Psychedelic Sensationalism: An Analysis of the Schedule Classification of Psilocybin
Vanderbilt Undergraduate Research Journal April 24, 2023 Elisabeth Jean Wood
Psilocybin, the psychoactive component in magic mushrooms, was classified as a Schedule I drug under the 1970 Controlled Substances Act despite known medical benefits and a lack of serious side effects. This classification imposed the highest legal penalties and banned all use, including medical. The paper argues that psilocybin's reputation was damaged by its association with the 1960s and 1970s counterculture movement. Drug regulation served as a form of social control to suppress progressive youth ideals and reinforce conservative American values, rather than being based on the drug's biochemical properties.