#20 – The LSD Silo Bust (Everything You Wanted to Know and a Few Things You Didn’t)

August 27, 2020

In response to the unexpected early release of William Leonard Pickard from prison, we discuss some of the characters and stories surrounding the case. Having served twenty years of a double life sentence for conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and dispense LSD— charges which he disputes— Pickard has never spoken publicly about the specifics of his case, and some of the drug-media coverage of this story has evidenced glaring omissions. Using court documents, lesser-known first-person accounts, and excerpts from Pickard’s book, The Rose of Paracelsus: On Secrets & Sacraments, we call attention to some of the murkier aspects of this story in an attempt to paint a fuller picture of what is, perhaps, the most notorious psychedelic story of the 21st century.

Co-hosts: Brian Normand, Neşe Devenot, David Nickles, Brian Pace. Editor: Matt Payne.

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Plus Three goes deep into the world of drugs, from local decriminalization and emerging psychedelic corporations, to leftist politics and mass incarceration. Each week we attempt to make sense of the complex connections between drugs, science, capitalism, policy, and culture.

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Previous episodes


#41 – We (Still) Hope Michael Pollan Changes His Mind

The crew reviews Michael Pollan’s recent New York Times Op-Ed "How Should We Do Drugs Now?”

#40 – Part Two: Has Atai Taken the Psychedelic Throne from MAPS? (The Murderous Dictator Episode)

In Part Two Normie, Dave, Russell, and Sarvesh continue their conversation about Atai Life Sciences and how the introduction of for-profit psychedelic pharmaceutical corporations have shifted capital away from non-profits. This episode gets extra wacky and dark as they dive into Atai Founder & Chairman Christian Angermayer's role on Rwandan president Paul Kagame's Advisory Council.

#39 – Part One: Has Atai Life Sciences Taken the Psychedelic Throne From MAPS?

Brian Normand, David Nickles, and Russell Hausfeld are joined by new team member, Sarvesh Ramprakash, to discuss Atai Life Sciences' recent IPO on Nasdaq. They also discuss and provide updates on Russell's previous 2020 report exploring how the introduction of for-profit psychedelic pharmaceutical corporations has shifted capital away from non-profits.

#38 – Part Two: The Psychedelic Capitalism Debate That Wasn’t

In Part Two, the Psymposia crew continues to deconstruct a conversation between two self-described entrepreneurs who recently discussed psychedelics and medicalization during an event called Psychedelic Capitalism with Alexander Beiner [Rebel Wisdom] and Lars Wilde [COMPASS Pathways, Atai Life Sciences]— while studiously avoiding a debate of capitalism altogether.

#37 – Part One: The Psychedelic Capitalism Debate That Wasn’t

The Psymposia crew deconstructs a conversation between two self-described entrepreneurs who recently discussed psychedelics and medicalization during an event called Psychedelic Capitalism with Alexander Beiner [Rebel Wisdom] and Lars Wilde [COMPASS Pathways, Atai Life Sciences]— while studiously avoiding a debate of capitalism altogether.

#36 – Ioan Grillo – Pt. 2 – Blood Gun Money: How America Arms Gangs and Cartels

In this episode we sit down with journalist Ioan Grillo to discuss his newest book, Blood Gun Money, which is a look at how the illegal gun and drug trades are intertwined, and how U.S. gun laws result in firearms making their way into black market in Mexico and Latin America, including into the hands of drug cartels.

#35 – Ioan Grillo – Pt. 1 – Blood Gun Money: How America Arms Gangs and Cartels

In this episode we sit down with journalist Ioan Grillo to discuss his newest book, Blood Gun Money, which is a look at how the illegal gun and drug trades are intertwined, and how U.S. gun laws result in firearms making their way into black market in Mexico and Latin America, including into the hands of drug cartels.

#34 – Psychedelic Anarchy with Thought Slime

Psymposia sits down with Thought Slime to chat about carving out a leftist space in psychedelia.

#33 – Queering psychedelics and tripping out on gender with Jae Sevelius

Psymposia advisory board member and psychedelic researcher, Jae Sevelius, joins us to talk about queer theory, psychedelic research with transgender and gender diverse people, and what happens when political assumptions go unexamined in both research contexts and the world at large. Drawing on the work of Dr. Sevelius, as well as Dr. Devenot and Dr. Ross, we discuss some of the ways that research and social relations reproduce the logic of mainstream culture, and how queering acts as barrier to and disruption of that reproduction.

