Dennis McKenna is the founder of the McKenna Academy and has conducted research in ethnopharmacology for over 40 years. He is a founding board member of the Heffter Research Institute, and was a key investigator on the Hoasca Project, the first biomedical investigation of ayahuasca. Important Links:
- McKenna Academy: https://mckenna.academy/
- ESPD 55 (Ethnopharmacologic Search for Psychoactive Drugs): https://espd55.com/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/DennisMcKenna4
- ICEERS (International Center for Ethno-botanical Education, Research, and Service): https://www.iceers.org/
Show Notes:
- ESPD 55 conference
- Goals of the McKenna Academy
- How psychedelics affect our relationship with nature
- Bridging the gap between ancestral and moderns scientific knowledge
- Psychedelics on the safety scale
- Nixon’s war against drugs
- Fear of persecution in the medical community
- LSD being really responsible for the birth of modern neuroscience
- DMT reopening the door to clinical research
- Using psilocybin for end of life applications
- Psychedelics are not just “band-aids”
- Dissipation of knowledge among indigenous tribes
- Reality hallucination
- Therapeutic utility of psychedelics
- Future of psychedelic research
- Making psychedelics more accessible
- Protecting endangered plants
- Forming alliances with indigenous communities
Books Mentioned:
- The Immortality Key; by Brian Muraresku
- How to Change Your Mind; by Michael Pollan
- Psychology and Alchemy; by Carl Jung