Friend of the show Soren Shade returns to discuss the current state of prohibition, as the DEA attempts to criminalize a number of opioid compounds through emergency placement into Schedule I. Specifically we talk about tianeptine, the atypical anti-depressant turned legal opioid, and SR-17018, the novel substance that may be helping people with opioid withdrawal and cravings.

Check out Hamilton Morris' latest 7-OH video here, produced by Soren: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3e1aFyw6v4

Get involved: https://www.rightsandreasonproject.com/

Susannah Cahalan stops by Drug Cultures to talk about The Acid Queen, her recently published biography of counterculture icon Rosemary Woodruff Leary, Timothy Leary's wife, muse, and accomplice.

We talk about why she chose to profile Rosemary, why Rosemary's story is as relevant as ever in the 21st century, and what people get wrong when they talk about the life and legacy of Timothy Leary.

A third kratom episode! I sit down with Oshin Diaz from Jaya Kratom to talk about the industry and how it is rapidly changing the economy, and environment, of Borneo. An island traditionally dominated by the logging industry is now the global hotspot of kratom exports - provided the plant remains legal.

Pictured in episode cover: kratom grown alongside rice in rural Borneo

I unpack Trump's ongoing threats of terrorism against Iran. Is there any future where Trump supporters can remain a part of the psychedelic renaissance without damaging the reputation of these drugs? And can psychedelics be tools not just of healing, but of courage in the face of moral atrocity?

Art by Caitlin Johnstone

I discuss my latest piece for High Times breaking down the divide in the kratom world between the leaf kratom and 7-OH industries. I dive into the world of kratom lobbying groups, and explore their connections with scientists and regulators.

Then, Soren Shade joins the podcast to talk about his experience with these groups, as well as the broader landscape of drug prohibition and the systemic factors that incentivize dishonesty in the kratom and 7-OH industries.

Read more here

The United States, after months of bombing speedboats alleged to be carrying drugs, has just abducted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. In this episode, I do a deep dive into the reality of Venezuela's relationship with the drug trade, as well as the history of America's longstanding animosity toward Maduro, Chavez, and the so-called "Bolivarian Revolution"

Kava has become one of the most popular "alcohol alternatives" in many Western countries in recent decades. But for thousands of years, it held an important spiritual and political role in Pacific Island societies, and was viewed as a major threat by Christian missionaries from Europe.

In this episode, I unpack kava's history, focusing on Vanuatu and Fiji to explore the intersection of race, religion, culture, and mythology as it relates to this remarkable root.

I sit down with Dennis Walker from the Mycopreneur podcast for a wide-ranging conversation on psychedelic consumer packaged goods, biopiracy, and how to best keep people safe and informed as psychedelic drugs continue to proliferate through non-traditional channels.

Mormons are notoriously straight-edged; for most, temperance not only includes alcohol, but stimulants like coffee as well.

In this episode of Drug Cultures, I explore the ways in which that may not have been the case in the past. I take a look at the "psychedelic origins of Mormonism" hypothesis, and do a deep dive into the history of Fred M Smith: the grandson of Joseph the prophet who advocated for his church to accept the religious use of peyote.

Link to the study I referenced in the episode: https://akjournals.com/view/journals/2054/3/2/article-p212.xml

I debrief the recent Psychedelic Science 2025 conference, particularly the panels on Israeli and Palestinian perspectives on psychedelic therapy for conflict-related trauma. This episode dives into MAPS Israel's studies of the effect of MDMA and LSD on the survivors of the 10/7 attack, and the way in which collective trauma is used to justify the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

As President Trump announces that the US has just bombed Iranian nuclear sites, it is more important than ever that we all raise our collective voices in opposition to this unjustified and certainly soon-to-be-catastrophic war in Iran.

Opening music: Sirat Al-Ishq (Rawan Roshni & Max Mira)