I've taken many different psychedelics in different settings and had both good and bad experiences. Psychedelics can be a very helpful tool if used intentionally while open to new experiences. They can also amplify negative experiences. I'd never drop acid at a heavy metal concert for example, but that's just me.
Most people use some form of mind altering substance, the most common being nicotine, caffeine and alcohol. It really is up to the person and that's how it should be with psychedelics. I am free to alter my perceptions and learn from it.
The problem I have with the recent push to decriminalize is that the experience is wrapped up and controlled by a therapist. They have to package it this way to get the laws relaxed. But do I want some recent college graduate with a psychology degree to be in charge of my experience? Um, no.
> do I want some recent college graduate with a psychology degree to be in charge of my experience? Um, no.
This strikes me as a very strange way of framing things. When you phrase it that way, I'd also reflexively say "no," but on the other hand, would I want a well-trained and compassionate professional, whose judgement I trust and who is following what the medical community has decided are best practices, to guide me through a psychedelic experience? Well yes I would, and that's not really much different than the bar I set for therapists and other medical professionals.
edit: It occurs to me that maybe your point is more that this isn't a good route to full legalization (or at least a national push towards rescheduling/decriminalization), rather than about the efficacy/prudence of psychedelic-assisted therapy. On that front, in defense of the shrinks, this is basically following the same model as cannabis, whose decriminalization has been on whole a pretty successful effort so far IMO.
I said that because psychedelic therapy is an emerging treatment so you're going to get a lot of young therapists at first. There aren't enough older ones with psychedelic experience to go around.
I've done psychedelic therapy with an experienced therapist at a precursor to MAPS Santa Cruz [1] and I felt the therapist got in the way. She was mostly there to keep me safe, which I didn't need. Then she projected her own experience in interpreting mine.
That said, for the average person who doesn't do psychedelics (my mother for example) the therapist patient setting is the way to go. That model also provides the best path for legalization.
I'm not going to complain about how it gets legalized because I understand how to compromise. My complaint is that I shouldn't have to go to a therapist to do it legally, but that's further down the road. As you said, that process has been successful for marijuana.
[1] Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies
https://maps.org/
> But do I want some recent college graduate with a psychology degree to be in charge of my experience?
As far as I know, psychologists can't prescribe drugs for their patients, only psychiatrists can. And psychiatrists are MBBS / MD doctors. If these kinds of drugs are made legal, even for recreational purpose, I would obviously ofcourse like a doctor to prescribe it and advise me on its usage!
Edit: I looked it up, and even in the US where some states allow psychologists to prescribe medicine, the requirements are quite high:
In Louisiana: Psychologists must first complete a postdoctoral master's degree in clinical psychopharmacology before they can prescribe medications. In New Mexico: Psychologists must complete 450 hours of didactic training and 400 hours of supervised practice in psychopharmacology. In Illinois: Psychologists must receive specialized training in psychopharmacology. In addition to this training, they must complete a supervised clinical rotation that lasts 14 months and covers a variety of settings including hospitals, prisons, and mental health clinics. In Iowa: Psychologists must complete a postdoctoral master's degree in clinical psychopharmacology. They also need relevant clinical experience in assessment and pathophysiology. In Idaho: Psychologists need a postdoctoral master's degree in clinical psychopharmacology. There are no specific hourly requirements for training.
Most people use some form of mind altering substance, the most common being nicotine, caffeine and alcohol. It really is up to the person and that's how it should be with psychedelics. I am free to alter my perceptions and learn from it.
The problem I have with the recent push to decriminalize is that the experience is wrapped up and controlled by a therapist. They have to package it this way to get the laws relaxed. But do I want some recent college graduate with a psychology degree to be in charge of my experience? Um, no.