Santa Fe Psychedelic Society - Exploring Bringing Psilocybin into Medical Use

## Santa Fe Psychedelic Society: Gathering in Circle

An Invitation to Our January Community Meeting...

## About our next meeting:

Sara McKenzie will present:
Challenges Facing the Use of Psilocybin in the US Medical System
Psilocybin has shown remarkable promise for treating conditions that modern medicine often struggles to address—but turning that promise into approved, accessible care is far from simple.

Psilocybin mushrooms have been used for centuries in indigenous cultures, particularly in ceremonial contexts to facilitate spiritual insight, divination, and communion with the sacred. Historical records show they were also employed for healing purposes, addressing conditions understood as spiritual, psychological, or psychosomatic rather than purely physical. Today, researchers are studying psilocybin for medical applications, with a renewed clinical interest in its potential to treat conditions such as depression, anxiety, and addiction.

This talk explores three major challenges to bringing psilocybin into mainstream medical use: how it is made and standardized, how clinical studies are designed and conducted, and how patents and ownership shape drug development. Federal regulations create significant challenges to research, while the current pharmaceutical system favors treatments that promise strong financial returns.

Understanding these challenges is a crucial first step toward developing safe, effective, and ethical psilocybin-based therapies that meet the needs of modern healthcare.

In April 2025, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed Senate Bill 219, known as the Medical Psilocybin Act, into law. This legislation establishes a regulated program for the medical use of psilocybin, a naturally occurring psychedelic compound, to treat qualified medical conditions such as major treatment-resistant depression, PTSD, substance use disorders, and end-of-life care. The program is set to be fully implemented by December 31, 2027, with select programs being implemented by December 31, 2026.

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Medical Psilocybin Advisory Board Committee Meetings
The New Mexico Department of Health Medical Psilocybin Program is excited to be able to assist the Medical Psilocybin Advisory Board in their announcement for the launch of the Medical Psilocybin Advisory Board Committees. We are grateful for your interest to provide your knowledge and expertise on the committee(s) which will guide and inform the program in the delivery of services.

Individuals do not need to apply to be on these committees, they only need to attend to participate. People are not limited to being on one committee and are welcome to join as many of the committee meetings as they are interested in attending; however, please note, you must register in advance.

To review the purposes and goals of the committees, please visit the Medical Psilocybin Advisory Board Meeting Records website (https://www.nmhealth.org/about/mcpp/mpp/mpab/mr/) document titled ”Medical Psilocybin Advisory Board Committee Structure”

Committee Meeting Dates, Times, and Links (click on the name of the committee to register):
Patient Qualification & Safety – Friday, January 2nd 9:00-11:00am; Ian Dunn, Chair.
Equity, Access, and Cultural Considerations – Friday, January 2nd 11:00am-1:00pm; DezBaa’, Chair.
Equity, Access, and Cultural Considerations – Wednesday, January 7th 5:30pm-6:30pm; DezBaa’, Chair.
End of Life Care – Thursday, January 8th 3:00-5:00pm; Larry Leeman, Chair.
Research and Continuous Improvement – Friday, January 9th 9:00-11:00am; Dan Jennings, Chair.
Propagation Committee – Friday, January 9th 3:00-5:00pm; Chris Peskuski, Chair.
Dosage, Administration & Clinical Practice – Wednesday, January 14th 9:00-11:00 AM; Ian Dunn, Chair:
Training and Education – Friday, January 23rd 1:00-3:00pm; Brenda Burgard, Chair.

All meetings listed above will be conducted on the Microsoft Teams platform and will be recorded.

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REQUEST: Hey everyone! We're going to need a bigger location soon. Ideally, we will find a space willing to donate vs. rent. Please let me know if you have any connections or great ideas about a beautiful indoor venue that can hold 40+ people comfortably.

Hope to see you there,
Gina Devani
Psychedelic Integration & Mentorship
Founder Santa Fe Psychedelic Society
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The Santa Fe Psychedelic Society is a space of reverence, inquiry, and connection—a place to explore the transformative potential of psychedelic experiences in a grounded and welcoming community. Whether you’re newly curious or have walked the path of expanded states of consciousness for many years, you are invited to join us in circle.

Our vision is rooted in a deep commitment:
To promote the responsible and beneficial use of psychedelics,
To destigmatize these powerful tools for healing, insight, and creativity,
To educate the public with integrity, humility, and openness, and
To support the well-being and interconnectedness of our local community here in Santa Fe.

Our gatherings are intended to be inclusive, respectful spaces for shared wisdom, learning, and belonging. This is a movement of thoughtful engagement—one that honors both the mystery and the medicine.

*****If you or someone you know are ever having a challenging time during or following a psychedelic trip/journey, OR you're prepping for a psychedelic trip/journey and want some support... reach out to The Fireside Project. They're devoted to helping and harm reduction for psychedelic experiences.

## Our Guiding Values:

• Radical inclusivity—we welcome all bodies, backgrounds, beliefs, and experiences
• Integrity, consent, and relational care
• Honoring Indigenous wisdom and ancestral knowledge
• Ongoing integration as a spiritual practice
• Recognition that healing is personal, collective, and ecological

Whether you come with questions, lived experience, visionary stories, or quiet curiosity, your presence matters. Together we are remembering what it means to sit in sacred community, shaped by reverence, responsibility, and radical authenticity.

We gather not only to explore psychedelics, but to tend to the wider garden of transformation—of healing, truth-telling, reciprocity, joy, and belonging.

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⚠️ Community Guidelines & Disclaimer
The Santa Fe Psychedelic Society is committed to fostering safe, ethical, and compassionate spaces for education, reflection, and connection.

We do not facilitate, promote, or encourage the use, procurement, or distribution of illegal substances at any of our meetings or through any of our communications. This is not a space for soliciting ceremonies, sourcing substances, or arranging underground retreats. We ask that all participants respect this boundary. Your presence in this community affirms your agreement to not engage in or request such activities through our gatherings or correspondence.

Our events are designed to offer education, peer dialogue, and harm reduction support. Any stories or content shared during our gatherings are for reflective and educational purposes only, and are not intended as substitutes for medical, psychiatric, or therapeutic advice.

We hold this space with the intention of nurturing spiritual, psychological, and communal well-being through responsible conversation, inquiry, and integration. By participating, you agree to uphold the integrity of the space—and help us protect its purpose, safety, and accessibility for all who enter.

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