THE GODFATHER OF PSYCHEDELICS
Timothy Leary nicknamed Doctor Tim, was called the “most dangerous man in America” by president Nixon. Born on October 22, 1920 Leary received a doctorate of psychology (PHD) from University of California in 1950, where Dr. Tim was convinced that conventional psychotherapy was politically disagreeable but also flat out useless. In 1959 Leary came to Harvard to lecture with coresearcher Richard Alpert where the pair started the psilocybin project.
Where this outlier team, recruited volunteers to record their real time experiences and descriptions, as the study of psychology concerns the mind and its relationship body, brain, and environment. In 1962 Harvard administration and Faculty became concerned about the safety of research subjects: undergraduates, prison inmates, and divinity students, Where Leary wrote: religious revelation, spiritual ecstasy and union with God were now accessible.
The psilocybin project encompassed researchers and volunteers, BOTH were under the influence of magic mushrooms. Completely unorthodox as the drugs were also promoted for recreational use. Failing to use designated proper research guidelines, both Leary and Albert were eventually dismissed from Harvard in 1963 and banished from all academia. A failed research project gone awry. Conventionally that should have been the end of psychedelic’s research, however it was just the beginning.
Once dismissed as an “outlaw” Dr. Tim was now free to use psychedelic’s for recreation and sensation which he frequently did. Urging 30,ooo hippies in San Francisco Golden gate park to: Turn on, Tune in, drop out“. Consuming psychedelic’s well into his 70’s , the Godfather of psychedelics became fascinated by near death and out of body experiences and the social environment surrounding death.(Ronin 1994). Stating medical experts and priests swarmed around expiring humans like black vultures.
In 1995 dying with inoperable cancer fascinated by death, writing about self directed dying for over 20 years. Stating you are dying to live your life with hope, fascination and curiosity with courage and the help of your friends. Timothy Leary will live on forever in pop culture. In the 1968 Moody blues album, Legend of a mind. Using the lyrics: Timothy Leary is dead. No, No, No he’s on the outside lookin in. Referring to LSD.SHORTEN WITH AI
Psilocybin was banned by the 1970 controlled substances act. With the realization that mental illness now effects more than 25% of Americans. Today more than 50 years later, there is currently more than 245 clinical trials in the US related to psychedelics. This includes pubic companies with the social shift of psychedelics moving from the extreme fringe to mainstream ideology. Psychedelic’s are projected to become a 7 billion dollar industry by 2027.
THE 1960’S PSYCHEDELIC MOVEMENT MOVES IN TO THE 21ST CENTURY
In June 2019, Santa Cruz, and Oakland California decriminalized psilocybin. Colorado followed in 2019, and then Washington DC, Sommerville Massachusetts, Seattle Washington, Oregon, District of Columbia, Washtenaw County Michigan, and Detroit. On May 2019 Denver, Colorado became the first city in the US to decriminalize magic mushrooms with a ballot measure passing 50.6% of the popular vote. in 2022 passing proposition 122 psilocybin is now legal to cultivate, possess, and share previously restricted psychedelics. This includes by extension: DMT, ibogaine, mescaline, and psilocybin and psilocin. Colorado lawmakers are issuing mass pardons for previously convicted psychedelic inmates.
The State of Colorado is now preparing to launch a regulated psychedelic industry. In 2024 Colorado will start accepting applications for psychedelic healing centers who will be staffed by state licensed “facilitators” providing and supervising the use and consumption of psilocybin. As Colorado begins research and regulation proposition 122 includes: Colorado citizens are allowed to cultivate, consume psilocybin “magic mushrooms” for personal consumption. Sharing is allowed and limited to citizens over 21 years old. People can not sell these products, including dispensaries, allowing a grey market to evolve. People are allowed to cultivate a 12×12 area for mushrooms on private property. It is illegal to publicly display or consume these products, and they remain illegal at the Federal level. On July 1, 2023 Colorado senate bill 23-290 went into effect. Which bans all types of advertising for unlicensed guides who are offering magic mushrooms.
In 2024 Colorado regulators will start accepting applications for cultivators, testing centers, and psychedelic healing centers. The Colorado state board has set up a 15 person Natural Medicine Advisory (NMA) board , who started meeting and requesting public input consisting of health and research experts, law enforcement advising how to evaluate and train facilitators. The Natural Medicine Board will have two (2) members which are indigenous with one member practicing psychedelic medicine ancient Tribal traditions(peyote). The Native Coalition of Colorado(NCC) wants Indigenous people to be in control of the licensing for “Healing centers”. Basically put native people in control of legalization. Their concern is prop 122 decriminalizing psychedelics allows white people to profit and misuse psychedelics. Which have been used by Native Indians for hundreds of years. With a 1970 Federal exemption from the controlled substances act (CSA) to legally allow natives to use/consume peyote in religious beliefs, ceremonies, practices and rituals. By December 31, 2024 Colorado has to start taking applications for natural medicine facilitators. The concern is the demand by the NCC can impede Governor Polis efforts to create a foundation for legal psychedelics. A disenfranchised outlier population that has legitimate religious rights preceding prop 122.
