♪ ♪
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
♪ ♪
John: WELCOME, WELCOME,
WELCOME TO "LAST WEEK TONIGHT!"
I'M JOHN OLIVER, THANKS SO MUCH
FOR JOINING US.
WE'RE BACK!
AFTER THREE LONG MONTHS AND WHAT
HAS BEEN A VERY BUSY WEEK,
ESPECIALLY FOR FOX NEWS, A
NETWORK WHOSE VERY NAME IS A
LIE, IN THAT IT PROVIDES NEITHER
NEWS, NOR FOXES.
YOU MAY REMEMBER, THEY'RE BEING
SUED BY DOMINION VOTING SYSTEMS,
THE COMPANY AT THE CENTER OF
TRUMP'S ELECTION CONSPIRACY
THEORIES.
THEORIES WHICH WERE REPEATEDLY
AMPLIFIED BY HOSTS ON FOX.
AND IN A LEGAL FILING MADE
PUBLIC THIS WEEK, WE GOT A
GLIMPSE AT FOX'S INTERNAL
COMMUNICATIONS DURING THAT TIME.
PRIVATELY TOP ANCHORS AND
EXECUTIVES MOCKED TRUMP'S LIES,
CALLING THEM "LUDICROUS,"
"REALLY CRAZY STUFF," AND
"TOTALLY OFF THE RAILS."
EVEN AS THOSE SAME HOSTS WENT
ON THE AIR ARGUING COMPLETELY
OTHERWISE.
ALL RIGHT, THESE ELECTION
CHALLENGES ARE STILL GOING ON
AND DISTURBING IRREGULARITIES
HAVE BEEN FOUND AND MUST BE
INVESTIGATED TO THE FULLEST.
John: WOW.
IF I WERE A FOX VIEWER, I'D FEEL
PRETTY BETRAYED.
THIS IS LIKE FINDING OUT BIG
BIRD REGULARLY TEXTS ELMO,
"FUCK THEM KIDS."
AND ELMO AGREES.
THIS FILING SHOWS THE EXTENT TO
WHICH FOX HOSTS DIDN'T BELIEVE
THE SHIT THEY WERE SELLING.
WHICH IS FINE IF YOU WORK FOR
QVC AND HAVE TO FILL AN HOUR ON
WHY A BEJEWELED SQUATTY POTTY
WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE, BUT IS A
BIT MORE CONCERNING WHEN YOU
PRETEND TO BE THE NEWS.
BUT PERHAPS THE MOST FASCINATING
THING IS HOW TERRIFIED MAJOR FOX
FIGURES WERE OF LOSING THEIR
AUDIENCE TO MORE
CONSPIRACY-FRIENDLY NETWORKS
LIKE NEWSMAX, WITH TUCKER AT ONE
POINT SAYING, THEY SEEMED TO
UNDERSTAND THAT ACKNOWLEDGING
BIDEN HAD WON WAS ALIENATING
VIEWERS.
SEAN HANNITY WROTE TO HIS
PRODUCER, AFTER THE NETWORK
CALLED THE ELECTION FOR BIDEN,
THE BEST MINUTES FROM LAST WEEK
WERE ON THE VOTING
IRREGULARITIES.
THEY KNEW WERE BOLD.
AND LOOK, ON ONE HAND I GET IT.
WE ALSO FACE PRESSURE TO
MAINTAIN OUR AUDIENCE.
IT'S JUST WE DO IT THE
OLD-FASHIONED WAY.
BY HAVING INTEGRITY, AND
SELF-RESPECT, AND THE BLIND
FORTUNE OF AIRING AFTER HIT,
PRESTIGE DRAMAS THAT PEOPLE
ACTUALLY WANT TO WATCH.
IT'S NOT DIFFICULT!
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
MULTIPLE FOX HOSTS SEEMED TO SEE
TELLING THE TRUTH AS A
POTENTIALLY EXISTENTIAL THREAT.
AFTER FOX NEWS REPORTER
JACQUI HEINRICH FACT CHECKED A
TRUMP TWEET ABOUT VOTES BEING
DESTROYED, TUCKER CARLSON
TEXTING HIS COLLEAGUES, "PLEASE
GET HER FIRED, SERIOUSLY, WHAT
THE F?
IT'S MEASURABLY HURTING THE
COMPANY.
THE STOCK PRICE IS DOWN."
John: AS EGREGIOUS AS THAT
IS, IT DEFINITELY TRACKS, AS THE
LIST OF FIREABLE OFFENSES AT FOX
NEWS SEEMS TO MAKE STOCK PRICE
GO DOWN.
AND BEING A SEXUAL MONSTER FOR
DECADES PARENTHESES BUT ONLY IF
PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE COMPANY FIND
OUT ABOUT IT.
BUT INSTEAD OF GOING INTO THAT
SEWER, WE'RE GOING TO TURN TO
THE CONTINUING FALLOUT FROM THE
TRAIN DERAILMENT IN EAST
PALESTINE, OHIO.
AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW, TWO WEEKS
AGO, A NORFOLK SOUTHERN FREIGHT
TRAIN WENT OFF THE RAILS,
RELEASING LARGE AMOUNTS OF
HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS.
AND THE SITUATION CONTINUES TO
BE TROUBLING.
TONIGHT, OUTRAGE GROWING LESS
THAN TWO WEEKS AFTER THAT
MASSIVE TRAIN DERAILMENT AND THE
CONTROLLED BURN OF HAZARDOUS
CHEMICALS SENT UP A TOXIC PLUME
OF BLACK SMOKE IN EAST
PALESTINE, OHIO.
RESIDENTS DEMANDING ANSWERING
COMPLAINING OF BURNING EYES,
NAUSEA, HEADACHES, AND A PUNGENT
ODOR, AND REPORTING DEAD
ANIMALS.
OFFICIALS CONFIRMING 3,500 FISH
KILLED BY THE CHEMICALS.
DON'T TELL ME IT'S SAFE.
SOMETHING IS GOING ON IF THE
FISH ARE FLOATING IN THE CREEK.
John: RIGHT, THAT FRUSTRATION
MAKES SENSE.
BECAUSE UNLESS THAT TRAIN WAS
CARRYING A BUNCH OF SMALL,
LOOSE, ALREADY-DEAD FISH, THAT
LOOKS BAD.
THIS HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE FOR
LOCAL RESIDENTS.
INITIALLY, MANY WERE EVACUATED,
BEFORE A "CONTROLLED RELEASE" OF
THE TRAIN'S CONTENTS, WHICH
LOOKED LIKE THIS.
THEN JUST TWO DAYS LATER, THEY
WERE TOLD IT WAS SAFE TO RETURN,
DESPITE THE FISH CEMETERY NOW
ACTIVELY FLOATING DOWNSTREAM,
AND INITIALLY WERE GIVEN JUST A
$1,000 CHECK AS AN
"INCONVENIENCE FEE."
IT'S NO WONDER A MEETING ON
WEDNESDAY NIGHT QUICKLY GOT
CONTENTIOUS.
