Understand The Trip: 9. Sacred plants for sale
Sep 1, 2025
Tim Hayward shares his vivid coma experience from the pandemic, leading to a deep dive into the psychedelic realm. He explores the burgeoning interest in psychedelics for mental health treatment and the ethical issues surrounding the commercialization of sacred plants. Indigenous voices raise alarms over cultural appropriation, reminiscent of historical injustices. The podcast also emphasizes the urgent need to acknowledge indigenous rights and integrate traditional wisdom with modern scientific practices for a brighter future.
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Diverse Crowd At Psychedelic Science
- Ariel Clark describes the atmosphere at the large Psychedelic Science Conference in Denver with thousands of attendees and wide representation across the field.
- She notes lawyers, therapists, scientists, elected officials and business people all mingling in a single “psychedelics ecosystem.”
Indigenous Protesters Confront Conference
- Protesters with Indigenous voices interrupted Rick Doblin's closing remarks to express alarm at commercialization and cultural harm.
- The protesters warned that sacred medicines are being colonized and compared consequences to tobacco, opioids and coca commercialization.
Commercialisation Changes Plant Meaning
- Tim Hayward highlights the irony that sacred plants can be sacred in traditional contexts but become harmful when industrialised and mass-marketed.
- He links past panaceas in psychiatry to commercial enthusiasm that later proved damaging or misguided.
