Psychedelics and the Texas Trip
Part 2: The Science and the History of the Medicine
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Episode two, “The Science and History of the Medicine,” of the three-part series, Psychedelics and the Texas Trip, takes us to San Antonio and Houston, where we dive more deeply into discussions with veterans who have left the United States to try psychedelic therapies to treat their depression, PTSD, traumatic brain injuries, and substance use disorders.

With so many patients finding relief, why do psychedelic therapies mostly remain illegal in the U.S., and how do psychedelics actually work?

In Houston, we speak with Dr. Lynnette Averill, who is leading a psilocybin clinical trial for veterans with PTSD at Baylor College of Medicine and the Menninger Clinic. Averill explains how psychedelics work on the brain to produce healing effects.

We speak with Ryan Roberts and Gabe Gonzalez, U.S. veterans who were at their breaking point. They share why they pursued ibogaine and psilocybin therapies, what that process entails, and how they’re doing today.

Then, Dr. Albert Garcia-Romeu at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine reveals the political reasons and Nixon-era legislation that hindered psychedelic therapy research in the U.S. for decades and what could be done to support research today.

This special series is supported by a Ferriss — UC Berkeley Psychedelic Journalism Fellowship.