Medical Xpress August 5, 2024
An operations manager finds relief from her depression with the help of psilocybin, the primary psychoactive component of “magic mushrooms.” A veteran conquers his post-traumatic stress disorder through therapy using MDMA, a synthetic compound known on the street as “ecstasy” or “molly.” A stay-at-home mom tries LSD, otherwise known as acid, for her anxiety.
Nearly every day, such stories appear about the healing potential of psychedelic drugs.
These stories reflect a so-called “psychedelic renaissance” of the moment—a new interest in the drugs most often associated with 1960s counterculture, but now put to therapeutic rather than recreational ends.
A handful of states, spearheaded by Oregon and Colorado, are leading the way for the legalized use of various naturally occurring psychedelic compounds....