We did enjoy this comment..
One woodsy-looking therapist in attendance mused, “Sure, we need regulations to establish a proper psychedelic medical space, but at the same time, doesn’t it feel weird to make a bunch of rules around something that teaches you that rules aren’t real in the first place?”
The introduction
The psychedelic reform movement may share many overarching intentions, but the means of achieving them are often up for dispute. Case in point: last summer, when MAPS held its massive Psychedelic Science conference in Denver, Colorado. While the overall tone of the conference was fairly upbeat, there were a few points of contention bubbling beneath the surface. The question of Indigenous involvement in the movement and respect for their medicines, for example, resulted in an unexpected protest during the closing ceremony. Intersectional to that debate was the issue of decriminalization versus legalization. It seemed like everyone was talking about it over the course of the week.
The legalization camp largely asserted that substantial regulation would create a host of commercial, clinical, and cautionary benefits that would ensure consumer protection. They argued this type of structured legislation is necessary for the success of psychedelic businesses and clinics because it will integrate these substances into society in a manner that grants the movement the legitimacy required to achieve mainstream acceptance.
On the other side of the issue, people argued for less regulation and a more hands-off approach on the part of the state, citing practical and personal reasons. Some pointed to Oregon as an example of a nightmare regulatory rollout destined to repeat itself, saying that the state’s self-imposed bureaucracy hindered psychedelic access and made it unaffordable to most people—except the wealthy. Indigenous activists also expressed their disapproval of potential state intervention in traditional practices enabling cultural erasure. Others admitted to a skepticism toward psychedelics losing their long-held fringe appeal.
