Page 21 - RxBound Winter 2020

Benjamin Malcolm, PharmD, MPH has some ‘trippy’ ideas as far as what kind of results you get,” said Dr. Malcolm.
on the management of mental health conditions as well as
While medical legalization is one component of what
drugs in society. In short, he envisions a future in which
Dr. Malcolm is advocating for, he believes psychedelics
access to psychedelic drugs in a variety of safe and supported
should be widely accessible and not just available for those
settings is available for purposes of psychospiritual well-
that have refractory illness. In 2019, the cities of Denver and
being, personal development, ceremonial sacraments, and
Oakland both passed ordinances that decriminalize
treatment of mental illness.
psilocybin mushrooms. Decriminalization does not make a
Hired in 2016 as an Assistant Professor with the College of drug legal, although it strips law enforcement’s ability to
Pharmacy, Dr. Malcolm is a Board Certified Psychiatric prosecute persons for individual use. “Stopping law
Pharmacist (BCPP) who teaches about psychotropic enforcement from prosecuting non-violent drug offenders
medications in his didactic block, Pharmacy Practice VIII. He would end mass incarceration and likely result in
also provides specialty services in psychiatric pharmacy and reallocation of resources to establish treatment or
experiential learning experiences to students and residents at rehabilitation programs if problematic drug use was
Emanate Health’s Intercommunity Hospital. While he suspected,” said Dr. Malcolm. He continued, “Historically,
maintains a traditional psychiatric pharmacy inpatient psychedelics have been sacraments to connect with the divine
practice, it was his special interest in psychedelics that or for spiritual worship. Prohibition not only suppresses
resulted in an invitation to participate in a televised medical legitimate scientific inquiry and medical research, it
debate about psychedelic mushrooms. suppresses religious freedom. The constitution of the United
States’ first amendment is supposed to protect this right, so
Dr. Malcolm was featured on the show
prohibition of psychedelics is
“The Doctors” where he argued that
psilocybin should be legalized for fundamentally a human rights issue.”
medical purposes. “Despite being “ Despite being illegal, there’s no To this end, Dr. Malcolm has been
illegal, there’s no credible evidence that credible evidence that they have a working with Decriminalize
they have a high potential for abuse, California, which is an organization
high potential for abuse, lack
lack medical value, or cannot be used that aims to decriminalize psilocybin
safely with medical supervision,” he medical value, or cannot be used mushrooms by a voter ballot initiative
said. “This is important because a in 2020. He currently serves as
safely with medical supervision” he
drug, by definition, must have these Psychopharmacology Director for
properties to be rightfully considered said. “This is important because a Decriminalize California and has
illegal. So it becomes obvious that the contributed language to the submitted
drug, by definition, must have
laws we have that regulate controlled ballot initiative. “The reality is that
substances are draconian and not these properties to be rightfully when nature is illegal, when the time-
evidenced based,” he concluded. honored sacraments that humans have
considered illegal.
The Food and Drug Administration ” always used for spiritual connection
(FDA) has recently given a are prohibited, we are not free. It’s
breakthrough therapy designation for use of psilocybin- time we demand evidence-based drug
policy. It’s time we reclaim what’s ours,” said Dr. Malcolm.
assisted psychotherapy for treatment resistant depression. In
medical settings, psilocybin is administered with the direct Dr. Malcolm earned his bachelor’s degree in pharmacology at
supervision and support of psychotherapists. Patients are the University of California at Santa Barbara, prior to his
also given preparatory and post-use integrative Masters in Public Health and Doctorate of Pharmacy at
psychotherapy when they are not under the influence of Touro University, California. He then completed post-
psilocybin as part of the intervention. “Psilocybin-assisted graduate residencies in Acute Care at Scripps Mercy Hospital
psychotherapy allows patients to process repressed emotions and Psychiatric Pharmacy at the University of California at
that were previously inaccessible. Psilocybin also decreases San Diego Health. He has given several lectures on
the sense of self or ‘ego’ that results in experiences of psychedelics, including accredited continuing education to
mystical ecstasy, in which the user feels connected and at one pharmacists, psychologists, social workers, and podiatrists as
with everything as well as existing outside of time and well as public lectures in the U.S. and Israel. He authors
space,” said Dr. Malcolm. “Much of the research has focused academic blogs on psychedelic drugs, which he posts on his
on the effects of the ‘mystical experience’ and appears related website spiritpharmacist.com. Additionally, he offers an
to long-term positive outcomes. A big part of this therapy is elective at the college of pharmacy titled “Therapeutic Uses
controlling the environment to ensure safety as well as of Illicit Substances” which focuses on therapeutic potential
setting therapeutic intentions for the experience. With and medical use of psychedelics and cannabis. n
psychedelics, it is all about the context of how they are used

WesternU, College of Pharmacy 19