At Chacruna: What Do Psychedelic Medicine Companies Owe to the Community?

Matthew Baggott, Ph.D

Venture capital is betting big on the potential of psychedelics to transform into lucrative medicines. More than a half billion dollars have been poured into for-profit psychedelic ventures. Yet, natural psychedelics come from the humblest of origins. María Sabina, the curandera who revealed the psychedelic mushroom to the Western world, ultimately died in poverty. As psychedelics are made into corporate medicine, are we repeating a shameful history? What lessons can her history teach us?... continue reading.