What are the risks associated with the widespread decriminalization and legalization of psychedelics?

Roland Griffiths expresses concern about moving too fast, citing risks like disorientation, panic, and dangerous behavior leading to harm, especially if set and setting conditions are not properly managed. There's also a risk of provoking psychotic disorders like schizophrenia or mania in vulnerable individuals.

How does Roland Griffiths describe his cancer diagnosis and his emotional response to it?

A year ago, Roland received a stage four colon cancer diagnosis that is untreatable. His initial response was disbelief and confusion, but he quickly embraced gratitude, wonder, and appreciation for life. He attributes his ability to reframe discomfort and maintain a sense of well-being to his meditation practice and prior psychedelic experiences.

How did Roland Griffiths' experience with psychedelics influence his response to his cancer diagnosis?

Roland believes his past psychedelic experiences, though not extensive, played a role in managing his cancer diagnosis. He recognized the 'rabbit holes' of negative emotions that can arise, similar to harrowing psychedelic trips, and felt a sense of agency in choosing not to go down those paths but instead lean into gratitude and wonder.

Did Roland Griffiths use psychedelics after his cancer diagnosis, and what did he learn?

After initial disinterest, Roland took a significant dose of LSD. The experience affirmed his current approach to managing his diagnosis, finding no deep underlying fear of death. He even had a metaphorical 'dialogue' with the cancer, which emboldened his public discussion of his experience and his path of 'awakened awareness'.

How do meditation and psychedelics relate to each other in Roland Griffiths' view?

Roland believes meditation and psychedelics are complementary tools for exploring the nature of mind. Psychedelics can help people embody the present moment and dispassionately observe mental objects, much like meditation. He notes that psilocybin can facilitate and resonate with meditation experiences, often enlivening long-term meditators' practices and improving psychological well-being.

What are Roland Griffiths' thoughts on microdosing?

Roland has yet to see persuasive clinical evidence for microdosing's effectiveness for conditions like depression, noting the strong potential for placebo effects. However, from personal experience, he finds microdosing with LSD to be a 'thing' for those finely tuned to inner experience, subtly supercharging meditative states.

What is the Griffiths Fund endowment project at Johns Hopkins?

The Griffiths Fund aims to establish a professorship for rigorous empirical research on secular spirituality and well-being, focusing on the relationship between psychedelics and transformative experiences. Roland seeks to raise $20 million to cover a professor's salary and provide perpetual research funds, fostering a scientific approach to understanding human flourishing.

How does Sam Harris's experience with psychedelics inform his view on death?

Sam Harris describes his last high-dose mushroom trip as eliminating his fear of death itself, distinguishing it from the fear of the dying process. He felt that the intensity of the psychedelic experience made him believe that death could not be 'more intense,' leaving him with a sense of love and gratitude despite the loss of self-reference.

What is the 'Paradox of Death' discussed by Sam Harris and Tom Clark?

This concept explores the idea that from the perspective of consciousness, there can be no experience of its end or absence. Even if consciousness ceases with brain death, there is no 'positive oblivion' to be experienced, suggesting a mystical view of continuity that doesn't necessarily violate physicalist assumptions.

Key Moments

Psychedelics & Mortality: A Conversation with Roland Griffiths (Episode #306)

Sam Harris

Science & Technology4 min read106 min video

Dec 13, 2022|56,086 views|1,067|217

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Key Moments

TL;DR

Roland Griffiths discusses psychedelics, mortality, and his cancer journey, advocating for scientific research into secular spirituality.

Key Insights

Roland Griffiths, a leading psychedelic researcher, shares his personal experience with a stage-4 cancer diagnosis and its impact on his perspective.

The field of psychedelic research is rapidly expanding, with potential FDA approvals for MDMA and psilocybin-based treatments on the horizon.

Concerns exist regarding the rapid decriminalization/legalization movements, emphasizing the need for caution with vulnerable populations and potential psychiatric risks.

Griffiths highlights similarities and synergies between meditation and psychedelic experiences in investigating the nature of mind and promoting well-being.

His personal experience with cancer has been transformed by a profound sense of gratitude, wonder, and acceptance, influenced by his meditation and psychedelic practices.

