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Moving Forward by Looking Back

Patrick Elf, Amy Isham Orcid Logo, Dario Leoni

History of Pharmacy and Pharmaceuticals, Volume: 65, Issue: 1, Pages: 33 - 62

Swansea University Author: Amy Isham Orcid Logo

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DOI (Published version): 10.3368/hopp.65.1.33

Abstract

Much has been written in the academic and popular press on the positive consequences of psychedelic-induced mental states. Following the disappearance of psychedelic research from the public eye between the 1970s and early 2000s, a second wave of psychedelic research is gaining increasing interest f...

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Published in: History of Pharmacy and Pharmaceuticals
ISSN: 2694-3034 2694-3042
Published: University of Wisconsin Press 2023
Online Access: Check full text

URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa64792
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Abstract: Much has been written in the academic and popular press on the positive consequences of psychedelic-induced mental states. Following the disappearance of psychedelic research from the public eye between the 1970s and early 2000s, a second wave of psychedelic research is gaining increasing interest from private sector actors looking to explore commercial opportunities. The commercialization of psychedelic substances will likely have consequences for how they are used, to what ends, and to what degree of efficacy. We reflect on the critiques of commercialized mindfulness and explore how they may apply to the future of commercialized psychedelics. Mindfulness and psychedelics share several qualities, including their often spiritual origins and self-transcendent nature. However, mindfulness has already undergone a period of commercialization and represents a precedent case for imagining the possible outcomes of the commercialization of psychedelics. By considering the problems associated with separating the practice from its spiritual roots, co-optation to reinforce neoliberal principles, and alterations to administration to cut costs, the article demonstrates the tensions that arise when trying to implement practices rooted in enhancing well-being in societies dominated by consumer capitalism.
Keywords: Psychedelics, meditation, mindfulness, self-transcendent experiences, mystical experiences, commercialization, capitalism, neoliberalism, health, well-being, environment
College: Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
Issue: 1
Start Page: 33
End Page: 62