The Long History of Psychedelic Theft

In June 2023, 12,000 people converged on Denver for the biggest psychedelic conference in history. It was kind of a coming out party. For five days, scientists, mystics, and psychonauts—even celebrities like Aaron Rodgers and Melissa Etheridge—talked up the therapeutic potential of the new psychedelic revolution.

But then, during the closing ceremony, protestors took over the stage, demanding justice for Indigenous people, talking about the history of exploitation and cultural appropriation. Many of the most widely-used psychedelics have long histories within Indigenous cultures. Psilocybin, ayahuasca, and peyote have been used for centuries for physical and spiritual healing and to gain