All board members will consider other factors: To ensure ethical, affordable, and responsible access to these recently regulated drugs. Healing centers cannot be blocked by local governments like marijuana dispensaries. However healing centers cannot be located within 1000 feet of schools with other designated restrictions. Colorado regulators may look to Oregon for implementing their potential business model.
In early 2024 after 300 hours of scheduled meetings. The Colorado Natural medicine board released its first draft of rules: There will be three primary types of facilitators; behavioral health, Wellness, and Medical. All facilitator’s will be required to 40 hours of hands on practicum, 15o hours of education, a BLS certificate, followed by a 6 month consultation period before facilitators are fully licensed to practice. During the 6 month “training” period facilitators will be eligible for a license to change for their services. There is also the possibility of a Distinguished Educator license. Permitting natural medicine services for training. Which would allow knowledgeable out of state individuals with extensive training to serve as supervisors during the consultation and practicum periods.
Psilocybin mushroom will be limited to all strains. Outdoor cultivation may be allowed at the desecration of Department of Revenue (DOR) addition regulations will apply. Testing potency will be required for each separate batch of grown mushrooms. Random annual testing will also be required for containments. Natural medicine licenses will be required for growers to transfer mushrooms directly to facilitators. There will also be a natural medicine sales charge added. To support expanded recommendations, equity, and data collection requirements. Licensing fees will not financially support the required additional services.
In Oregon 15 licensed psychedelic healing centers have opened. Serving from 25 to 80 patients a month. With the expectation of over 1k patients annually. You do not have to live in Oregon to participate in one of these healing centers. Currently There is a patient “interest” list of over 2,000 potential patients. All types of patients are served. From PTSD patients, LGBTQ groups, first responders, people of color. End of Life (EoL) patients. and mothers after giving traumatic births. Patient “screening” is performed to verify patients are mentally and physically able to endure the magic mushroom experience. Licensed “facilitators” perform an individual intake process. Prices range from 1,500.00 per individual to 850.00 each when in groups. The individual magic mushroom psilocybin is grown from one of six(6) Oregon licensed grow facilities and tested from one of two separate state licensed labs.
It is anticipated insurance companies will be offering coverage if and when the Federal government reschedules psychedelic’s from a schedule 1 stance to a schedule 3 option. Currently unlicensed guides are accommodating clients helping them through psychedelic sessions for a fee, which is allowed under Colorado current law.
With the state of Colorado leading the way, Avalanche defenseman Kyle Quincy has found from personal experience with his battle of mental heath, psilocybin has helped him through the recent pandemic. After retiring Kyle had 20 concussions, suicidal thoughts and massive mood swings. From this personal experience Kyle is building a 280 acre retreat on the western slope called Do Good Ranch located in Paonia. To provide psilocybin assisted therapy for individuals with (TBI) Traumatic brain injury, anxiety, depression, and addition. Recent research has revealed on the Anschutzmedicalcampus.com blog psilocybin can help rewire the brain and help veterans cope with PTSD. Kyle’s target audience is veterans and former athletes.
Unlike cannabis, apparently Washington Democrat’s and Republicans politicians are united concerning the benefits of psychedelics. The FDA has approved ketamine for depression. A California MAPS study will soon file for regulatory approval of MDMA (Ecstasy) by early 2024. In a 2021 phase 3 trial MAPS has found 67% of clinical participants who received MDMA combined with therapy, no longer meet PTSD criteria! MDMA with PTSD is firmly in the regulatory pipeline and psilocybin will soon follow. Helping veterans heal from PTSD the invisible mental wounds of an unpopular war. the Department of Veteran affairs has included an amendment that would require the VA to conduct clinical trials to study and research psychedelics. The DEA has approved universities to conduct studies and clinical trials on psychedelic drugs.SHORTEN WITH AI
CU ANSCHUTZ STARTS PSYCHEDELIC CLINICAL TRIALS
With many other national academic research centers conducting psychedelic clinical trials: Stanford, University of Texas, Johns Hopkins, University of California, New York University, Yale, University of Wisconsin, Including many small cap public companies. With a track record of connecting taxpayer research funds, leaving no stone unturned, the CU Anschutz medical campus enters their clinical trial studying a symptom of depression called anhedonia. Specifically CU Anschutz will assess and measure the clinical trial participants depression. CU researchers will measure participants anhedonia in three separate ways: Brain imaging, traditional participants self reporting, and observing a participants response when asked to perform certain tasks.
