UC Merced Undergraduate Research Journal

Psychedelic substances, which were once categorized as Schedule 1 drugs, are gaining public attention for their potential to treat individuals with mental conditions. Every Schedule 1 drug was once considered to have no medicinal value, with the potential for high abuse, but recent research has suggested otherwise. LySergic acid Diethylamide (LSD) and MethyleneDioxy-MethAmphetamine (MDMA) are two Schedule 1 class substances, which have been studied on a diverse amount of subjects and shown to have positive benefits on the physical and mental psyche with no potential for addiction or bodily harm. Moreover, studies regarding neuroplasticity in humans displayed benefits in how the brain can restructure itself through new learning while under the influence of psychedelic substances. Psychedelic substances are becoming more accessible to scientists, who now have legal authority to conduct research regarding their advantages to further investigate the benefits and unfound knowledge. As new information about psychedelic substances progress, and are now being introduced to the public, regulations are needed in order to uphold public demand. Open source projects, which are accessible to the public, such as Golden Euphorics at goldeneuphorics.org, have already contributed to providing individuals with safe and reliable products. Although psychedelic substances have made a significant amount of progress in the realm of medicine, and psychological sciences, further research is required to ensure safety of the public.