Why it matters: A group of Chicago medical professionals called the Chicago Med Psychedelics Group meet monthly at Billy Corgan’s tea salon, Madame ZuZu’s Emporium, to discuss psychedelics. They chat about topics such as ketamine therapy and psilocybin treatments. The group counts nurse practitioners, psychotherapists, and cannabis pharmacologists among its members. Psychedelic enthusiasts believe that these substances have much potential in the field of medicine, and exchange knowledge on the science and logistics of this large class of substances. Discussions have spread to include events, conferences, and Illinois legislative bills.
What they are saying: Psychedelics hold a lot of potential benefits and risks in helping push healing to the next level. However, we still have much to learn. The psychedelic community is being built from the ground up by microcosms like ours.
The big picture: The Chicago Med Psychedelics Group is a close-knit community of medical professionals who hope to expand their awareness of psychedelic medicine and merge firsthand psychedelic experiences with their professional expertise to support patients. The movement is growing, and discussions revolve around legislation, dosing, and more.
What to watch: The Illinois Compassionate Use and Research of Entheogens Act has been introduced. If passed, this act would regulate and license the provision of psilocybin products in Illinois.
My take: The Chicago Med Psychedelics Group is a great example of how groups can utilize grassroots movements to raise awareness about topics that are not well-understood in mainstream culture. It will be interesting to see how their discussions evolve, especially with Illinois proposed legislation. The group members’ enthusiasm and willingness to learn from one another is refreshing, and I believe it is a step in the right direction towards demystifying alternative medicines such as psychedelics.
