Mary Carreón - Censorship, Psychedelic Media & Policy Crosscurrents

Platform censorship reshapes psychedelic media by suppressing reach through algorithms and social networks, pushing outlets to change distribution strategies. Mary Carreón and Joe Moore discuss how DoubleBlind’s shift toward a “newsletter-first” model improved engagement compared with suppression experienced across channels like Instagram/Facebook and search behavior. They connect this to a broader harm-reduction paradox: limiting education can make people less safe, so independent journalism needs sustained community support. They also cover how drug policy and funding cycles interact with media and public legitimacy, including post-2024 headwinds after the FDA rejected MDMA-assisted therapy, which cooled investment without stopping maturation of the field. The conversation includes state-level policy momentum and stalled measures, plus overlaps like chronic pain and long COVID and the emergence of community-oriented models. Further themes include alcohol alternatives discussed through harm-reduction context, and reciprocity in iboga and ibogaine research that requires Indigenous consultation and fair benefit-sharing. They close with field notes from MAPS’ Psychedelic Science 2025 (PS25), describing it as more manageable and conversation-focused than earlier “gold-rush” energy.