Once relegated to counterculture movements and Hunter Thompson articles, psychedelics have slowly become one of the hottest topics in American academia. Following a multi-decade research freeze, scientists from UC Davis are attempting to isolate the neurogenic qualities of LSD, while researchers from Johns Hopkins use psilocybin to explore human consciousness. But as more universities join the race to decode the secrets of the entheogen, some face significant roadblocks.
The most serious obstacle in current psychedelic research is the Schedule I classification of “hallucinogenic substances” under the Controlled Substances Act. By federal definition, Schedule I drugs have “no currently accepted medical use” and carry a “high potential for abuse.” While the DEA does grant research exemptions, the process is notoriously slow, expensive and administratively exhausting, creating a bureaucratic gauntlet that smaller research institutions can’t afford to run.
The pharmaceutical industry poses an equally significant hurdle. Modern psychiatric medications represent a multi-billion dollar market built on indefinite prescriptions — a model directly at odds with the lasting effects of just one or two psychedelic treatments.
Unlike other drugs, the effects of traditional psychedelics seem to be tied to what researchers call “mystical experiences.” A 2011 study from Johns Hopkins showed that the long-lasting positive effects of a psilocybin trip were highly correlated with the “mysticism” rating of the initial experience, hinting at the idea that psychedelic mechanisms are inherently tied to the human concept of spirituality.
Aiming to explore the spiritual link, researchers at Pitt are conducting a study about the relationship between Christian beliefs and psychedelic experiences. Created by Dr. Bryan McCarthy and Dr. Russell Phillips, the study asks participants about the Christian elements of their past psychedelic experiences. The researchers are particularly interested in whether pre-existing religious frameworks shape the content of mystical experiences or whether the experiences themselves reinforce and deepen existing beliefs.
A class of drugs chiefly known for inducing hallucinations, psychedelics offer an unprecedented opportunity for the development of new psychiatric treatments. With its established strengths in neuroscience and growing investment in mental health research, Pitt is uniquely positioned to lead that charge. Only time can tell whether psilocybin and LSD will be allowed to do for mental health what GLP-1 medications did for obesity.
Stepan Kopeykin is a transfer student from the Borough of Manhattan Community College. His favorite movies and books include Interstellar, The Big Lebowski, Choke and The Secret History. You can find him drinking three to four cups of tea a day and playing catch with the wall outside of Hillman. He runs a personal Substack page and can be reached at [email protected].