#32 – It’s All Red Flags: 5-MeO-DMT with Dr. Martin Ball

Psymposia editors discuss Dr. Martin Ball’s “session info” document that the retired 5-MeO-DMT practitioner sent to Psymposia. Dr. Ball has referenced the document in defense of his practices and cites it as evidence that his clients consented to him touching their genitals or vomiting on them while under the influence of 5-MeO-DMT.

Previous episodes


#41 – We (Still) Hope Michael Pollan Changes His Mind

The crew reviews Michael Pollan’s recent New York Times Op-Ed "How Should We Do Drugs Now?”

#40 – Part Two: Has Atai Taken the Psychedelic Throne from MAPS? (The Murderous Dictator Episode)

In Part Two Normie, Dave, Russell, and Sarvesh continue their conversation about Atai Life Sciences and how the introduction of for-profit psychedelic pharmaceutical corporations have shifted capital away from non-profits. This episode gets extra wacky and dark as they dive into Atai Founder & Chairman Christian Angermayer's role on Rwandan president Paul Kagame's Advisory Council.

#39 – Part One: Has Atai Life Sciences Taken the Psychedelic Throne From MAPS?

Brian Normand, David Nickles, and Russell Hausfeld are joined by new team member, Sarvesh Ramprakash, to discuss Atai Life Sciences' recent IPO on Nasdaq. They also discuss and provide updates on Russell's previous 2020 report exploring how the introduction of for-profit psychedelic pharmaceutical corporations has shifted capital away from non-profits.

#38 – Part Two: The Psychedelic Capitalism Debate That Wasn’t

In Part Two, the Psymposia crew continues to deconstruct a conversation between two self-described entrepreneurs who recently discussed psychedelics and medicalization during an event called Psychedelic Capitalism with Alexander Beiner [Rebel Wisdom] and Lars Wilde [COMPASS Pathways, Atai Life Sciences]— while studiously avoiding a debate of capitalism altogether.

#37 – Part One: The Psychedelic Capitalism Debate That Wasn’t

The Psymposia crew deconstructs a conversation between two self-described entrepreneurs who recently discussed psychedelics and medicalization during an event called Psychedelic Capitalism with Alexander Beiner [Rebel Wisdom] and Lars Wilde [COMPASS Pathways, Atai Life Sciences]— while studiously avoiding a debate of capitalism altogether.

#36 – Ioan Grillo – Pt. 2 – Blood Gun Money: How America Arms Gangs and Cartels

In this episode we sit down with journalist Ioan Grillo to discuss his newest book, Blood Gun Money, which is a look at how the illegal gun and drug trades are intertwined, and how U.S. gun laws result in firearms making their way into black market in Mexico and Latin America, including into the hands of drug cartels.

#35 – Ioan Grillo – Pt. 1 – Blood Gun Money: How America Arms Gangs and Cartels

In this episode we sit down with journalist Ioan Grillo to discuss his newest book, Blood Gun Money, which is a look at how the illegal gun and drug trades are intertwined, and how U.S. gun laws result in firearms making their way into black market in Mexico and Latin America, including into the hands of drug cartels.

#34 – Psychedelic Anarchy with Thought Slime

Psymposia sits down with Thought Slime to chat about carving out a leftist space in psychedelia.

#33 – Queering psychedelics and tripping out on gender with Jae Sevelius

Psymposia advisory board member and psychedelic researcher, Jae Sevelius, joins us to talk about queer theory, psychedelic research with transgender and gender diverse people, and what happens when political assumptions go unexamined in both research contexts and the world at large. Drawing on the work of Dr. Sevelius, as well as Dr. Devenot and Dr. Ross, we discuss some of the ways that research and social relations reproduce the logic of mainstream culture, and how queering acts as barrier to and disruption of that reproduction.

#32 – It’s All Red Flags: 5-MeO-DMT with Dr. Martin Ball

Psymposia editors discuss Dr. Martin Ball’s “session info” document that the retired 5-MeO-DMT practitioner sent to Psymposia. Dr. Ball has referenced the document in defense of his practices and cites it as evidence that his clients consented to him touching their genitals or vomiting on them while under the influence of 5-MeO-DMT.

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