Wednesday, May 8th, 2024 from 12:00-1:30pm PST

Join this community forum for an engaging discussion on the timely and pertinent topic of legal regulation of psychedelics for non-medical use. We’ll delve into why this focus is crucial at this juncture, considering factors such as risk and usage behaviors that inform policy decisions. We’ll address concerns surrounding corporate capture and strategize ways to mitigate these risks. Our conversation will also explore the development of a market that prioritizes social equity, including the role of religious and Indigenous use within this framework and alignment with international drug control laws. We’ll examine various regulatory models proposed to address these complex issues with Ester Kincová, Public Affairs and Policy Manager, and Steve Rolles, Senior Policy Analyst, both representing the UK-based independent charity Transform Drug Policy Foundation.

Ester Kincová is the Public Affairs and Policy Manager at the UK-based independent charity Transform Drug Policy Foundation, and the co-author of the new publication How to Regulate Psychedelics. Ester’s works primarily on drug policy reform within the UK, working with local and central government, from implementation of harm reduction through to decriminalisation and legal regulation of drugs. She is passionate about ensuring social equity and resisting corporate capture in existing and emerging regulated drug markets.

Steve Rolles is the Senior Policy Analyst for the Transform Drug Policy foundation where he has worked for over 20 years. He is widely published, including the books ‘After the War on Drugs: Blueprint for Regulation’, and most recently co-authoring ‘How to regulate Psychedelics: A Practical Guide’. He is a regular contributor to the public debate on drug policy and law in print and broadcast media. He has spoken at a wide range events, conferences and inquiries held by the British government, the UN and many other international bodies. Before joining Transform, Rolles worked for the Medical Research Council and Oxfam.

Towards an ethical consensus for the field of psychedelics: The HOPE Consensus Statement