OUTRAGE POURED OVER AT A TOWN
HALL IN EAST PALESTINE LAST
NIGHT AS ANXIOUS RESIDENTS
GRILLED STATE AND LOCAL
OFFICIALS.
IS EVERYBODY SATISFIED WITH
MY ANSWER?
NO!
John: YEAH, OF COURSE THEY
WEREN'T!
AND ONE OF THE REASONS THAT FIRE
CHIEF WAS THE ONE GETTING YELLED
AT WAS BECAUSE NO ONE FROM
NORFOLK SOUTHERN SHOWED UP, WITH
THE COMPANY LATER EXPLAINING
THEIR ABSENCE, CITING THE
"GROWING PHYSICAL THREAT" TO
THEIR EMPLOYEES.
AND YOU CERTAINLY WOULDN'T WANT
THEM EXPOSED TO THAT LEVEL OF
TOXIC ANGER.
NOT WITHOUT AT LEAST GIVING THEM
A $1,000 CHECK FIRST.
FOR THE INCONVENIENCE.
AND LOOK, THE NATIONAL
TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD IS
CONDUCTING AN INVESTIGATION INTO
THE CAUSES OF THE CRASH.
SO WE DON'T YET HAVE ANSWERS ON
EXACTLY WHAT WENT WRONG.
THAT SAID, SOME OF THE THINGS
NORFOLK SOUTHERN WORKERS ARE
TELLING REPORTERS ABOUT THIS
TRAIN ARE PRETTY WORRYING.
CBS NEWS HAS LEARNED THAT
SOME OF THE COMPANY'S EMPLOYEES
HAD PREVIOUSLY EXPRESSED CONCERN
OVER THE EXCESSIVE SIZE AND
WEIGHT OF THE 151-CAR TRAIN,
WHICH WAS 9,300 FEET LONG AND
WEIGHED 18,000 TONS.
THEY SAY IT HAD SUFFERED AT
LEAST ONE BREAKDOWN ON ITS ROUTE
BEFORE IT DERAILED IN EAST
PALESTINE.
John: THAT'S NOT GREAT!
AND IT SHOULD SAY SOMETHING THAT
EMPLOYEES WERE RAISING CONCERNS
ABOUT THE 18,000 TON COMBUSTIBLE
CENTIPEDE THAT THE COMPANY WAS
OPERATING.
BECAUSE THAT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU
CAN JUST BRUSH OFF, LIKE ME
BEING TOLD, "I THINK YOU SHOULD
SHOW YOUR PARENT COMPANY A
LITTLE MORE RESPECT."
I'LL DO THAT IF YOU CAN TELL ME
WHO THE FUCK IT ACTUALLY IS
RIGHT NOW.
THEN I'LL GIVE MY DEADBEAT
BUSINESS DADDY THE EXACT AMOUNT
OF RESPECT THEY DESERVE.
AND TROUBLINGLY, THIS IS PART OF
A LARGER TREND OF TRAINS GETTING
LONGER AND HEAVIER, EVEN AS
COMPANIES HAVE OPERATED WITH
SMALLER STAFFS.
AND WORKERS HAVE CLAIMED THIS
WAS WIDELY KNOWN AS A DIFFICULT
TRAIN TO RUN.
AND THAT, WHILE ITS OFFICIAL
NAME WAS 32N, IT HAD A NICKNAME
AMONG SOME RAIL WORKERS OF
"32 NASTY."
WHICH SOUNDS LIKE A BRA SIZE
THAT WAS ON SALE AT
VICTORIA'S SECRET UNTIL, LIKE,
TWO YEARS AGO.
THE THING IS, THIS ACCIDENT IS
EXPOSING MORE THAN JUST
CHEMICALS.
IT'S EXPOSING SOME BROADER BIG
ISSUES IN HOW FREIGHT TRAINS
LIKE 32 NASTY ARE REGULATED, ONE
OF WHICH EVEN SEEMED TO STARTLE
OHIO GOVERNOR MIKE DEWINE.
THIS TRAIN APPARENTLY WAS NOT
CONSIDERED A HIGH HAZARDOUS
MATERIAL TRAIN.
EVEN THOUGH SOME RAIL CARS DID
HAVE HAZARDOUS MATERIAL ON
BOARD, AND WHILE MOST OF THEM
DID NOT, THAT'S WHY IT WAS NOT
CATEGORIZED AS A HIGH HAZARDOUS
MATERIAL TRAIN.
FRANKLY, IF THIS IS TRUE AND I'M
TOLD IT'S TRUE, THIS IS ABSURD.
John: OH, COME ON, MIKE!
WHAT'RE YOU SO CONFUSED ABOUT?
EVERYONE KNOWS IT'S NOT
DANGEROUS IF ONLY PART OF
SOMETHING CAN KILL YOU.
THAT'S WHY RUSSIAN ROULETTE IS A
GREAT ACTIVITY FOR A CHILD'S
BIRTHDAY PARTY.
IT'S THE NEW PIN THE TAIL ON THE
DONKEY.
WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?
THEY LOVE IT, IT'S FINE!
AND I WILL SAY, I DON'T KNOW
EXACTLY HOW TO REGULATE OR
CLASSIFY HAZARDOUS MATERIALS ON
TRAINS, BUT A KEY QUESTION FOR
ME WOULD BE, "IF IT DERAILS,
WILL AUTHORITIES HAVE TO TURN IT
INTO AN APOCALYPTIC MUSHROOM
CLOUD TO TRY AND MITIGATE THE
DAMAGE?"
BECAUSE IF YES, MAYBE SLAP THAT
"HAZARDOUS" LABEL ON IT, JUST TO
BE ON THE SAFE SIDE.
ANOTHER ISSUE THAT'S NOW BEING
DISCUSSED IS ANTIQUATED BRAKING
SYSTEMS, AS ON MANY TRAINS, EACH
RAILCAR RECEIVES THE STOP SIGNAL
ONE AFTER THE OTHER, INSTEAD OF
ALL AT ONCE, COSTING VALUABLE
SECONDS.
AND A LOT CAN HAPPEN IN EVEN
SMALL AMOUNTS OF TIME.
FOR INSTANCE, A FEW MINUTES AGO,
YOU WERE EXCITED TO SEE THIS
SHOW COME BACK, WEREN'T YOU?
NOT SO MUCH NOW!
THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION
ACTUALLY TOOK STEPS TO ADDRESS
THIS, ISSUING A RULE IN 2015
REQUIRING RAILROADS TO USE
ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED
PNEUMATIC BRAKES ON ESPECIALLY
DANGEROUS TRAINS.
WHICH REMEMBER, THE TRAIN
WASN'T.
BUT TRAIN COMPANIES LOBBIED
AGAINST IT, CONGRESS HELD IT UP,
AND THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
FINALLY KILLED IT.
AND IT'S NOT LIKE PEOPLE WEREN'T
WARNING US ABOUT THE RISKS OF
DOING THAT.
BECAUSE HERE'S A RAIL ACCIDENT
INVESTIGATOR, IN OHIO, AT THAT
TIME.
