Even as interest in psychedelics grows, the lack of formal scientific data on the drugs—and the fact that they’re illegal in most of the world—means businesses entering the market typically seek to create prescription medications for specific ailments. But a handful of companies are trying to sell mind-expanding substances to customers ranging from corporate executives to their blue-collar employees.
These upstarts are focusing on jurisdictions where drugs such as psilocybin and ketamine are legal, betting they’ll be able to expand when more places decriminalize or legalize popular substances like ayahuasca and MDMA. Oregon, for example, will introduce licensed therapeutic use of psilocybin next year, and several cities have decriminalized plant-based drugs used for spiritual or religious purposes.
