Denver has been a cultural epicenter for psychedelics since becoming the in 2019. Now it aims to be a hub for science related to psychedelic substances with the opening of a university research center. On Monday, the University of Colorado announced the creation of the , which will study the health applications of drugs such as psilocybin as well as the social impacts of and in the state.
Its mission is to improve “the quality of life of people by studying the possible benefits psychedelic drugs may have in treating a range of mental, emotional, neurologic, and other health conditions,” per the announcement. With this new center, the University of Colorado joins the ranks of , , , , and others with research facilities dedicated to investigating psychedelics. For centuries, indigenous cultures have used certain plants ceremoniously, but momentum has only recently been building to adopt them for medicinal purposes in the United States.
Enthusiasm in the 1950s and ‘60s led to robust research into drugs like LSD (acid), and the effects of psychedelics. Though much of that enthusiasm was quashed by the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, studies and trials have rebounded, leading many researchers to proclaim the arrival of a “psychedelic renaissance.” Small-scale studies have shown promising results for psilocybin’s ability to treat , , and , among other ailments.
CU Denver is currently conducting what it bills as one of the largest studies on the . The study’s co-pri.