A CONTROLLED PNEUMATIC
BRAKING SYSTEM COULD MAKE A BIG
DIFFERENCE VERSUS WHAT THESE
HAVE NOW.
THERE HAVE BEEN FIRES,
EXPLOSIONS ALL CAUSED BECAUSE
THEY'RE USING THIS ANCIENT,
150-YEAR-OLD BRAKING SYSTEM.
IT'S BEEN AVAILABLE FOR AT LEAST
20 YEARS.
AND THEY DON'T WANT TO PUT IT IN
BECAUSE IT COSTS MONEY.
John: EXACTLY, AND THAT'S
PRETTY FRUSTRATING, BECAUSE A
TRAIN'S ABILITY TO "STOP" IS
KIND OF IMPORTANT.
IT'S IN THE TOP 3 THINGS TRAINS
NEED TO DO, ALONG WITH "GO" AND
TEACH CHILDREN THEIR ONLY VALUE
TO SOCIETY IS "HAVING A JOB."
AND AGAIN, WE DON'T KNOW YET
EXACTLY WHAT CAUSED THE CRASH IN
OHIO.
MAYBE CLASSIFYING THAT TRAIN AS
HAZARDOUS AND REQUIRING THOSE
BRAKES WOULD'VE HELPED.
MAYBE NOT.
BUT IN GENERAL, IT SURE SEEMS
LIKE WE NEED TO BE TIGHTENING
THINGS UP GOING FORWARD.
AND, TRAIN WORKER UNIONS HAVE
BEEN WARNING US ABOUT SAFETY
ISSUES FOR A LONG TIME.
AND IT FEELS LIKE WE SHOULD
MAYBE START LISTENING MORE TO
THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY RUN
THESE TRAINS, RATHER THAN JUST
TO THOSE WHO PROFIT FROM THEM.
BECAUSE IF YOU ASK YOURSELF
WHETHER THIS IS AN ACCEPTABLE
WAY TO RUN A VITAL NATIONAL
INDUSTRY, IF I MAY QUOTE THE
PEOPLE OF EAST PALESTINE, THE
ANSWER SHOULD PRETTY CLEARLY BE:
EXACTLY.
AND NOW THIS.
Announcer: AND NOW, JIM
CRAMER WILL NOT SHUT UP ABOUT
HIS SUITS.
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT HOW NICE
YOU'RE LOOKING IN THE SUIT.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MAKES THAT
SUIT.
YOU LOOK AMAZING BY THE WAY.
IS AND THAT WHEN IT'S TELLING
YOU AT THIS POINT?
WHO WEARS BLACK SHOES WITHIN ALL
OF SUIT?
FIRST OF ALL, IT'S A SUIT WORTH
A LOT MORE THAN YOU.
BACK AND FORTH HERE.
I KNOW.
40% OFF!
WE BOTH WEAR-- I DON'T KNOW
WHO WEARS IT.
I WEAR BRIONI.
THEY HAVE THE 152 BUTTON L
SUIT.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THIS IS
EVER HAPPENED.
$2,100, THEY HAVE IT FOR $2,004.
ADD TO CART!
I JUST ADDED IT TO THE CART!
BRIONI SUIT ON AMAZON.
WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?
OH, MY GOD.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON.
♪ ♪
John: MOVING ON.
OUR MAIN STORY TONIGHT CONCERNS
DRUGS.
YOU KNOW, THE SUBSTANCES THAT
GAVE US MOST MUSIC, SEASONS ONE
AND TWO OF "THE WEST WING," AND
THIS SPECTACULAR CLIP OF A BBC
REPORTER GETTING INADVERTENTLY
WASTED.
BURNING BEHIND ME IS 8 AND A
HALF TONS OF HEROIN, OPIUM,
HASHISH, AND OTHER NARCOTICS.
BURNING BEHIND ME.
QUICK!
QUICK, QUICK, QUICK!
WE JUST NEED ONE MORE!
[LAUGHTER]
John: EXQUISITE.
THAT DESERVES THE PULITZER PRIZE
FOR "REPORTER ON MOST DRUGS."
I'M NOT SURE WHAT MY FAVORITE
PART IS.
HIS LITTLE GIGGLE, THE IDEA THAT
SOMEONE THOUGHT "LET'S PUT A GUY
DOWNWIND FROM AN EIGHT AND A
HALF TON PILE OF BURNING
NARCOTICS," OR THE FACT THAT ITS
MAIN EFFECT ON HIM WAS TO "TURN
HIM INTO A TOTAL SWEETIE PIE."
SPECIFICALLY, WE'RE GOING TO
TALK ABOUT PSYCHEDELICS, a
CATEGORY THAT INCLUDES DRUGS
LIKE PSILOCYBIN, LSD, AND MDMA.
AND LET ME FIRST SAY, I KNOW.
ANYONE WITH MY FACE, VOICE, AND
GENERALLY OFF-PUTTING AURA WHO
TALKS ABOUT DRUGS IS USUALLY
WARNING YOU ABOUT "THE DEVIL'S
LETTUCE."
BUT I'M NO FUCKING NARC.
IN COLLEGE I PRACTICALLY MAJORED
IN HERBOLOGY WITH A MINOR IN
GANJA-NEERING.
THEY CALLED ME SONIC THE
HEDGEHOG BECAUSE I ROLLED
TIGHTLY.
ALSO, I'VE DONE BLOW ON TOUR
WITH OZZY OSBOURNE, WHO'S MY DAD
BY THE WAY.
SO I'M IN THE SCENE, OKAY?
I GET IT.
THE TRUTH IS, LOTS OF PEOPLE USE
PSYCHEDELICS.
SOME FOR SPIRITUALITY, SOME FOR
HEALING, AND SOME, LIKE ASAP
ROCKY, JUST FOR FUN.
THE FIRST TIME HE DID LSD, IT
STARTED TO KICK IN JUST AS HE
WAS HAVING SEX, WITH SURPRISING
CONSEQUENCES.
NO LIE, A RAINBOW SHOT OUT OF
MY DICK.
AND IT HAD A SOUND WITH IT, LIKE
A PIANO OR SOME SHIT.
I HAVE NO IDEA WHY THERE WAS A
RAINBOW COMING OUT OF MY PENIS.
I DON'T EVEN LIKE RAINBOW.
John: EXCELLENT.
EVERY SENTENCE IS BETTER THAN
THE LAST.
"A RAINBOW SHOT OUT OF MY DICK"
FANTASTIC.
"IT HAD A SOUND WITH IT, LIKE A
PIANO OR SOME SHIT"
LOVE IT.
"I HAVE NO IDEA WHY THERE WAS A
RAINBOW COMING OUT OF MY PENIS"
NOW, HE'S INTRODUCED SUSPENSE!
"I DON'T EVEN LIKE RAINBOWS."
WHAT A WAY TO STICK THE LANDING.
ALSO, I'M PRETTY SURE ASAP ROCKY
JUST GAVE SKITTLES THEIR NEXT
COMMERCIAL.
"SKITTLES: TASTE THE DICK
RAINBOW."