Griffiths is launching an endowment at Johns Hopkins to fund research into psychedelics and secular spirituality, aiming to foster human flourishing and understanding of consciousness.

THE EVOLVING LANDSCAPE OF PSYCHEDELIC RESEARCH

Roland Griffiths, a pioneer in psychedelic research, notes the dramatic expansion of the field since his last conversation with Sam Harris three years prior. The establishment of new academic research centers, increased NIH funding for studies on addiction, and a growing number of state and local movements for decriminalization or legalization of psychedelics mark this evolution. Notably, clinical trials for MDMA in PTSD and psilocybin for depression are progressing, with potential FDA approvals anticipated within the next two to five years. This resurgence also includes significant interest from new companies and startups exploring the commercial potential of these compounds.

NAVIGATING THE RISKS AND BENEFITS OF WIDER ACCESS

Griffiths expresses concern about the speed of decriminalization and legalization efforts, warning that enthusiasm for psychedelics is overshadowing potential risks. These risks include disorientation, panic, and dangerous behaviors, particularly when set and setting are not optimal. He emphasizes the critical need for screening vulnerable individuals, especially those with predispositions to psychotic disorders like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, citing anecdotal evidence of induced mania. While acknowledging the rarity of these severe outcomes, Griffiths stresses the importance of a conservative approach and further research to mitigate harm.

MEDITATION AND PSYCHEDELICS: COMPLEMENTARY PATHS TO SELF-UNDERSTANDING

Griffiths posits that both meditation and psychedelics serve as powerful tools for investigating the nature of the mind. He draws parallels between their effects, such as embodying the present moment, dispassionately observing difficult emotions, transforming the conventional sense of self, and fostering a sense of interconnectedness. His research suggests that psychedelics can potentiate meditation experiences, helping individuals break through habitual practices and deepening their engagement. While psychedelics may offer profound awakening experiences, meditation is crucial for leading an 'awakening life' by integrating these insights into daily existence.

GRACE UNDER PRESSURE: FINDING JOY IN A TERMINAL DIAGNOSIS

A year after receiving a stage-4 cancer diagnosis, Griffiths describes a profound shift in his perspective. Initially experiencing disbelief and disorientation, he quickly moved towards acceptance and a deep sense of gratitude for the privilege of conscious existence. This acceptance, amplified by his meditation practice and prior psychedelic experiences, has led to an unexpected sense of joy, wonder, and well-being, even amidst challenging treatments. He actively reframes negative appearances, embracing them as opportunities for growth rather than succumbing to fear or resentment, likening this process to navigating difficult experiences during a psychedelic session.

REFLECTIONS ON DEATH AND THE MYSTERY OF CONSCIOUSNESS

Griffiths views his terminal diagnosis not as a cause for despair, but as an opportunity to explore the mystery of death and consciousness. He finds that his meditation and psychedelic experiences have instilled a profound lack of fear regarding death itself, though he acknowledges the potential for suffering during the dying process. Reflecting on the nature of consciousness, he echoes philosophical ideas suggesting that from consciousness's own perspective, there is no ultimate end or oblivion, as experiences of absence are merely lapses in memory. This perspective encourages a deep curiosity and active engagement with the remaining time.

ESTABLISHING A LEGACY OF SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY

Motivated by his experience and a desire to foster continued exploration, Griffiths has launched an ambitious project to establish a $20 million endowment at Johns Hopkins. This endowment will fund a professorship dedicated to rigorous empirical research into psychedelics and secular spirituality. The aim is to create an enduring engine for studying transformative experiences and their impact on well-being, extending beyond current therapeutic applications. With $14 million already pledged, Griffiths is seeking public support to finalize this initiative, which he believes is crucial for our species' survival in an era of existential risks.

Mentioned in This Episode

●Software & Apps

●Companies

●Organizations

●Drugs & Medications

●Concepts

●People Referenced

Common Questions

Psychedelic research has dramatically ramped up, with NIH now funding human studies. FDA clinical trials are moving forward, with MDMA for PTSD potentially approved in 2-4 years, and psilocybin for depression in 3-5 years. Many startups are also focused on developing psychedelic therapeutics.

