The Tim Ferriss Show #350: Dr. Andrew Weil — Optimal Health, Plant Medicine, and More
Early Psychedelic Exploration
- Andrew Weil's early psychedelic experiences began with Aldous Huxley's Doors of Perception.
- This led him to experiment with mescaline, followed by studies on nutmeg and cannabis.
Marijuana Research
- Weil conducted the first controlled human studies on marijuana's effects.
- His research, published in Science, concluded it was a relatively mild intoxicant.
Marijuana's Subtle Effects
- Law enforcement officials were surprised by the subtle effects of marijuana on experienced users in Weil's study.
- Weil made it a personal rule to be high on marijuana when lecturing or testifying about it.
Andrew Weil, M.D. (@DrWeil) is a world-renowned leader and pioneer in the field of integrative medicine.
Dr. Weil received a degree in biology (botany) from Harvard College in 1964 and an M.D. from Harvard Medical School in 1968. After completing a medical internship at Mt. Zion Hospital in San Francisco, he worked a year with the National Institute of Mental Health, then wrote his first book, The Natural Mind. From 1971-75, as a Fellow of the Institute of Current World Affairs, Dr. Weil traveled widely in North and South America and Africa collecting information on drug use in other cultures, medicinal plants, and alternative methods of treating disease. From 1971-84 he was on the research staff of the Harvard Botanical Museum and conducted investigations of medicinal and psychoactive plants.
Dr. Weil is the founder and Director of the University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, where he also holds the Lovell-Jones Endowed Chair in Integrative Rheumatology and is Clinical Professor of Medicine and Professor of Public Health. Through its Fellowship and Integrative Medicine in Residency curricula, the Center is now training doctors and nurse practitioners around the world.
A New York Times best-selling author, Dr. Weil is the author of 15 books on health and well-being, including Mind Over Meds, Fast Food, Good Food, True Food, Spontaneous Happiness, Healthy Aging, and Eight Weeks to Optimum Health.
Please enjoy this wide-ranging (and often hysterical) conversation with Dr. Weil!
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