[LAUGHTER]
BUT TONIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO
FOCUS ON ONE PARTICULAR USE OF
PSYCHEDELICS IN THERAPY.
IT'S A FIELD YOU MAY HAVE HEARD
ABOUT RECENTLY, IN STORIES
FEATURING TESTIMONIES FROM SOME
VERY SATISFIED PATIENTS.
I HAD ALL THIS ACCESS TO MY
MIND AND I COULD CONTROL WHERE I
WAS THINKING AND GOING.
IT CONNECTED ME BACK TO MY
BODY, LIKE I COULD FEEL MY BODY
AGAIN.
IT MADE ME FEEL MORE
COMFORTABLE WITH-- WITH LIVING,
YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT
AFRAID OF DYING.
IT'S LIKE DOING THERAPY WHILE
BEING HUGGED BY EVERYONE WHO
LOVES YOU IN A BATHTUB FULL OF
PUPPIES LICKING YOUR FACE.
John: WOW.
THAT'S A PRETTY POWERFUL
ENDORSEMENT.
HE MAKES IT SOUND PRETTY NICE.
IT'D SOUND NICER IF A RAINBOW
ALSO SHOT OUT OF YOUR DICK, BUT
THAT'S ONLY BECAUSE ASAP ROCKY
HAS NOW RAISED THE BAR ON WHAT
CONSTITUTES A PLEASANT HUMAN
EXPERIENCE.
THAT LAST GUY IS A VETERAN WHO
CLAIMS THAT PSYCHEDELIC
TREATMENT NOT ONLY HELPED HIM
WITH PTSD BUT SAVED HIS LIFE--
AND HE'S NOT THE ONLY VET WHO'S
BENEFITED.
I HAD THREE EXPERIENCES AT
FULL DOSAGE, BUT THE EFFECTS
AFTER THE FIRST TREATMENT WERE
PROFOUND.
I WOULD HAVE SAID A 60%
REDUCTION IN MY SYMPTOMS
IMMEDIATELY.
I FELT A MIGHTY CHANGE HAD
OCCURRED.
John: 60% IMMEDIATELY.
IT'S NOT OFTEN YOU SEE THOSE
KINDS OF RESULTS AFTER YOUR
FIRST THERAPY SESSION.
ESPECIALLY NOW THAT SO MUCH OF
IT HAPPENS ON ZOOM.
USUALLY DAY ONE IS SPENT FOR
INTRODUCTIONS AND TRYING TO
FIGURE OUT WHAT THE FUCK THAT
THING BEHIND YOUR THERAPIST'S
HEAD IS.
THAT CAN'T BE WHAT I THINK IT
IS, RIGHT?
IT JUST CAN'T BE.
AND IT'S NOT JUST ANECDOTAL, A
RECENT CLINICAL TRIAL OF MDMA
ASSISTED THERAPY FOUND THAT, FOR
THOSE SUFFERING FROM PTSD.
JUST TWO MONTHS AFTER TREATMENT,
67% NO LONGER QUALIFIED FOR A
PTSD DIAGNOSIS.
AND THAT'S NOT EVEN GETTING INTO
THE PROMISE PSYCHEDELICS HAVE
SHOWN IN TREATING CONDITIONS
LIKE ADDICTION AND DEPRESSION.
THE FACT IS, ALL THIS IS HUGELY
ENCOURAGING.
BUT IT'S WORTH KNOWING, WE'VE
ACTUALLY BEEN HERE BEFORE WITH
PSYCHEDELICS, AND FUCKED IT ALL
UP.
AND IF WE'RE NOT VERY CAREFUL IN
THE YEARS AHEAD, WE COULD GO
BACKWARDS AGAIN.
SO TONIGHT, LET'S TALK ABOUT
PSYCHEDELIC THERAPY.
ITS HISTORY, ITS POTENTIAL, AND
WHAT THE PITFALLS AHEAD MIGHT
BE.
AND LET'S BEGIN BY ACKNOWLEDGING
A LOT OF THESE MEDICINES,
ESPECIALLY PSILOCYBIN, ARE
NOTHING NEW TO INDIGENOUS
COMMUNITIES, WHO'VE BEEN
CONDUCTING RITUALS INVOLVING
MUSHROOMS, PEYOTE, AYAHUASCA,
AND OTHER CEREMONIAL MEDICINES,
FOR FAR LONGER THAN WESTERN
CIVILIZATION HAS.
BUT INTEREST IN PSYCHEDELICS
OUTSIDE OF INDIGENOUS
COMMUNITIES REALLY PICKED UP
AROUND THE MIDDLE OF THE LAST
CENTURY.
LSD WAS FIRST SYNTHESIZED IN A
SWISS LAB IN 1938.
AND A BANKER AT JP MORGAN NAMED
R.
GORDON WASSON POPULARIZED MAGIC
MUSHROOMS, AFTER HEARING ABOUT
AN INDIGENOUS MEXICAN WOMAN
NAMED MARIA SABINA, WHO USED
THEM IN HEALING CEREMONIES, AND
TRACKED HER DOWN IN 1955.
AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, HE
FINALLY CONVINCES MARIA SABINA
TO LET HIM TASTE THE "MAGIC
MUSHROOMS," AS THEY CAME TO BE
CALLED.
HE COMES BACK AND WRITES AN
ACCOUNT OF HIS ADVENTURE THAT IS
PUBLISHED IN LIFE MAGAZINE OF
ALL PLACES.
NOW THIS IS ASTONISHING.
THIS IS 1957 WHEN IT COMES OUT,
THOUSANDS OF WORDS IN THE
BIGGEST MAGAZINE IN AMERICA.
THIS ARTICLE, WHEN IT'S
PUBLISHED, IS A SENSATION.
John: IT'S TRUE, WASSON WAS
BASICALLY THE VERY FIRST WHITE
GUY WHO DID SHROOMS THEN MADE IT
HIS WHOLE PERSONALITY.
THAT ARTICLE STARTED A STAMPEDE
OF HIPPIES AND CELEBRITIES INTO
MARIA SABINA'S VILLAGE, THAT
TURNED HER NEIGHBORS AGAINST HER
TO SUCH A POINT THEY
BURN HER HOUSE TO THE GROUND.
SO ADD MUSHROOMS ALONG TO THE
LIST THAT RUINED
FINANCE BROS, ALONG WITH VESTS,
DATING APPS, AND THE MIDDLE
CLASS.
BUT IT WASN'T JUST BANKERS AND
HIPPIES DRAWN TO THE POWER OF
THESE SUBSTANCES.
THE U.S. MILITARY ACTUALLY
CONDUCTED EXPERIMENTS TO SEE IF
THEY COULD BE DROPPED ON ENEMY
TROOPS TO INCAPACITATE THEM.
AND LUCKY FOR US, THEY FILMED
THOSE EXPERIMENTS FOR POSTERITY.
HERE IS A GROUP OF NORMAL
SOLDIERS RESPONDING CORRECTLY TO
A SERIES OF ROUTINE DRILL
COMMANDS.
AFTER RECEIVING A SMALL DOSE OF
LSD, THEY'RE CONFUSED AND
UNDISCIPLINED.
