A Psychedelics Boom Is Minting Environmentalists

The article published in Bloomberg, in November 2023, by Winston Ross, explores the growing trend of psychedelic use and its potential connection to increased environmental awareness and activism.

“Proponents of a new wave of interest in hallucinogens say the right trip at the right time can change how people think about the natural world.” Winston Ross

Scientific research supports the link between psychedelic use and pro-environmental behaviours. A 2017 study in the Journal of Psychopharmacology found that classic psychedelics like LSD, psilocybin, and mescaline correlated with increased self-reported pro-environmental behaviours, even when controlling for other factors. Another study, "From Egoism to Ecoism," discovered a positive connection between lifetime psychedelic use and feelings of closeness to nature, particularly among those who experienced ego dissolution during their trips.

However, experts caution that while psychedelics show promise in fostering environmental consciousness, their impact is not guaranteed. Factors such as set and setting play crucial roles in shaping the outcomes of psychedelic experiences. Critics point out that the utopian hopes associated with psychedelics in the 1960s did not materialize as expected. Nevertheless, proponents argue that today's context differs, with the climate crisis reaching unprecedented urgency and a growing body of research supporting psychedelics' potential to change thought patterns and behaviours.