The only known clinical trial in this segment. CU researchers are optimistic their research will help develop new medicines using psychedelics without any side effects. It is irrelevant there is no known serious side effects concerning magic mushrooms. A natural occurring medicinal fungi. This clinical trial is totally unrelated to the recent passage of proposition 122 in Colorado. CU researchers do not understand how psilocybin works to combat depression. The Anschutzmedicalcampus.com blog has released several articles showing how psilocybin rewires the brain.
CU Anschutz researchers are seeking suitable participants for this clinical trial. Participants must have been diagnosed with traditional resistant treatment depression. For this specific reason volunteer participants will be recruited from the CU department of Psychiatry. With additional volunteer screening procedures enacted. The CU clinical trial will be composed of 40 volunteers. Therefore this CU clinical trial will be of limited value and scope. The participant pool is of limited scope. If all 3 hospitals on the research campus were planned and connected sharing facilities The CU Anschutz VA hospital could have their own doctors, PTSD veterans participating in this research trial. Keeping separate research data, with participants signed consents of acknowledgements. Thereby expanding and facilitating psychedelic’s research pool of participants. NO this will not occur. Each Hospital will enact their own independent cumbersome research trial with no AI database machine learning enacted. Costing taxpayers millions of addition research dollars and years delay of enhanced if any results. Exactly what the community has now come to expect from the dysfunctional CU Anschutz Medical Campus. Wasted taxpayer funding with no accountability, resulting in limited/no future commercial application. Continually failing the Colorado community. While CU Anschutz continued to access NIH taxpayer grants without accountability.
Sixteen percent of men(16%) and 25% of women are likely to suffer from depression in their lifetimes a major obstacle. Traditional treatments serotine, uptake inhibitors and Prozac fail to help over 30% of people who take these traditional depression medicines. The godfather of psychedelics proved more than 50 years ago magic mushrooms help depression and was jettison as an outlaw.
So with an expanding existing void in the isolated CU Anschutz medical campus clinical trial. The perquisite ground breaking research will occur outside of CU Anschutz. Specifically the state of Arizona. In Arizona’s 2024 state budget 5 million dollars has been approved for psilocybin mushroom PTSD clinical trial.
Using whole natural mushrooms instead of synthetic psilocybin. Reinstated from house State bill 2486 Which requires universities and NPOs that are awarded grants to use: first responders, veterans, health workers, and volunteers from underserved communities as clinical trial participants. Research that adds value to the community. Placing Arizona at the forefront of psilocybin research, an emerging area. Benefiting PTSD veterans. The exact opposite of what CU Anschutz Medical Campus provides, frivolous spending, non linear strategic research, excessive building emitting hazardous Co2 emissions, less community medical services. Consuming and wasting valuable taxpayers dollars that need to be reallocated to serve and benefit the community.

MDMA FOR PTSD VETERANS
With the same policy as cannabis the US veteran hospitals provide zero guidance concerning VA doctors talking to their patients about their current consumption of psychedelics. Currently two states allow psychedelics with at least 10 additional states considering to lower or eliminate current legal barriers to psychedelic’s. Current PTSD veterans consume psychedelic’s for mental relief. Current Colorado law allows “sharing” of magic mushrooms over the age of 21. Communication between mentally disabled veteran, VA doctor, and immediate family is currently warranted. Psychedelic therapy session’s can take up to 8 hours and may require two separate therapist’s as “guides”.
Research that adds value, and can be monetized is being performed by: Multidisciplinary Association For Psychedelic Studies(MAPS). A public benefit corporation that develops prescription psychedelics. In 2017 the FDA granted breakthrough therapy status to MDMA(Ecstasy/Molly) as a treatment for veterans with PTSD. A diverse 104 person pool of volunteers, veterans, sexual assault victims, childhood trauma etc. with an average of 16 years living with moderate to severe PTSD depression, including suicidal thoughts. Were given talk therapy combined with MDMA 86% of the participants achieved measurable reduction in severity of PTSD symptoms. Seventy percent (70%) of MDMA participants improved so much they no longer meet the PTSD criteria. The studies participants were diverse, Latino, Hispanic, black, and 34% were white.
While MAPS worked closely with the FDA to determine diversity of number of volunteers and diversity to assess the treatment and efficacy to facilitate FDA approval. As a result of this study/ clinical trial MAPS will be applying for approval of a therapeutic drug MDMA, combing talk therapy as a PTSD treatment with the FDA. Combing relaxed government regulations, with known drugs that have a therapeutic track record in Europe and the US, Helping PTSD victims become self sustaining and severely reducing the 17 per day suicide rate among desperate PTSD victims. Thereby helping the community at large. The exact opposite approach than the dysfunctional CU Anschutz Medical Campus with their musical chair leadership.(Benson, Kennedy).
