Mental health is currently where physiological health was in 1900; we can treat symptoms but not cure anything. Psychedelics are seen as the invention of antibiotics for mental health. The current mental health crisis is worsening despite increased spending, unlike in oncology where spending has led to improvement. The scale of the crisis is marked by 1.6 million suicide attempts in 2022 and daily veteran suicides. Existing treatments like SSRIs only address symptoms. Entrepreneurs are drawn to psychedelics as a new solution for the overlooked mental health crisis.
From therapeutic-assisted MDMA to decriminalized psilocybin and microdosing, movements to legalize psychedelics are everywhere. California-based Joe Green is a prominent voice in the movement, as the co-founder and President of the Psychedelic Science Funders Collaborative (PSFC). Kara asks him about the recent unfavorable headlines (including concerns over Elon Musk’s potential drug use and Matthew Perry’s death from ‘acute effects of ketamine’) and poses a question from Investigative Reporter Olivia Goldhill about how proselytizers can be held to account.
Questions or comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find us on social media. We’re on Instagram/Threads as @karaswisher and @nayeemaraza
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices