Treat addiction with psychedelics? Harvard panel weighs potential benefits against legal and medical risks

Psychedelics are being discussed as a possible treatment for substance use disorders, but a Harvard Law School panel urges caution because evidence on benefits versus risks is still limited. Panelist Mark Guckel described personal recovery from crack addiction after using psychedelic plants such as ayahuasca and psilocybin and framed psychedelics as one tool among many, not a cure. The panel highlighted the broader access gap for addiction care, noting that only a small fraction of people with substance use disorders receive treatment. Legal and safety concerns featured prominently. Speakers focused on psilocybin and ibogaine being federally illegal in the US, with increasing interest in state decriminalization and supervised programs (including efforts in Oregon and upcoming programs in Colorado). Researchers emphasized medical risks and the lack of sufficient clinical research, including concerns about ibogaine cardiovascular adverse events and warnings that psychedelics may be dangerous for some people with psychiatric conditions and should not be self administered. Overall, the panel called for more evidence based, medically supervised research before psychedelics can be considered reliably safe and effective for addiction treatment.