Philosophy For Our Times Will psychedelics revolutionize mental health treatment? | Matthew Johnson, Shayla Love, and Kevin Sabet
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Aug 29, 2025 
Join Matthew Johnson, a celebrated psychiatry professor at Johns Hopkins, Shayla Love, a keen freelance science reporter, and Kevin Sabet, a drug policy expert, as they dive into the psychedelic renaissance. They explore whether substances like LSD and psilocybin can truly revolutionize mental health treatment. The discussion highlights the importance of subjective experiences over mere biochemistry, the risks of commercialization, and systemic inequities in mental health care access. Can psychedelics fulfill their promise, or is the hype too great?
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Psychedelics Could Fill Major Treatment Gaps
- Matthew Johnson argues psychedelics can play a large role in mental health treatment for many disorders.
- He bases this on 19 years of clinical trials showing benefits across depression, addiction and cancer-related distress.
Watch For For-Profit Hype
- Kevin Sabet warns against hype and for-profit capture of nascent psychedelic research.
- He compares the current boom to the cannabis industry’s overenthusiasm and advises caution.
Access Determines The Revolution
- Shayla Love says access—not the drug itself—will determine whether psychedelics revolutionize mental healthcare.
- She highlights existing systemic inequities that will shape who benefits from psychedelic therapy.