PSYCHEDELIC EDIBLES COME TO COLORADO
With the recent passage of proposition 122. Psychedelic’s are now legal in Colorado. Which included edibles. However not sold in dispensaries. The recently established Colorado Natural Medicine(CNM) division will determine types of edibles, serving size, portion control, composition, potency, packaging requirements, disclosures, retail distribution, compliance testing, testing, etc. Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) will be assigning and regulating legal frameworks for medicinal psilocybin consumption. Including licensing, clinics, and individual facilitators.
As what typically happens with laggard government regulations: prohibition, marijuana reform, cryptocurrency, and ESG, The public at large enters the newly created unregulated marketplace with illicit products. Consumer demand is met. This leads to an expanding underground grey market. Marketing is established from social media, peer to peer, private texting.
Expanding in popularity magic mushrooms can be eaten plain, fresh, or dried forms, however their taste is undesirable. Still an emerging category, price ranges from $5.oo to $ 12.00 dollars per gram. Currently underground psilocybin culinary chocolate bars are the most popular item. Currently sold in Canada usually in micro doses. Still illegal but the law is unenforced. Vendors operate in the open.
Gummies are another popular psychedelic edible products. Producers extract the psilocybin from magic mushrooms add liquid, colored flavoring into different design forms. Using different eye appealing design patterns. Other popular options include tinctures, tea, and ayahuasca. Water based psilocybin is still in development. Within one week water based psilocybin products can deteriorate up to 100% thereby becoming ineffective. Requiring different distribution methods ie: tea bags to be consumed in the next 30 minutes.
Enterprising culinary chefs grind mushrooms into a fine powder expanding their use to include: pizza toppings, smoothies, pasta dishes, and a variety of other culinary dishes. Mushrooms are one of the safest recreational drugs with minor adverse effects in clinical trials. Overdosing is uncommon with mushrooms due to the low dose of psilocybin in edibles.
THERAPEUTIC PSYCHEDELICS FOR END OF LIFE PATIENTS
End of life (EOL) patients face unique challenges as they are not medically stable. Isolation, fear, and anxiety are emotional issues which consume end of life patients. Current medications have side effects. Take weeks to take effect, and traditionally fail to help emotional and existing suffering. This leaves EOL patients feel life is not worth living.
Colorado is at the national forefront decriminalizing psilocybin, DMT, mescaline, allowing for psychedelic therapy. Using psychedelic drugs: MDMA, LSD, magic mushrooms(psilocybin), and ketamine are currently being embraced for mental health treatment more than 30 years later after the death of the Godfather of psychedelics(Leary).
Research from more than 3,000 adults at Johns Hopkins has shown that even one single psychedelic session combined with therapeutic talk resulted in persistent and meaningful reductions in end of life death anxiety. Improving the end of life experience for the terminally ill. With distress subsiding rapidly and lasting for up to a six month period! Many psychiatrists/therapists see dramatic improvements in depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Magic mushrooms effect energy, mood, perception and mental cognition. Dissolving the feeling of isolation and the disconnected causes of internal turmoil. Dying patients see themselves as separate from their EOL diagnosis Increasing a sense of belonging.
Psychedelic’s are experimental therapies, specifically because of the US federal government labeling psychedelic’s as a schedule one drug. With US psychedelic violations resulting in fines up to 2 million dollars and prison sentences up to 20 years.
Psychedelic’s are typically administered once, or in a series of 2-3 times. Altering the brain chemistry for brief periods of time. Psychedelic medications temporarily alter brain patterns between the prefrontal cortex and posterior cortex which began developing in early childhood. Freeing the individual from cognitive beliefs, previous assumptions, and emotional associations. A single psychedelic experience can result in a patients EOL fear, isolation, reducing death anxiety and acceptance of mortality
Integrating psychedelic therapy with palliative care (EOL) is probably the future. The current method of sending a dying patient to hospice care to die is really cruel and unusual punishment if you have ever seen this event before. Under the current US 2018 right to try law. States: Dying patients that have life threatening illness that have exhausted all possible treatment options can access drugs that have passed through phase one clinical trial testing, but have not been approved by the FDA. Ie: Patients dying from cancer. In a 2006 study over 60% of cancer patients who took magic mushrooms responded positively.
Palliative care Psychedelic sessions best practices: Would encompass individual patient screening and evaluation. Take place in a comfortable secure surrounding, fostering a positive mindset, With experienced psychedelic guides/clinicians with supporting resources accompanying the EOL patient with individual counseling to help make sense of the out of body experience. This would help alleviate the EOL patients pain and suffering improving their last few days on this earth.