John: YEAH, YOU REALLY GOT
THEM THERE.
THOSE SOLDIERS WENT FROM
"TIGHTLY CHOREOGRAPHED PARADE"
TO "TOURISTS TRYING TO DECIDE
WHERE TO HAVE LUNCH," AND ALL IT
TOOK WAS A TINY BIT OF CHEMICAL
WARFARE.
IT'S BRILLIANT!
BUT EVEN AS THE ARMY WAS DICKING
AROUND TRYING TO INVENT A
LITERAL LOVE-BOMB, SOME
RESEARCHERS WERE USING LSD AS A
MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT.
IN 1966, CBS NEWS ACTUALLY
FOLLOWED A MAN WHO RECEIVED LSD
AS PART OF HIS TREATMENT FOR
ALCOHOLISM, AND REPORTED ON ITS
STARTLING RESULTS.
SIX MONTHS AFTER TREATMENT
WITH LSD, SIX MONTHS AFTER HIS
RELEASE FROM THE ALCOHOLICS'
WARD AT SPRING GROVE HOSPITAL,
ARTHUR KING HAS STARTED OVER.
AT THE AGE OF 33, HE HAS GONE
BACK TO SCHOOL, SOMETHING HE
TALKED ABOUT DOING FOR YEARS.
IN EVENING CLASSES, HE'S
STUDYING ACCOUNTING.
HAVE YOU HAD ANYTHING TO DRINK,
FOR EXAMPLE?
NO, I HAVEN'T.
NOTHING AT ALL.
AND I HAVEN'T HAD ANY DESIRE TO
DRINK ANYTHING.
John: THAT'S INCREDIBLE, BUT
ALSO, THAT GUY'S 33?
I KNOW I'M HARDLY ONE TO TALK,
AS A LEGAL 45 BUT A "SPIRITUAL
OCTEGENARIAN."
BUT HOLY SHIT, PEOPLE SURE AGED
A LOT WORSE BACK WHEN WE PAINTED
EVERYTHING WITH LEAD AND LET
PEOPLE SMOKE IN THE DELIVERY
ROOM.
UNFORTUNATELY, BY THE LATE
1960S, PSYCHEDELICS BECAME
INCREASINGLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE
COUNTERCULTURE.
AND AS THE GOVERNMENT CRACKED
DOWN ON THAT MOVEMENT, THEY
BEGAN AN ERA OF ANTI-PSYCHEDELIC
HYSTERIA.
AND IT WAS INTENSE.
JUNK STUDIES MADE DUBIOUS BUT
TERRIFYING CLAIMS, LIKE THAT LSD
COULD WARP YOUR CHROMOSOMES, AND
EDUCATIONAL FILMS EMPLOYED A
WIDE RANGE OF TONES, AND SCARE
TACTICS, LIKE THESE.
THIS IS A FETUS FROM A MOTHER
NOT RECEIVING LSD, A NORMAL
FETUS.
THIS IS A FETUS FROM THE MOTHER
RECEIVING LSD.
I KNOW DOCTORS, AND I KNOW
LAWYERS, AND I KNOW THE MOST
STABLE PEOPLE IN THE WORLD THAT
HAVE TAKEN TRIPS ON LSD AND ARE
STILL WAITING TO RETURN.
UNFORTUNATELY, THESE DREAMY,
PSYCHEDELIC TRIPS ARE VERY
OFTEN, ONE-WAY.
John: WOW, OKAY.
THAT'S QUITE THE SMEAR CAMPAIGN,
FROM THE HAMSTER FETUS THAT
LOOKS LIKE DINO NUGGETS, TO THE
WOMAN SCREAMING AT YOU ABOUT ALL
THE DOCTORS AND LAWYERS SHE
KNOWS, TO THE HEARSE THAT
APPARENTLY MAKES HOUSE CALLS.
AND WHILE ALL OF THAT WAS
NONSENSE, I DO MISS THE DAYS
WHEN WE USED TO GET DRESSED UP
TO WATCH OUR DRUGGED-OUT
RELATIVES GET CARTED OFF TO THE
MORGUE.
"HONEY, THEY'LL BE HAULING
JIMMY'S BODY TO ITS FINAL STOP
BEFORE HIPPIE HELL, QUICK,
WHERE'S MY TIE CLIP?
HELEN!
TIE CLIP!
THE NEIGHBORS MAY SEE, THEY'RE
GONNA THINK WE'RE POOR, GET IT
TOGETHER AND FIND MY TIE CLIP!
THE BOY IS DEAD!"
TALL TALES ABOUT LSD RAN
RAMPANT.
AT ONE POINT, A PENNSYLVANIA
STATE COMMISSIONER BUT THE
CLAIMED STUDENTS WENT COMPLETELY
BLIND.
BUT THE TRUTH AS HE MADE IT UP.
HE LAID AND ADMITTED THE HOAX HE
ATTENDED THE LECTURE AND BECAME
CONCERNED HE WANTED TO SCARE
PEOPLE AWAY FROM THE DRUG BUT
THE HYSTERIA HIT ITS ABSOLUTE
PEAK WHEN NIXON
PASSED THE CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES
ACT, WHICH PLACED LSD AND
PSILOCYBIN IN THE MOST
RESTRICTIVE LEGAL CATEGORY
POSSIBLE, ALONGSIDE DRUGS LIKE
HEROIN, ESSENTIALLY STOPPING
MEDICAL RESEARCH DEAD IN ITS
TRACKS.
ONE RESEARCHER DESCRIBED THE
WORK AS BEING PUT IN THE "DEEP
FREEZE."
AND WHEN SCIENTISTS STARTED
WORKING WITH MDMA, IT, TOO, GOT
SWEPT UP INTO THE PANIC, WITH
THE JOURNAL SCIENCE ALLEGING
THAT JUST ONE USE CAN CAUSE
PERMANENT BRAIN DAMAGE IN
MONKEYS, A STUDY THAT GOT A LOT
OF ATTENTION BEFORE BEING
RETRACTED AFTER IT WAS FOUND
THAT THE MONKEYS HADN'T ACTUALLY
TAKEN MDMA AT ALL,
BUT INSTEAD, HAD BEEN GIVEN
METH.
AND THAT IS A VERY DIFFERENT
DRUG!
ANY STUDY'S RESULT IS GOING TO
CHANGE IF THE INDEPENDENT
VARIABLE IS SUDDENLY, AND
UNEXPECTEDLY, METH.
"WE'VE STUDIED THE VACCINE FOR
COVID AND THE PARTICIPANTS ARE
GOING APESHIT FOR IT!"
BUT IN RECENT YEARS, PERCEPTIONS
HAVE FINALLY BEGUN TO SHIFT,
WITH THE FDA GRANTING
BREAKTHROUGH STATUS TO SUPPORT
THE STUDY OF MDMA FOR TREATING
PTSD, AND DOING THE SAME FOR
PSILOCYBIN TO TREAT DEPRESSION.
AND AT THIS POINT, LET'S TALK
ABOUT EXACTLY WHY PSYCHEDELICS
CAN BE SO EFFECTIVE.
