It’s easy to get caught up in the hype about how psychedelics might revolutionize the treatment of mental illness. But there are also lots of ethical concerns. And probably none are so troubling as the charges of exploitation and cultural appropriation. The fact is, the knowledge about many psychedelics — like magic mushrooms and ayahuasca — comes from the sacred ceremonies of Indigenous cultures. But over the past century, Western scientists and pharmaceutical companies have been going into these cultures, collecting plants and synthesizing their chemical compounds.
Even if science is all about building on the knowledge of earlier discoveries, what is the psychedelic industry's ethical responsibility? Can psychedelics be decolonized?
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00:00:00 Introduction
00:04:35 Gordon Wasson and Maria Sabina
00:24:20 Sutton King on Reciprocity
00:38:50 Parke-Davis Goes Bioprospecting
00:44:50 Yuria Celidwen on Spirit Medicine
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