The prohibition of psychedelics has failed our society. Not only has prohibition failed to eliminate or reduce the rate of use, it also prevents scientific studies on these substances, increases the potential harm for young people who are using these substances, and stigmatizes people who use drugs.
Our Stance
Don’t Block Psychedelic Research
The DEA wants to add two important research chemicals—2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine (DOI) and 2,5-dimethoxy-4-chloroamphetamine (DOC)—to Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, despite decades of safe usage in labs and no history of abuse. DOI and DOC’s current status as unscheduled compounds has made them de facto tools for researchers studying serotonin receptors. They have featured in more than 900 research articles and show promise for pain management, combatting anxiety and depression, and preventing overdose. Scheduling DOI and DOC would create serious impediments to potentially life-saving research, and yet SSDP is the only drug policy organization currently fighting to keep DOI and DOC off the Controlled Substances Act.
Psychedelic Pipeline
By identifying talented young people interested in the future of psychedelics, connecting them with mentors who have been individually selected to best provide them with the career guidance they individually require, and providing them with necessary resources and education—including training in professional skill sets beyond therapy and research that are crucial for the blossoming industry to develop and thrive—SSDP is propelling the entire field of psychedelic research and therapy forward while ensuring that the future leaders in the space are equipped with an appropriate understanding of psychedelics’ place in the larger landscape of drug policy, prohibition, and the War on Drugs. Founded in 2019, SSDP’s Psychedelic Pipeline is currently the only formal pipeline to recruit psychedelic therapists, integration coaches, researchers, and support personnel.
North Carolina Psychedelic Policy Coalition
SSDP is proud to sponsor the North Carolina Psychedelic Policy Coalition, a grassroots coalition supporting psychedelic research and therapy in North Carolina founded and run by SSDP’s Gina Giorgio and Jeremy Sharp.
If passed, HB727, The Breakthrough Therapies Research/Advisory Act, would establish a $5.4 million grant program to support research into the therapeutic potential of psilocybin and MDMA, as well as create a Breakthrough Therapies Research Advisory Board to oversee the effort. This bill is a monumental step towards progressive drug policy reform in the Southeast.
