Mainstreaming Psychedelics: From FDA to Harvard to Burning Man

Google Tech Talk
November 17, 2009

ABSTRACT

Presented by Rick Doblin, Ph.D., Executive Director MAPS.

We're now in the midst of a worldwide renaissance in psychedelic research, after decades of political suppression. Scientists from around the world will present their new findings at the largest psychedelic conference to take place in the US in 17 years, on April 15-18, 2010, in San Jose, CA (http://www.maps.org/conference/ ). Even media reports, which usually mention in passing the widespread use of psychedelics by the counterculture in the 1960s, are more hopeful than alarming. In this talk, we'll review the factors which led to the backlash and the lessons to be learned, discuss how the FDA opened the door to research around the world, how the ghost of Timothy Leary was buried at Harvard, and how Burning Man struggles to respond to people who have difficult psychedelic experiences. We'll conclude by explaining how non-profit drug development, initially of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for postraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), can transform psychedelics into FDA-approved prescription medicines and can lay the groundwork for the successful, long-term integration of psychedelics into the mainstream of medicine, religion, art, creativity, and celebration.

Rick founded MAPS in 1986. His dissertation [http://www.maps.org/dissertation/] (Public Policy, Harvards Kennedy School of Government) was on "The Regulation of the Medical Use of Psychedelics and Marijuana," and his masters thesis [http://www.maps.org/docs/doblin-mt.html] (Harvard) focused on the attitudes and experiences of oncologists concerning the medical use of marijuana. His undergraduate thesis [http://www.maps.org/research/cluster/...] (New College of Florida) was a twenty-five year follow-up to the classic Good Friday Experiment [http://www.maps.org/books/pahnke/inde...], which evaluated the potential of psychedelic drugs to catalyze religious experiences. He has also conducted a thirty-four year follow-up study to Tim Learys Concord Prison experiment [http://www.maps.org/news-letters/v09n...].

Rick studied with Stan Grof, M.D., and was in the first group to become certified as holotropic breathwork practitioners. His professional goal is to help develop legal contexts for the beneficial uses of psychedelics and marijuana, primarily as prescription medicines but also for personal growth for otherwise "healthy" people, and to also become a legally licensed psychedelic therapist. He resides in Boston with his wife and three children.

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  Science & Technology

[slackdave]

Amazing talk! I wish them all the success for their endeavour!

[DreamingTurtle]

Sorry, terminaldeity. I was trying to give thumbs up and hit the wrong one. THUMBS UP!

[Ove Karlsen]

I have concluded my research now. Psychedelics are indeed regressive states of mind. Really the "nationalist" of today. Breivik, salafis, nazis are all that. Believers in fairytales, of the fairies of the enchanted forest, the enchanted castle, and royal mythological idols. Where Prince charming is not a violent nationalist, but a sexual dream of warm and fuzzy feelings. An illusion, that itself bows to God, far above.

[geezusispan]

Let's see with a video with actual scientists reporting on years of actual scientific research using actual psychedelic substances.

Then we have you..... No science degree, no research, no experience with the entheogens, just childish insults that hardly relate to the topic. Keep up the good work!!

[Ove Karlsen]

Congratulations, just another retard online, who only sees a dog he thinks wants to play because he is a dog himself. Ofcourse you could never understand religion, or that LSD is like fellatio with Satan. Completely gay, and completely retarded. Look forward to the rest of your life in your doghouse.

[geezusispan]

You have NO experience, but want to tell me what it's all about..... YOU are the dumbest fucker on YouTube... Tell your make believe sky daddy I said , HI...

[Ove Karlsen]

Wow, you are such a stupid idiot, who probably even can´t read, thinks 8 hour session is going to change any of what a sane person sees in his research, while you are "tripping balls".