In this episode of the Drug Science podcast, we speak to Dr Andy Letcher, a religious scholar and author of the book Shroom: the Cultural History of the Magic Mushroom. He explores his complimentary background in science and the humanities, depicting how this combination structured his thinking. Noting the religious potential of psychedelic experiences, Letcher links the spiritual with the psychedelic, explaining what he sought to capture in his book and where it has gone since. Finally, he discusses how his interest in transdisciplinary perspectives on psychedelics has coalesced in the University of Exeter’s psychedelic postgraduate courses.

PSYCH SYMPOSIUM 2025

Links
Shroom: A Cultural History of the Magic Mushroom

Psychedelics: Mind, Medicine, and Culture

Psilocybin

Seeking the Magic Mushroom by R. Gordon Wasson

Psychedelia Britannia: Druids on Drugs

Tune into the latest episode of the Drug Science Podcast, where we talk to Jenny Chapman and Dr. Stephen Naulls, researchers at the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) and authors of ‘Psychedelic-assisted therapy for mental health: Policy considerations, a briefing for Parliament’ on the state of psychedelic research. They explore the remit of POST in highlighting objective, emerging scientific research, and how psychedelics have come into their focus. With backgrounds in biology and medicine, both Jenny and Stephen stress the interwoven nature of science and policy. Through this intersection, they highlight the policy levers holding psychedelic researchers back and what Parliament and the greater public can take from the POST brief.

Links

Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology

POST report on Psychedelic-assisted therapy for mental health: Policy considerations, a briefing for Parliament

Psychedelic drugs to treat eating disorders

Psychedelic drugs to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Psychedelic-assisted therapy to treat anxiety disorders

Psychedelic drugs to treat depression

Psychedelic-assisted therapy in the treatment of addiction

POST Board

Fellowship opportunities

POST All Reports

Knowledge Exchange Unit – KEU

Horizon Scanning

Ketamine

In this episode of the Drug Science Podcast, we speak with Darren Le Baron, an accomplished mycologist and educator. He discusses how his hardships from his upbringing in East London have informed his current work, where he uses horticulture to connect with children at risk of being drawn into crime. He transitions to explore his series Psychedelics in Africa, explaining some of the many links between psychedelics and African culture, both in ancient times and modernity. Throughout, he emphasises the importance of African perspectives and similar indigenous ones, challenging their absence in mainstream psychedelic discourse.

Links

Darren Le Baron

Who is Darren Le Baron

Darren's Instagram

We Are Grow Mushrooms

Psilocybin

About Kilindi Iyi

Psychedelics in Africa: The Untold Story

Ibogaine

Join us in this episode as we speak to Bruce Parry, the creator and star of the BBC series Tribe With Bruce Parry. He explains his sharp career change from a Royal Marine to an advocate for indigenous rights, where he’s developed a humble approach to learning from indigenous tribes, defined by listening and witnessing. He talks about his experiences of psychedelics in these contexts, namely ayahuasca, which have vastly shaped his outlook on life. Through this lens, he lends his opinions on topics like ayahuasca tourism and capitalist culture in the psychedelic space.

Tribe with Bruce Parry

Psilocybin

Ayahuasca

In this episode of the Drug Science Podcast, we speak with Sam Bloomfield, founder of PsyEdu, and Dr. Eddie Jacobs, the first person to complete a doctorate in psychedelic ethics. Drawing on their backgrounds in education and ethics, they explore why these perspectives are essential to the evolving field of psychedelics. They also discuss the role of trials, clinics, and retreats within the broader psychedelic ecosystem, highlighting a major blind spot: the vast majority of psychedelic experiences occur outside of these settings. The conversation additionally examines how understandings of medicine often must adapt to the unique nature of psychedelics. Throughout, they underscore the importance of education in driving long-term policy change that ensures safer, more equitable, and more ethical psychedelic access.

Psychedelic Training in the UK

PsyEdu

Beckley Foundation

Psychedelic Ethics

Psilocybin

MDMA

MAPS

Public Attitudes to Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy

HOPE Statement

In this episode of the Drug Science Podcast, we meet with Dr. Joe Tafur, MD, an integrative Family Physician, curandero, author and speaker. He discusses his book, The Fellowship of the River, exploring the role of spiritual healing in modern healthcare. Within this episode. Tafur further delves into topics such as biological and psychological links to Generational trauma as well as the relationship between spiritual practice and healing.

Dr Joe Tafur

Modern Spirit

Medicine Song

Fellowship of the river

Intro into Therapeutic psychedelics

Depression

Peyote

Ayahuasca

Emotional dysregulation

Mamos

Inner child

Psoriasis

Migraine

Allostatic load

Allostasis

Epigenetics

Meditation

Support the Podcast Link

In this episode of the drug science Podcast, we meet with Mike Jay, author and 2024 Cheiron Book Prize winner who has written extensively on scientific and medical history with a special interest in Psychedelics.

In this Podcast, he discusses with us his newest book, Free Radicals: How a Group of Romantic Experimenters Gave Birth to Psychedelic Science, which tells the story of early invention and experimentation with Nitrous Oxide (Laughing gas). He discusses various key figures at this time and the work they conducted, including Humphry Davy and Thomas Beddoes as well as discussing early theories into the potential use of gas in medicine which lead to the development of the Pneumatic Institute. Further, they discuss how this 18th-century research links to the psychedelic renaissance

Free Radicals: How a Group of Romantic Experimenters Gave Birth to Psychedelic Science

Mike Jay Author

Humphrey Davy

Humphry Davy Book

Thomas Beddoes

Joseph Priestley

Davis Giddy

Miners lung

Tuberculosis

Michael Pollan

Default mode network

Mescaline Drug Science Podcast with Mike Jay

Link in show notes

Join us in the latest episode of the Drug Science Podcast, where we talk with Dr. Grace Blest-Hopley, Director of Research for Heroic Hearts Project UK, Chief Scientific Officer of NW PharmaTech, and founder and CEO of Hystelica. In the episode, she explore where psychedelic studies have largely ignored women’s physiology, particularly in failing to acknowledge and control for hormonal fluctuations. Grace particularly emphasises the necessity for greater investigations and understandings around the intersection of psychedelics and the menstrual cycle, explaining how Hystelica attempts to bridge this gap with naturalistic and observational studies. Throughout, the discussion examines how, by researching these unknowns, we can discover new treatment opportunities that better serve women’s health.

Heroic Hearts Project UK

Hystelica

NWPharmaTech

MDMA

Psilocybin Retreats Study

Mothers of the mushroom

Microdosing Study