DIFFERENT ONES CAN WORK IN
DIFFERENT WAYS, BUT FOR
INSTANCE, RESEARCH SHOWS THAT
MDMA DAMPENS THE RESPONSE IN THE
AMYGDALA, WHICH IS THE
THREAT-DETECTING CENTER OF THE
BRAIN, MEANING YOU'RE ABLE TO
CONFRONT AND PROCESS TRAUMA THAT
YOU CAN'T OTHERWISE FACE.
HERE'S ONE RESEARCHER EXPLAINING
HOW IT WORKS WITH A STORY ABOUT
TAKING MDMA RECREATIONALLY IN
HIS YOUNGER DAYS.
I CAN REMEMBER ONE TIME AFTER
A RAVE, ALL OF US LYING AROUND
ALL LOVED UP AND SOMEBODY SAID,
"OH, WOW, THIS IS AMAZING.
IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL.
EVERYTHING'S SO PERFECT."
AND SOMEONE SAID, "LET'S THINK
OF THE WORST POSSIBLE THING WE
CAN IMAGINE."
AND SOMEONE SAID, "LET'S--
LET'S IMAGINE OUR MUMS DYING."
AND THEN SOMEONE SAID, "IT'S NOT
THAT BAD."
AND I DIDN'T KNOW IT THEN, BUT
THAT REALLY WAS WHAT MDMA DOES.
IT ALLOWS YOU TO THINK ABOUT AND
GO TO THOSE DARK, DIFFICULT,
FORBIDDEN AVOIDANT MEMORIES THAT
YOU NORMALLY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO
TOUCH.
John: THAT'S FASCINATING, AND
I'M GLAD THAT WORKED OUT FOR
HIM, BUT "LET'S IMAGINE OUR MUMS
DYING" DOESN'T SOUND AN AMAZING
TIME.
IT SOUNDS LIKE A RAVE DJ'D BY
WERNER HERZOG.
"LIFE IS FLEETING.
LET'S IMAGINE OUR MUMS DYING AS
A SOLEMN REMINDER THAT ALL WE
HAVE IS TONIGHT.
NOW, WAVE YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR
AS IF OUR SLOW PASSAGE TOWARDS
OBLIVION MAKES YOU JUST NOT
CARE."
[LAUGHTER]
[APPLAUSE]
NOW, TO BE CLEAR, PSYCHEDELIC
THERAPY INVOLVES MUCH MORE THAN
JUST TAKING A PILL.
THESE DRUGS ALONE DON'T
AUTOMATICALLY PRODUCE RESULTS.
USUALLY, TREATMENT ENTAILS
MULTIPLE SESSIONS LASTING MOST
OF THE DAY, IN WHICH YOU TAKE
MDMA OR PSILOCYBIN UNDER THE
SUPERVISION OF MEDICAL
PROFESSIONALS, AND THEN FOLLOW
UP WITH PROCESSING AND
AFTERCARE.
THEY'RE NOT A REPLACEMENT FOR
CONVENTIONAL TALK THERAPY, THEY
JUST SEEM TO MAKE YOU MUCH MORE
RECEPTIVE TO IT.
JUST WATCH THIS FORMER
FIREFIGHTER NARRATE VIDEO OF
HIMSELF, UNDERGOING
MDMA-ASSISTED THERAPY.
THIS IS YOUR FIRST MEDICATED
TREATMENT SESSION.
CORRECT.
THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF SOME
INTERESTING REVELATIONS ON THIS
VIDEO.
ARE YOU FEELING COMPLETELY
CONSCIOUS AND YOU'RE IN CONTROL
AND--
YEAH, I FELT LIKE I WAS ABLE
TO RELAX EVEN WHEN I WAS TALKING
THROUGH PROBABLY MY MOST
TRAUMATIC MEMORIES.
I DON'T THINK I'D SEEN A DEAD
PERSON UNTIL THEN.
FIRST ONE WAS GRUESOME, TOO.
IT WAS LIKE BEING ABLE TO TAKE A
BIG BREATH, YOU KNOW, AFTER
BEING STUCK UNDERWATER FOR A
LONG TIME.
John: YEAH, AND YOU CAN SEE
THE UTILITY OF HAVING TWO PEOPLE
EITHER SIDE OF THAT MAN, TALKING
HIM THROUGH THE EXPERIENCE.
AND IF IT SOUNDS LIKE I'M
TREATING "HAVING TWO PEOPLE TO
TALK TO ABOUT YOUR FEELINGS"
LIKE A RADICAL IDEA, YOU HAVE TO
REMEMBER I WAS BORN TRAGICALLY,
MEDICALLY BRITISH.
WHAT'S INTERESTING IS, IT'S NOT
JUST THAT YOUR FEAR IS MUTED,
YOUR BRAIN'S ABILITY TO MAKE
OTHER CONNECTIONS AND FORGE NEW
NEURAL PATHWAYS IS ALSO
HEIGHTENED.
MEANING THESE SESSIONS CAN
FUNDAMENTALLY ALTER THE WAY YOU
PROCESS THINGS.
THAT'S THOUGHT TO BE ONE REASON
WHY PSYCHEDELICS ARE SO
PROMISING FOR TREATING
CONDITIONS LIKE ADDICTION AND
DEPRESSION.
AND WHY THEY'RE PROVING
ESPECIALLY USEFUL FOR DEALING
WITH TRAUMA.
THAT'S WHAT MAKES THIS FORM OF
THERAPY PARTICULARLY APPEALING
TO VETERANS, AS PTSD IS AN
URGENT ISSUE FOR THEM.
IN 2019, OVER 6,000 VETERANS
DIED BY SUICIDE, A RATE
SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER THAN THE
GENERAL POPULATION.
AND IT'S NOT LIKE THE VA'S
CURRENT TREATMENT METHODS ARE
PARTICULARLY EFFECTIVE.
REMEMBER THE GUY FROM EARLIER,
WHO COMPARED PSYCHEDELIC
TREATMENT TO A BATHTUB FULL OF
PUPPIES?
LISTEN TO HIM DESCRIBE THE
MENTAL HEALTH CARE FROM THE VA.
HE INITIALLY RECEIVED.
I DROVE TO WOMACK ARMY
MEDICAL CENTER AT FORT BRAGG,
AND I SAID I WAS GONNA KILL
MYSELF.
THEY GAVE ME SIX XANAX, TOLD ME
NOT TO TAKE THEM ALL AT THE SAME
TIME BECAUSE IT MIGHT KILL ME.
THEY ASKED IF I HAD GUNS AT
HOME, AND I SAID YES, A LOT, AND
THEY ASKED IF I HAD AMMO, I SAID
YEAH, PLENTY.
AND THEY SAID OKAY WHEN YOU GET
HOME, GIVE ALL YOUR GUNS TO A
NEIGHBOR, THIS IS LIKE 4:00 IN
THE MORNING.
AND THEY SAID COME BACK AFTER
THE HOLIDAYS.
