Chris Tomlinson writes op-ed on money, politics and life in Texas. Sign up for his Tomlinson’s Take newsletter at HoustonChronicle.com/TomlinsonNewsletter or Expressnews.com/TomlinsonNewsletter.
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