<description>&lt;p&gt;Kava has become one of the most popular &amp;quot;alcohol alternatives&amp;quot; in many Western countries in recent decades. But for thousands of years, it held an important spiritual and political role in Pacific Island societies, and was viewed as a major threat by Christian missionaries from Europe. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In this episode, I unpack kava&amp;#39;s history, focusing on Vanuatu and Fiji to explore the intersection of race, religion, culture, and mythology as it relates to this remarkable root. &lt;/p&gt;
</description>

Kava has become one of the most popular &quot;alcohol alternatives&quot; in many Western countries in recent decades. But for thousands of years, it held an important spiritual and political role in Pacific Island societies, and was viewed as a major threat by Christian missionaries from Europe. In this episode, I unpack kava&#39;s history, focusing on Vanuatu and Fiji to explore the intersection of race, religion, culture, and mythology as it relates to this remarkable root.

E18 - Kava and Christianity in the Pacific

<description>&lt;p&gt;I sit down with Dennis Walker from the Mycopreneur podcast for a wide-ranging conversation on psychedelic consumer packaged goods, biopiracy, and how to best keep people safe and informed as psychedelic drugs continue to proliferate through non-traditional channels. &lt;/p&gt;
</description>

I sit down with Dennis Walker from the Mycopreneur podcast for a wide-ranging conversation on psychedelic consumer packaged goods, biopiracy, and how to best keep people safe and informed as psychedelic drugs continue to proliferate through non-traditional channels.

E17 - Psychedelic Gray Markets ft. Mycopreneur

<description>&lt;p&gt;Mormons are notoriously straight-edged; for most, temperance not only includes alcohol, but stimulants like coffee as well. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In this episode of Drug Cultures, I explore the ways in which that may not have been the case in the past. I take a look at the &amp;quot;psychedelic origins of Mormonism&amp;quot; hypothesis, and do a deep dive into the history of Fred M Smith: the grandson of Joseph the prophet who advocated for his church to accept the religious use of peyote. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Link to the study I referenced in the episode: https://akjournals.com/view/journals/2054/3/2/article-p212.xml&lt;/p&gt;
</description>

Mormons are notoriously straight-edged; for most, temperance not only includes alcohol, but stimulants like coffee as well. In this episode of Drug Cultures, I explore the ways in which that may not have been the case in the past. I take a look at the &quot;psychedelic origins of Mormonism&quot; hypothesis, and do a deep dive into the history of Fred M Smith: the grandson of Joseph the prophet who advocated for his church to accept the religious use of peyote. Link to the study I referenced in the episode: https://akjournals.com/view/journals/2054/3/2/article-p212.xml

E16 - Peyote Mormons

<description>&lt;p&gt;I debrief the recent Psychedelic Science 2025 conference, particularly the panels on Israeli and Palestinian perspectives on psychedelic therapy for conflict-related trauma. This episode dives into MAPS Israel&amp;#39;s studies of the effect of MDMA and LSD on the survivors of the 10/7 attack, and the way in which collective trauma is used to justify the ongoing genocide in Gaza. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As President Trump announces that the US has just bombed Iranian nuclear sites, it is more important than ever that we all raise our collective voices in opposition to this unjustified and certainly soon-to-be-catastrophic war in Iran. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Opening music: &lt;a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsdyHzz7eXs" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer"&gt;Sirat Al-Ishq&lt;/a&gt; (Rawan Roshni &amp;amp; Max Mira)&lt;/p&gt;
</description>

I debrief the recent Psychedelic Science 2025 conference, particularly the panels on Israeli and Palestinian perspectives on psychedelic therapy for conflict-related trauma. This episode dives into MAPS Israel&#39;s studies of the effect of MDMA and LSD on the survivors of the 10/7 attack, and the way in which collective trauma is used to justify the ongoing genocide in Gaza. As President Trump announces that the US has just bombed Iranian nuclear sites, it is more important than ever that we all raise our collective voices in opposition to this unjustified and certainly soon-to-be-catastrophic war in Iran. Opening music: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsdyHzz7eXs" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">Sirat Al-Ishq</a> (Rawan Roshni &amp; Max Mira)

E15 - MAPS Israel and the Weaponization of Collective Trauma

<description>&lt;p&gt;In what I hope to be part 1 of a Drug Cultures mini-series on sobriety, I take a look at the recent phenomenon of choosing to be &amp;quot;Cali sober&amp;quot; - a version of sobriety that still allows for responsible consumption of cannabis, and sometimes other psychedelics. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;How does it work? Who does it work for? How has it been received by the recovery community? And does the science support it? Listen to the episode to find out!&lt;/p&gt;
</description>

In what I hope to be part 1 of a Drug Cultures mini-series on sobriety, I take a look at the recent phenomenon of choosing to be &quot;Cali sober&quot; - a version of sobriety that still allows for responsible consumption of cannabis, and sometimes other psychedelics. How does it work? Who does it work for? How has it been received by the recovery community? And does the science support it? Listen to the episode to find out!

E14 - California Sober

At drug cultures, we pull the veil back on one of the most taboo topics, exploring the ways in which cultures throughout history have used psychoactive substances. Join your host Skye Hawthorne on a journey through the strange world of drugs past and present, and how they've been embraced, incorporated, or shunned by societies worldwide. 

Drug Cultures

Details

Recent Episodes