Topics

Meditation Health & Longevity Neuroscience & the Brain Mental Health & Psychology Mindset & Self-Improvement Mindfulness Mental Well-being Psychedelic Research End-of-Life Care Consciousness Studies Cancer Experience Secular Spirituality

Mentioned in this video

Companies

Usona Institute

A company based in Madison that has been given breakthrough therapy status by the FDA for its trials in major depressive disorder.

Compass Pathways

A UK-based company that has been given breakthrough therapy status by the FDA for its trials in treatment-resistant depression.

Organizations

Johns Hopkins University

University where Roland Griffiths is a professor and where the Center on Psychedelic and Consciousness Research is located, a key institution for current psychedelic research.

National Institutes of Health

Government body that has recently begun funding human studies on psychedelics, including a clinical trial on smoking addiction.

Food and Drug Administration

Regulatory body responsible for approving medical compounds; actively involved in the review and potential approval of psychedelics for therapeutic use.

Johns Hopkins Center on Psychedelic and Consciousness Research

Research center founded by Roland Griffiths, at the forefront of renewed scientific interest in psychedelics.

World Health Organization

Intergovernmental organization for which Roland Griffiths has been a consultant.

Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies

Organization conducting clinical trials with MDMA for PTSD, which has promising data and is likely to achieve FDA approval first.

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Cancer treatment and research institution where Roland Griffiths sought a second opinion for his cancer diagnosis.

Drugs & Medications

MDMA

Compound studied for its utility in treating PTSD, with promising data moving towards FDA approval.

Ayahuasca

A psychedelic brew mentioned as one of the many different compounds associated with the term 'psychedelics,' each having unique effects.

psilocybin

Psychedelic compound extensively studied by Roland Griffiths at Johns Hopkins, used in trials for anxiety, depression, and now being developed for alcohol use disorder.

LSD

A psychedelic compound that Roland Griffiths microdosed during a meditation retreat, describing it as 'supercharged' his experience; he also took a significant dose after his cancer diagnosis.

mescaline

A psychedelic compound mentioned as having subtly different acute effects compared to LSD, psilocybin, and DMT.

5-MeO-DMT

A potent psychedelic compound, mentioned as a distinct type of psychedelic from LSD, psilocybin, and mescaline, suggesting variety in psychedelic experiences.

People

Matt Johnson

Colleague of Roland Griffiths at Johns Hopkins, conducting a clinical trial on addiction to cigarette smoking funded by the NIH.

Franz Vollenweider

Researcher leading a group in Switzerland that conducted a study integrating a Buddhist meditation retreat with a high dose of psilocybin.

Tom Clark

Philosopher whose essay on the paradox of death is discussed by Sam Harris, exploring the continuity of consciousness from a physicalist perspective.

Roland Griffiths

Professor in Psychiatry and Neurosciences at Johns Hopkins University, founding director of the Johns Hopkins Center on Psychedelic and Consciousness Research, and a leading figure in psychedelic research.

Alan Watts

Philosopher and speaker who offered arguments similar to Tom Clark's regarding the nature of consciousness and the non-experience of its absence.

Erwin Schrödinger

Physicist who made arguments similar to Tom Clark's regarding the nature of consciousness and the non-experience of its absence.

Concepts

Default Mode Network

A neural network that shows decreased activity during acute psychedelic administration and in long-term meditators, suggesting a shared neurophysiological mechanism.

Software & Apps

Waking Up App

Meditation and mindfulness app created by Sam Harris, which includes a section on the paradox of death discussed in the podcast.

GriffithsFund.org

Website for Roland Griffiths' endowment project at Johns Hopkins, which aims to support research on psychedelic substances, well-being, and spirituality in perpetuity.

condition

post-traumatic stress disorder

Mental health condition being treated with MDMA in clinical trials, showing promising results for FDA approval.

bipolar disorder

Psychiatric condition for which psychedelics pose unique risks, particularly with mania onset; individuals with family histories are typically excluded from psychedelic studies.

schizophrenia

A severe psychotic disorder for which psychedelics are considered a risk factor, particularly for new onset in susceptible individuals with family histories.

Supplements

DMT

A powerful psychedelic compound, mentioned as having distinct effects, especially in its pure form (DMT) and 5-MeO-DMT, warranting further research into their differences.