2019: A year of expansion in psychedelic research, industry, and deregulation

Public and scientific interest in psychedelic drugs increased steadily over two decades and then grew exponentially in recent years, with 2019 bringing notable changes in science, industry, and deregulation. The article synthesizes these developments, including the establishment of psychedelic research centers, novel drug applications, and international expansion that solidified the field's place in science. Business and pharmaceutical industries stimulated considerable investment and innovation in psychedelics for the first time. In the US, successful decriminalization efforts and endorsements by political figures like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Andrew Yang, and heads of the NIH and FDA represented unprecedented regulatory changes. The article serves as a summary of emerging research themes, industrial innovations, and attitude shifts in 2019.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Public and scientific interest into psychedelic drugs has grown steadily over much of the last two decades, before an exponential increase in recent years. We contend that 2019, in particular, involved myriad notable changes in the science, industry, and deregulation of psychedelic drugs. However, it is becoming increasingly difficult for professionals to keep up-to-date on these advancements given the rapid growth of the field. Further, broad contemporary synopses are critical in maintaining records in the history of science. To address these concerns, this article synthesizes the significant number of scientific, business, and regulatory changes related to psychedelic drugs which occurred in 2019. Establishment of psychedelic research centers, novel applications of the drugs, and international expansion of the field in 2019 seemed to solidify psychedelic research’s place in science. Additionally, many in the business and pharmaceutical industries stimulated considerable investment and innovation in psychedelics for the first time. In the US, successful decriminalization efforts and endorsements by eminent political figures, such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Andrew Yang, and the heads of the NIH and FDA, in 2019 were representative of unprecedented regulatory changes. Collectively, this article serves as a succinct summary of the changes psychedelic drugs made across various levels of society in 2019—by coalescing emerging research themes, industrial innovations, and attitude shifts.