John: OKAY, I KNEW THE VA'S
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES WERE
SUBPAR, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW THEY
STOOPED TO "HERE'S A BUNCH OF
WAYS TO KILL YOURSELF, BUT HONOR
SYSTEM, DON'T.
ANYWAY, SEE YOU AFTER THE
SADDEST TIME OF THE YEAR!"
THANKFULLY, THAT GUY SAW SUCH A
PROFOUND CHANGE FROM MDMA
THERAPY THAT HE'S HELPING TO
LEAD A MOVEMENT TO ALLOW
PSYCHEDELICS TO BE USED TO TREAT
CONDITIONS LIKE PTSD, ENLISTING
HELP FROM DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKERS
LIKE AOC, AND EVEN REPUBLICAN
LEADERS LIKE RICK PERRY AND
DAN CRENSHAW.
AND THAT KIND OF BIPARTISAN
CONSENSUS HAS BROUGHT US TO THE
TIPPING POINT WE'RE AT NOW.
BECAUSE SO FAR, IN THE U.S.,
THESE DRUGS HAVE ONLY LEGALLY
BEEN AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE IN
CLINICAL TRIALS.
BUT OVER THE NEXT YEAR, IT'S
WIDELY ANTICIPATED THAT THE FDA
WILL APPROVE MDMA FOR CLINICAL
USE, WITH PSILOCYBIN EXPECTED TO
FOLLOW A FEW YEARS LATER, AND
MAYBE EVEN LSD ONE DAY.
MEANING WE MAY BE ABOUT TO
FINALLY REALIZE SOME OF THE HUGE
POTENTIAL OF PSYCHEDELICS.
WHICH IS GREAT.
BUT IT'S WORTH BEING VERY
CAREFUL AT THIS POINT TO MAKE
SURE WE DON'T REPEAT PAST
MISTAKES, OR, INDEED, MAKE NEW
ONES.
AND THOSE WHO WORK IN THIS FIELD
POINT TO A FEW BIG AREAS FOR
CAUTION.
THE FIRST CONCERNS HOW
PSYCHEDELICS ARE ADMINISTERED,
AND BY WHOM.
BECAUSE WHILE PEOPLE HAVE USED
THESE DRUGS RECREATIONALLY
FOREVER, AND WILL CONTINUE TO AT
PARTIES, AT RAVES, IN NATURE, OR
TO REALLY LIVEN UP A BAPTISM,
PSYCHEDELIC-ASSISTED THERAPY IS
NOT FOR EVERYONE.
FOR EXAMPLE, ANYONE WITH A
HISTORY OF SCHIZOPHRENIA OR
PSYCHOSIS MAY WANT TO STEER
CLEAR.
AND EVEN IF YOU ARE A GOOD
MATCH, BECAUSE THESE DRUGS CAN
PUT YOU IN AN INCREDIBLY
VULNERABLE STATE, EXPERTS
EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF
TRYING THEM IN A CONTROLLED
SETTING, WHICH IDEALLY WOULD
INVOLVE TWO PEOPLE PRESENT AT
ALL TIMES, AND EVEN VIDEOTAPING
THE SESSION LIKE THAT ONE THAT
YOU JUST SAW EARLIER.
THEY ADVISE THIS NOT JUST FOR
YOUR OWN SAFETY, BUT ALSO
BECAUSE, FOR ALL THEIR POTENTIAL
BENEFITS, THESE DRUGS AREN'T
ALWAYS A BATHTUB FULL OF
PUPPIES.
WE TELL PEOPLE THAT THEIR
EXPERIENCES MAY VARY, FROM VERY
POSITIVE TO, YOU KNOW,
TRANSCENDENT AND LOVELY, TO
LITERALLY HELL REALM
EXPERIENCES.
HELL REALM?
AS FRIGHTENING AN EXPERIENCE
AS YOU HAVE EVER HAD IN YOUR
LIFE.
John: THAT DOES SOUND BAD,
ALTHOUGH TO BE FAIR, YOU DON'T
NEED TO TAKE DRUGS TO GET TO THE
HELL REALM.
AFTER ALL, THAT'S WHY AIRPORTS
HAVE SBARRO'S.
BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT
EVEN THOSE IN STUDIES WHO'VE
REPORTED "HELL-REALM" TYPE
EXPERIENCES HAVE OFTEN STILL
FELT THEY'D BENEFITED FROM THE
TREATMENT.
BUT SAFETY IS NOT THE ONLY WORRY
HERE.
THERE ARE ALSO CONCERNS OVER
ACCESSIBILITY.
THESE TREATMENTS ARE LIKELY TO
BE VERY EXPENSIVE, AND THERE ARE
SOME PLAYERS ANGLING TO MAKE
THEM EVEN MORE SO.
JUST LOOK AT COMPASS PATHWAYS, A
FOR-PROFIT PSYCHEDELIC COMPANY
BACKED BY PETER THIEL.
IT SOUGHT, AND OBTAINED, PATENTS
TO PROTECT ITS FORMULATIONS OF
PSYCHEDELIC COMPOUNDS, WHICH
ALREADY SEEMS PRETTY AGGRESSIVE
FOR A DRUG THAT, REMEMBER, HAS
BEEN AROUND FOR THOUSANDS OF
YEARS.
AND COMPASS'S EXECUTIVES SEEMED
PRETTY DEFENSIVE WHEN THEY WERE
PRESSED ABOUT THIS.
DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE THAT
YOUR FORM OF PSILOCYBIN IS NOVEL
AND NON-OBVIOUS?
WELL, IT DOESN'T REALLY
MATTER WHAT WE BELIEVE.
WHAT DOES MATTER IS WHAT THE
U.S. PATENT OFFICE BELIEVES,
WHAT THE UK PATENT OFFICE
BELIEVES, WHAT GERMANY, WHAT
HONG KONG BELIEVES.
AND ALL OF THEM BELIEVE THAT
ACTUALLY IT IS, BECAUSE WE HAVE
THE GRANTED PATENTS.
John: OKAY, BUT, WE SHOULDN'T
NECESSARILY TRUST THE U.S.
PATENT OFFICE AS AN ARBITER OF
GOOD JUDGMENT.
THIS IS THE SAME PLACE THAT
ISSUED PATENTS FOR AN UMBRELLA
FOR YOUR BEER, A TRICYCLE WITH A
LAWNMOWER ATTACHED TO IT, AND A
STICK.
THAT'S IT, JUST A STICK FOR
ANIMALS TO PLAY WITH.
SOMEONE AT THE PATENT OFFICE SAW
THAT AND SAID, "WE'VE NEVER SEEN
A STICK BEFORE!
APPROVED!"
SO TAKE "WHAT THEY BELIEVE IS
IMPORTANT" WITH A PINCH OF SALT.
AND IT'S NOT JUST THE DRUG
FORMULATION.
COMPASS HAS ALSO TRIED TO PATENT
OTHER ASPECTS OF WHAT'S OFTEN
CALLED THE "SET AND SETTING" OF
TREATMENT, FROM THE ROOM
COMPRISING SOFT FURNITURE, OR
BEING DECORATED USING MUTED
COLORS, TO THE SUBJECT LYING ON
A BED OR ON A COUCH, OR "WEARING
LIKE ME CAP THOUGH MY PENTON
THING THE CONCEPT OF WEARING A
SUIT WHILE SITTING AT A DESK.
