Support on Patreon

#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.

Watch

Episode links

LSD Chemist William Leonard Pickard Has Been Released From Prison

Acid Chemist Pickard RELEASED from double life sentence (Video)

Order For Release (Highlighted)

Timeline of Gordon Todd Skinner

State of Oklahoma Department of Correction – Pre-Sentence Investigation Report: Krystle Cole

Subterranean Psychonaut

Sea of Radiance: An Interview with William Leonard Pickard

Halperngate

Halperngate (Video)

Underground LSD Palace (Video)

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.

Psymposia is a 501(c)(3) non-profit media organization. We depend on contributions from our readers and listeners, never ads. If you like the show please donate or support us on Patreon. Patreon supporters get bonus videos and more.

Join Our Newsletter

Independent reporting. Critical analysis. In your inbox.

Previous episodes

#10 – This Is What Psychedelic Mainstreaming Looks Like

March 4, 2020

It's not the Hokey Pokey, but psychedelic mainstreaming seems to be what it's all about. We explore some of the realities and questions of what it means to take psychedelics "mainstream.”

#9 – Lucy In the Sky with Nazis

February 14, 2020

We discuss our recent article, Lucy in the Sky with Nazis: Psychedelics and the Right Wing, which stirred up quite a bit of controversy. So to stir things up a little more, we’ve unpacked some of our perspectives while exploring questions of psychedelics as non-specific amplifiers of consciousness, the far right, the so-called “Intellectual Dark Web,” white supremacy, and psychedelics and social change.

#8 – Manufacturing Authority

February 6, 2020

Well, it’s official, psychedelics have entered the corporate-wellness mainstream. If you have any doubts, check out Gwyneth Paltrow’s new Netflix series, The Goop Lab. Or maybe don’t.

#7 – Why We Do What We Do

December 31, 2019

The team shares their personal stories and talk about how and why they became involved in psychedelic advocacy and drug policy reform. Happy New Year y’alls.

#6 – Abusing Power: Taking Predatory Daniel Pinchbeck At His Word

December 18, 2019

Pinchbeck has made it exhaustingly clear in his own words that as soon as he gained a modicum of power and status, he used it to exploit women. Why are some members of the psychedelic community so insistent that he get it back?

#5 – Psychedelics X Climate Crisis

December 11, 2019

The team explores the Psychedelic/Climate-Change connection, and tools for addressing existential crisis. Climate change is the challenge of our era, but the media still distracts us with comparatively trivial matters.

#4 – Psilocybin Incorporated

October 19, 2019

The crew recaps the Economic Models for the Expansion of Psychedelics panel at the Horizons Perspectives on Psychedelics conference in New York. They also discuss the corrosive effects that Compass Pathways, a for-profit psilocybin startup has had in psychedelic science and research.

#3 – Live From Brooklyn: The Set and Setting of the Psychedelic Renaissance is Capitalism

October 12, 2019

Live from Brooklyn, New York, the team discusses psychedelic science unfolding in a capitalist culture and deconstructs the 'Standard Story' of psychedelic medicalization. They also talk about incoming corporations seeking to capitalize on psychedelic medicines, and ongoing decriminalization efforts across the country.

#2 – Decriminalization Now!

October 1, 2019

The historical record is clear - drug prohibition is directly connected to the prosecution of minorities: ethnic or political. Not only do we see a complete lack of scientific or evidentiary basis for prohibition and criminalization, we can see it has been a product of white supremacy, xenophobia, misogyny, and imperialism. 

#1 – We Hope Michael Pollan Changes His Mind

May 19, 2019

Michael Pollan thinks we’re not ready to decriminalize psilocybin, despite his media tour where he capitalized on the rising wave of psychedelic normalization. The team critically examines his New York Times op-ed where he urges caution, and why we think he's wrong.

Previous episodes

#10 – This Is What Psychedelic Mainstreaming Looks Like

March 4, 2020

It's not the Hokey Pokey, but psychedelic mainstreaming seems to be what it's all about. We explore some of the realities and questions of what it means to take psychedelics "mainstream.”

#9 – Lucy In the Sky with Nazis

February 14, 2020

We discuss our recent article, Lucy in the Sky with Nazis: Psychedelics and the Right Wing, which stirred up quite a bit of controversy. So to stir things up a little more, we’ve unpacked some of our perspectives while exploring questions of psychedelics as non-specific amplifiers of consciousness, the far right, the so-called “Intellectual Dark Web,” white supremacy, and psychedelics and social change.

#8 – Manufacturing Authority

February 6, 2020

Well, it’s official, psychedelics have entered the corporate-wellness mainstream. If you have any doubts, check out Gwyneth Paltrow’s new Netflix series, The Goop Lab. Or maybe don’t.

#7 – Why We Do What We Do

December 31, 2019

The team shares their personal stories and talk about how and why they became involved in psychedelic advocacy and drug policy reform. Happy New Year y’alls.

#6 – Abusing Power: Taking Predatory Daniel Pinchbeck At His Word

December 18, 2019

Pinchbeck has made it exhaustingly clear in his own words that as soon as he gained a modicum of power and status, he used it to exploit women. Why are some members of the psychedelic community so insistent that he get it back?

#5 – Psychedelics X Climate Crisis

December 11, 2019

The team explores the Psychedelic/Climate-Change connection, and tools for addressing existential crisis. Climate change is the challenge of our era, but the media still distracts us with comparatively trivial matters.

#4 – Psilocybin Incorporated

October 19, 2019

The crew recaps the Economic Models for the Expansion of Psychedelics panel at the Horizons Perspectives on Psychedelics conference in New York. They also discuss the corrosive effects that Compass Pathways, a for-profit psilocybin startup has had in psychedelic science and research.

#3 – Live From Brooklyn: The Set and Setting of the Psychedelic Renaissance is Capitalism

October 12, 2019

Live from Brooklyn, New York, the team discusses psychedelic science unfolding in a capitalist culture and deconstructs the 'Standard Story' of psychedelic medicalization. They also talk about incoming corporations seeking to capitalize on psychedelic medicines, and ongoing decriminalization efforts across the country.

#2 – Decriminalization Now!

October 1, 2019

The historical record is clear - drug prohibition is directly connected to the prosecution of minorities: ethnic or political. Not only do we see a complete lack of scientific or evidentiary basis for prohibition and criminalization, we can see it has been a product of white supremacy, xenophobia, misogyny, and imperialism. 

#1 – We Hope Michael Pollan Changes His Mind

May 19, 2019

Michael Pollan thinks we’re not ready to decriminalize psilocybin, despite his media tour where he capitalized on the rising wave of psychedelic normalization. The team critically examines his New York Times op-ed where he urges caution, and why we think he's wrong.

Psymposia is a 501(c)(3) non-profit media organization that offers critical perspectives on drugs, politics, and culture. We reject corporate advertising and rely on contributions from our readers and listeners. Click here to donate today.

Privacy. Terms of Use. © Psymposia, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Psymposia is a 501(c)(3) research non-profit with a mission to educate the public on psychedelic science and harm reduction.

Privacy Terms of Use

shiftnav-1