Psilocybin was first identified and isolated in the late 1950s by Albert Hofmann, a Swiss chemist famous for discovering LSD. During the 1950s and 1960s, psilocybin, along with other psychedelics, was the subject of intense research for its therapeutic potential in a variety of mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, and alcoholism. By the 1970s, research on psychedelics had largely ground to a halt due to the banning of hallucinogenic substances in many countries. However, beginning in the late 1990s and early 2000s, there was a resurgence of scientific interest in psilocybin. Researchers began to re-examine its therapeutic potential, particularly for conditions such as treatment-resistant depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and anxiety associated with terminal cancer.

The main motivation for this project is twofold: the social taboo against the use of the substance and the conflict with the pharmaceutical industry.

The social taboo surrounding psilocybin and other psychedelics has historical, cultural and political roots that have influenced public perception, legislation and scientific research on these substances.

The main one is stigmatization, precisely because media and government campaigns often portrayed psychedelics as dangerous and responsible for antisocial behavior and psychological harm. In addition, myths and exaggerations, such as using narratives without scientific basis, about the dangers of psychedelics, such as permanent brain damage or extreme behavior, contributed to public fear. In addition, in Brazil, we have an anti-drug policy that reinforces criminalization and stigma, hindering research and medical use.

As for the conflict with the pharmaceutical industry, we are initially impacted by the business model of this traditional industry that depends on medications that need to be taken continuously, generating recurring revenue. Psilocybin, on the other hand, can offer lasting benefits after just one or a few sessions, which can threaten business models based on chronic treatments. We also run into the issue of patents and intellectual property in how we treat psilocybin, which is a natural molecule and therefore cannot be patented in the same way as synthetic compounds. Pharmaceutical companies have less financial incentive to invest in something they cannot easily monopolize. We also have issues of stigma and legislation itself, because in addition to psilocybin facing significant stigma due to its association with the counterculture of the 1960s and its classification as a controlled substance in many countries, this creates regulatory barriers that make research and commercialization difficult.