THE HILL:
Johns Hopkins Medicine announced Wednesday it is opening a new research center to test the effectiveness of so-called magic mushrooms and other psychedelic drugs to treat mental health issues and addiction.
The Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research, which Johns Hopkins said is believed to be the first such research facility in the U.S., is being backed by a $17 million donation from private donors. The university said the center will rely on private donations as federal funding cannot be used for such research involving illegal drugs.
“The center’s establishment reflects a new era of research in therapeutics and the mind through studying this unique and remarkable class of pharmacological compounds,” Roland Griffiths, the center’s director and a professor of behavioral biology, said in a statement. “In addition to studies on new therapeutics, we plan to investigate creativity and well-being in healthy volunteers that we hope will open up new ways to support human thriving.”
