Welcome to issue #12 of The Ethical Trip! In this issue:

• Why does the Queensland LNP really hate drug-checking?

• Should psychedelic therapists share the risks their clients face?

• How can we use N2O more safely?

For all this, plus research, humour and a corporate sponsor whose ability to misinterpret Jung knows no bounds, read on!

As always I’m deeply grateful to my readers, especially those who have the means and motivation to support me financially by buying me a coffee cactus. Massive thanks also to everyone who shares my work on social media or by forwarding the email to a friend.

Table of Contents

1. Industry Insights:

   1. Research Round-up

   2. Drug checking in QLD

2. Philosophical Brief: Should therapists share PAT r …

3. Consultancy Corner: Safer N2O Use

4. News from our sponsors:

Industry Insights:

Research Round-up

It’s interesting to see the diverse range of humanities-driven research that was published this fortnight. I think it’s particularly heartening to see doctoral theses addressing under-researched areas or questioning ‘conventional wisdom’ in sometimes unexpected ways..

In the first thesis off the rank, Casas (2025) looked at the lived experiences of BIPOC individuals who’d undergone psychedelic assisted psychotherapy, identifying the need for more culturally informed and culturally sensitive treatment protocols, as well as the need to address systemic oppression and for more BIPOC therapists in the field.

Ashbaugh (2025) gives us an extremely interesting theses in which they investigate the effects of psilocybin on adults with prior psychotic symptoms, documenting both negative and beneficial experiences, and challenging the “rigid contraindication of psychedelics for individuals with prior psychoses”, suggesting a nuanced approach is more justified than blanket exclusion.

Returning to journal articles, Day & Grooff (2025) make strong arguments, not just against prohibition of psychedelics, but against decriminalization or overly tight legal regulation. Instead, they support “communalization” - blending individual liberty with community supports. Is it radical? Yes. Do I think they’re right in their critiques of incrementalism? Also yes. (Can you tell that I liked this one?)

Genzon and Bartlett (2025) analyse the spiritual and religions impacts of psychedelic experiences, reinforcing the need to address these aspects to optimize benefits and reduce harms.

Lots more good stuff below, but only for subscribers!