Psychedelics for Healing: I. Glenn Cohen on “magic mushrooms” and legal, ethical, and policy issues in medicine

Psychedelics for healing are moving into clinical settings, and I. Glenn Cohen focuses on the legal, ethical, and policy questions that come with that shift. The interview highlights challenges for informed consent because psychedelic effects depend heavily on set and setting, creating risks around patient vulnerability, misconduct, and equitable access. It also notes trial complications such as functional unblinding, where participants may figure out whether they received the real treatment, undermining blinded study integrity. Cohen discusses especially sensitive contexts including veterans with PTSD and people in hospice or palliative care, arguing for tailored protocols for vulnerable populations. He frames integration into society through three models: medical use with FDA approval and licensed therapists, religious exemptions, and personal non medical use, while also emphasizing cultural appropriation and benefit sharing for Indigenous psychedelic traditions.