COMMENTARY

 
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"By showing that one can responsibly conduct clinical research with psychedelic drugs and by confirming the mystical influences of these agents, Griffiths et al. may help resurrect psychedelic drugs as major tools in probing the molecular bases of c

"By showing that one can responsibly conduct clinical research with psychedelic drugs and by confirming the mystical influences of these agents, Griffiths et al. may help resurrect psychedelic drugs as major tools in probing the molecular bases of consciousness." -- Solomon H. Synder, M.D., Ph.D., Former President of the Society for Neuroscience and having the highest scientific citation index of any living biologist.

"The article by Griffiths et al. … should make all scientists interested in human psychopharmacology sit up and take notice. It is the first well-designed, placebo-controlled, clinical study in more than four decades to examine the psychological con

"The article by Griffiths et al. … should make all scientists interested in human psychopharmacology sit up and take notice. It is the first well-designed, placebo-controlled, clinical study in more than four decades to examine the psychological consequences of the effects of the hallucinogenic (psychedelic) agent known as psilocybin. In fact, one would be hard- pressed to find a single study of psychedelics from any earlier era that was as well-done or as meaningful." -- David E. Nichols, Ph.D., founder and President of the Heffter Research Institute

"I hope that this paper by Griffiths et al. renews interest in a fascinating and potentially useful class of psychotropic agents. The misuse of these substances that led to their control in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act cannot be allow

"I hope that this paper by Griffiths et al. renews interest in a fascinating and potentially useful class of psychotropic agents. The misuse of these substances that led to their control in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act cannot be allowed to continue to curtail their use as tools for understanding the neurobiology of human consciousness, self-awareness, and their potential as therapeutic agents." – C.R. Schuster, Ph.D., former Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse

"The overwhelming morbidity and mortality of treatment-refractory psychiatric conditions, ranging from mood disorders to addiction, suggest an ethical and public health imperative to use every avenue possible to pursue novel therapeutic agents. The

"The overwhelming morbidity and mortality of treatment-refractory psychiatric conditions, ranging from mood disorders to addiction, suggest an ethical and public health imperative to use every avenue possible to pursue novel therapeutic agents. The work presented in this issue by Griffiths et al. and Ross et al., beyond its obvious implications for patients with comorbid advanced cancer and depression and anxiety, serves as a model for revisiting criminalized compounds of interest in a safe, ethical way. Should more members of the biomedical community follow their lead, there is much potential for new scientific insights and clinical applications. – J.A. Lieberman, M.D. former President of the American Psychiatric Association, 2016

“In 2008 Johnson and colleagues authored a paper entitled  'Human hallucinogen research: guidelines for safety’ , which outlined how to responsibly conduct medical trials with psilocybin and other hallucinogens … The paper signaled a change in

“In 2008 Johnson and colleagues authored a paper entitled 'Human hallucinogen research: guidelines for safety’, which outlined how to responsibly conduct medical trials with psilocybin and other hallucinogens … The paper signaled a change in attitude towards researching these compounds, reflected by the fact that more than 460 psilocybin sessions have now been conducted at Johns Hopkins alone, ranging from investigating its use by cancer patients through to its effects on meditation.” -Tim Maughan, BBC, 2015

“And these results don't seem to be limited to people with cancer or other life-threatening illnesses. Participants in a handful of other studies of psychedelics consistently ranked their trips as one of their most meaningful life experiences— not o

“And these results don't seem to be limited to people with cancer or other life-threatening illnesses. Participants in a handful of other studies of psychedelics consistently ranked their trips as one of their most meaningful life experiences— not only because of the trip itself, but because of the changes they appear to produce in their lives in the months and years afterward.” - Erin Brodin, Business Insider, 2017