I'M CLEARLY NOT THE ONLY PERSON
WHO DOES THIS.
NOW IF I WERE TO PATENT THE
CONCEPT OF DOING THAT WHILE
MAKING YOU WONDER WHY THE FUCK
THE TV IS STILL ON AFTER
"THE LAST OF US" HAS ENDED.
THAT WOULD BE UNIQUE MY MY
THING.
NOW, THOSE "SET AND SETTING"
PATENT APPLICATIONS ARE STILL
PENDING, BUT THE VERY FACT THEY
APPLIED FOR THEM AT ALL IS A
PRETTY CLEAR SIGN OF JUST HOW
AGGRESSIVE COMPANIES IN THIS
SPACE INTEND TO BE GOING
FORWARD.
AND IT'S NOT LIKE THESE
TREATMENTS ARE GOING TO BE CHEAP
TO START WITH.
EXPERTS PROJECT A COURSE OF
PSYCHEDELIC THERAPY IS LIKELY TO
COST UPWARDS OF $15,000.
AND GIVEN THAT, AS WE'VE
DISCUSSED BEFORE ON THIS SHOW,
THERE'S CURRENTLY A MASSIVE
SHORTAGE OF MENTAL-HEALTH
PROFESSIONALS IN THIS COUNTRY,
DUE IN PART TO HOW FUCKED-UP OUR
HEALTH INSURANCE SYSTEM IS.
YOU CAN SEE HOW THIS COULD
EASILY BECOME A BIG MESS, OR
ONLY ACCESSIBLE TO THE
WEALTHIEST AMERICANS.
SO THERE'S A LOT TO FIGURE OUT
HERE EVEN BEFORE YOU GET TO
QUESTIONS LIKE, "WHO'LL REGULATE
PSYCHEDELIC THERAPY?"
BECAUSE THE FDA IS IN CHARGE OF
DRUGS, BUT IT DOESN'T REGULATE
THE PRACTICE OF MEDICINE.
NOW, STATE LAWS COULD COVER IT,
STATE REGULATORY AGENCIES COULD,
OR PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
MIGHT.
BUT SOMEONE HAS TO, BECAUSE IF
THEY DON'T, PEOPLE ARE LIKELY TO
GET HURT, WHICH COULD SEND US
ALL THE WAY BACK TO
FEARMONGERING, BANS, AND
RESEARCH GETTING PUT ON ICE.
WHICH IS THE LAST THING WE
SHOULD WANT TO HAPPEN.
BECAUSE THERE IS MASSIVE
POTENTIAL HERE.
THESE TREATMENTS HAVE SHOWN THAT
THEY CAN HAVE LASTING EFFECTS.
REMEMBER THE WORLD'S OLDEST
33-YEAR-OLD YOU SAW EARLIER,
WHOSE LSD TREATMENT SEEMED TO
HAVE CURBED HIS ALCOHOLISM?
CBS CAUGHT UP WITH HIM A
QUARTER-CENTURY LATER TO SEE HOW
THINGS WERE GOING, AND THE
ANSWER WAS "PRETTY WELL."
LSD ALLOWED ME TO SEE MY OWN
MIND.
THERE WAS A PROBLEM THAT I HAD
TO RESOLVE, AND I FACED IT, AND
IT DISAPPEARED.
FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, I WOULDN'T
TAKE A MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE
PEACE OF MIND THAT I OBTAINED
FROM THIS THERAPY.
IT WAS THAT GOOD, THAT
REFRESHING, THAT REJUVENATING.
AND THAT ENDURING.
John: EXACTLY, 30 YEARS
LATER, HE WAS STILL BENEFITING
FROM THE TREATMENT.
WHICH IS STRIKING.
YOU'D THINK THAT WE'D HAVE ACTED
ON EVIDENCE LIKE THAT, BUT
INSTEAD, WE'VE SPENT THE LAST
HALF-CENTURY TERRIFYING PEOPLE
WITH BOGUS SCIENCE AND GIVING
METH TO MONKEYS.
BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS, WE'RE
FINALLY MOVING FORWARD.
AND HOPEFULLY, WE'LL DO THAT
WITH REAL CAUTION AND REAL CARE.
BECAUSE IF WE DO, MAYBE, JUST
MAYBE ONE DAY, YOU'LL SEE ADS
FOR PSYCHEDELIC THERAPY ON TV
WITH A VOICEOVER WARNING YOU
THAT SIDE EFFECTS MAY INCLUDE
VISITS TO THE HELL REALM AND
RAINBOWS SHOOTING OUT OF YOUR
DICK.
AND NOW THIS.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
Announcer: AND NOW, NBC FOR
WASHINGTON'S PAT COLLINS.
THAT'S BITTERSWEET GOODBYE
FOR THE NEWS FAMILY AFTER 50
YEARS IN JOURNALISM, OUR FRIEND
AND COLLEAGUE PAT COLLINS IS
RETIRING.
JP, A GENTLEMAN'S CLUB IN
LUBBERS PARK.
TONIGHT, NO GENTLEMAN.
TONIGHT, NO LADIES.
TONIGHT, JUST A LOT OF NOTHING.
THIS IS HOW IT GOES.
ARE YOU ALL RIGHT, SIR?
DO YOU NEED SOME HELP, SIR?
DO YOU NEED TO GET SOMETHING OUT
OF YOUR CAR BEFORE WE STEAL IT,
SIR?
LOOK AT THE LIST, LOOK AT THE
LIST!
LOOK AT THE LIST.
WHILE NUMBER NINE, I'LL NUMBER
NINE
ATTENTION MAJOR SHOPLIFTING JOB
ON AISLE NUMBER NINE.
WHY IS THIS MAN RUNNING.
WAIT A MINUTE, HERE'S HIS OTHER
SHOE, IT'S IN THIS BAG!
AND THEN, AND THEN, NOT LONG
AFTER THE TAKEOFF OF THAT UNITED
767 PLANE, A PASSENGER LEANED
BACK INTO THE LOVE OF ANOTHER
PASSENGER APPEARED THERE IS A
FIGHT AND THE PILOT DECIDES TO
TURN THE PLAYING AROUND.
THEY FLEW ABOVE THE UNITED PLANE
ESCORTED AS IT LANDED HERE
BECAUSE YOU NEVER CAN BE TOO
SURE.
♪ ♪
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
John: THAT'S OUR SHOW,
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WATCHING.
WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK!
GOOD NIGHT!
ANY DISCIPLINARY ACTION, THEY
JUST HAVE TO ASSUME.
BUT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, YOU
MIGHT SEE THEIR POINT.
IT STARTS WITH A BANANA, THEN
ALL OF A SUDDEN HAVE AN APPLE
AND AN ORANGE AND THEN MAYBE A
GRAPE.
BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, YOU HAVE
FRUIT SALAD AT THE SCHOOLS!
WE CAN'T HAVE THAT.