Robert F. Kennedy Jr., champion of personal choice and alternative medicines, recently waged war on the FDA via social media, demanding the deregulation of clean foods, stem cells, and—surprisingly—psychedelic drugs. This twist even left his far-right libertarian pals scratching their heads. It seems Kennedy’s not alone in this magic mushroom crusade; former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and other Republicans have also jumped on the psychedelic bandwagon, hoping to tackle mental health issues like depression and PTSD.
With the Senate and Congress under Republican control, there’s a glimmer of hope for psychedelic research to move forward, though skeptics worry it might become more of a business bonanza than a therapeutic breakthrough. The FDA, being a party pooper, recently turned down an MDMA therapy application, citing shoddy data. Apparently, some study participants claimed they were pressured to “smile for the camera,” and a sprinkle of sexual misconduct allegations didn’t help, leading to a retraction of some studies.
Juliana Mercer from Healing Breakthrough expressed her disappointment, pointing at the stigma monster as a barrier to approval. While some believe Kennedy Jr. could usher in a psychedelic renaissance, others insist we keep our science goggles on. Despite the bipartisan kumbaya, with folks like Elon Musk and Rebekah Mercer rallying for research, experts like Dr. Nora Volkow caution that the psychedelic parade might be all hype and no substance.
Psychedelics are touted as the next big thing for mental health—breaking down and rebuilding the mind. Yet, Western culture often skips the crucial “put it back together” part, favoring quick fixes. Without proper social support, this mental makeover might falter amidst health disparities and economic hurdles.
Reference: https://www.salon.com/2024/11/23/and-rfk-jr-have-embraced-psychedelics-what-could-go-wrong/
Published Date: 2024-11-23