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With few effective mental health treatments available in the U.S., many people have been leaving the country to try psychedelic therapies.

Despite their potential to treat an array of conditions — from depression, PTSD, and substance use disorders — most psychedelics have been illegal in the U.S. for decades.

In this Petrie Dish three-part special series, Psychedelics and the Texas Trip, host Bonnie Petrie and reporter Robin Berghaus talk to the unlikely allies who united to pass a landmark bill, HB 1802, in the Texas Legislature that funded a psilocybin clinical trial.

They speak with experts about the science of psychedelics, potential health benefits and risks, and why most psychedelics were made illegal, which hindered research for decades.

They also explore what must happen so people living in the U.S. — who might benefit from psychedelic therapies — can safely and affordably access these treatments at home.

This series is supported by a Ferriss — UC Berkeley Psychedelic Journalism Fellowship.

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