David Bronner: The Soap CEO Spearheading Psychedelics

Jun 29, 2023

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David Bronner is the CEO – that’s Cosmic Engagement Officer – of Dr. Bronner’s, a fifth-generation soap maker, and a board member of the Multidisciplinary Association of Psychedelic Studies. At the helm of the company started by his grandfather in 1948, David is a leader in the fight for GMO labeling, industrial hemp farming in the United States, high-bar organic and fair trade standards, fair minimum wage, and drug policy reform.

What we discuss:

How a profound psychedelic experience took David from an apolitical college graduate and set him on the path to becoming a counter cultural thought leader
I ask him What it means to be passionate about “the responsible integration of psychedelic medicine into American culture” – especially within the capitalistic framework within which we exist
Dr. Bronner being the first company in the U.S. to offer ketamine-assisted therapy as part of employee health coverage
How David found iboga through his friend and former Navy SEAL Marcus Capone
What iboga/ibogaine can do for the veteran population
Will we see the mainstreaming of ibogaine like we have with psilocybin?
What David’s favorite integration tools are
Parallels between the overharvesting of certain plant medicines and industrial agriculture

Why it’s important:

Given all the ongoing evil in the world, it can be easy to feel swallowed up by capitalism – to feel stuck, hopeless, and afraid for the future. My conversation with David reminded me that even within an ill-structured system, it takes just a few people in positions of leadership – people like David and David’s father and grandfather – to spark change and inspire more holistic business practices, and ultimately, more holistic ways of living.

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