By Karina Bashir
Introduction
The psychedelic industry is experiencing a “renaissance,” with novel therapies and medicinal breakthroughs capturing widespread attention. According to psychiatrist and consciousness researcher Stanislov Grof, psychedelics, when “used responsibly and with proper caution, would be for psychiatry what the microscope is to the study of biology and medicine or the telescope for astronomy.” From the exploration of psilocybin-assisted therapy for mental health disorders to the investigation of ibogaine as a potential treatment for addiction, researchers and entrepreneurs are tapping into the therapeutic potential of psychedelic substances in unprecedented ways.
However, amidst this wave of innovation, concerns have emerged regarding the treatment of indigenous communities. Despite their traditional knowledge serving as the foundation for many of these developments, there is growing concern that the communities are being left behind or exploited. As the psychedelic ecosystem continues to evolve, it is imperative to address these concerns and ensure that indigenous communities are properly consulted, respected, and compensated for their contributions.
The introduction of psilocybin, derived from Psilocybe mushrooms, to Western society by American researcher Dr. Robert Wasson is often cited as a warning of the grave risks associated with exploitation and appropriation of indigenous knowledge. In 1955, Wasson traveled to Huautla de Jiménez, Oaxaca, Mexico where he met Maria Sabina, a Mazatec curandera, a traditional healer, who taught him about the healing properties of Psilocybe mushrooms used in Mazatec ceremonies. Despite promises of secrecy, Wasson violated the trust of the curandera and published an expose in 1957 in Life Magazine without consent or compensation to Maria Sabina. The article led to a frenzy of tourists, scientists, and researchers flooding Huautla de Jiménez. As a result, Maria faced immense backlash from the local community which led to the arson of Maria’s home. Maria was briefly jailed after being accused of selling marijuana. Wasson himself expressed regret stating, “Yet what I have done gives me nightmares: I have unleashed on lovely Huautla a torrent of commercial exploitation of the vilest kind.
Despite Wasson’s regret, his actions fueled an exploitative dynamic between Western researchers and the indigenous community which continues today as chemical compounds from Psilocybe mushrooms have sparked numerous patent applications, including those for depression treatment. In 2020, Compass Pathways Plc, a leading pharmaceutical company specializing in psilocybin for depression therapy, went public and is now valued at nearly $1 billion. However, the Mazatec indigenous community, custodians of these remedies for centuries, have not benefited from any of these patents.
In response to mounting concerns regarding the impact of biopiracy, the Nagoya Protocol presents a promising opportunity to address the concerns surrounding indigenous rights in the psychedelic industry. The Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization (“Nagoya Protocol” or “Protocol”) was adopted in 2010 as a supplementary agreement to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (“CBD”). The Protocol’s framework for promoting equitable benefit-sharing and protecting indigenous rights is garnering attention in psychedelic advocacy circles. The Protocol seeks to ensure that the communities and countries who serve as stewards of genetic resources, like the Mazatec of the Psilocybe mushrooms, receive a portion of any benefits that arise from research conducted with those resources. Though prominent countries engaging in the psychedelic pharmaceutical arena, namely the United States, Canada, and Australia, have yet to adopt the Protocol, its track record in protecting indigenous communities with other medicines underscores its potential to empower indigenous communities in the psychedelic ecosystem.
Read the full paper
The Promise of Nagoya: Indigenous Reciprocity in the Psychedelic Renaissance
