How do you feel about people flying to e.g. Jamaica and going on psilocybin retreats? Is this a net positive or could it be a problem for changing the image of psychedelics towards a legal medicine?
I’m a bit of worrywart. Some of these retreat centers are well-run and legit, but others are sketchy, and when people start having bad experiences it will have consequences. The public is just learning about psychedelics, and negative stories are bound to shape their perceptions.
It is certainly a wild west, as Michael suggested. Question about net positive depends on—positive for what and who? I have no doubt that some people are helped, so it can be a positive for them, but others are harmed. For the regulatory pathway, it is really independent so does not contributed to the positive path to medical approval. And as Michael said, if things aren’t done well, the bad press could hurt the medical pathway. I’m not preaching to folks what to do or not do, but from my own position, all I can do is educated folks about relevant risks and safety factors (what separates more risky from less risky use), and remind the public and other scientists and regulators that what you see in these settings is not necessarily reflective of the risk/benefit profile at play with approved clinical treatment with our safety guidelines at play.
How do you feel about people flying to e.g. Jamaica and going on psilocybin retreats? Is this a net positive or could it be a problem for changing the image of psychedelics towards a legal medicine?
I’m a bit of worrywart. Some of these retreat centers are well-run and legit, but others are sketchy, and when people start having bad experiences it will have consequences. The public is just learning about psychedelics, and negative stories are bound to shape their perceptions.
It is certainly a wild west, as Michael suggested. Question about net positive depends on—positive for what and who? I have no doubt that some people are helped, so it can be a positive for them, but others are harmed. For the regulatory pathway, it is really independent so does not contributed to the positive path to medical approval. And as Michael said, if things aren’t done well, the bad press could hurt the medical pathway. I’m not preaching to folks what to do or not do, but from my own position, all I can do is educated folks about relevant risks and safety factors (what separates more risky from less risky use), and remind the public and other scientists and regulators that what you see in these settings is not necessarily reflective of the risk/benefit profile at play with approved clinical treatment with our safety guidelines at play.