Etheridge Foundation Contributes to LSD Study and Peyote Conservation

The Etheridge Foundation is pleased to award a “symbolic” donation of $1,000 to the Heffter Research Institute towards Dr. Matthew Johnson’s Phase I pilot study evaluating the safety and efficacy of LSD to decrease opioid use in chronic low back pain patients who have misused opioids.

The study, which is taking place at the Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research, is fully funded. 

However, we add our contribution as a display of support for inquiry into this long-neglected therapy that can potentially mitigate or prevent opioid use disorder in vulnerable populations.

Partnering this grant, the Etheridge Foundation has made a $50 Root Relationship Contribution to the Indigenous Medicine Conservation (IMC) Fund in support of their Peyote-related biocultural conservation programs. 

We also contributed $1,250 to Peyote programs at the IMC Fund to pair with our $25,000 grant to the MIND Program’s cannabis-related study.

Normally we would match these contributions to the plant medicine being studied medically. 

But because neither cannabis or LSD are strongly associated with specific biocultures who are currently threatened in the same way that Peyote is, we wanted to direct this contribution to an area that does need particular support.

We’re happy that we can help support biocultural conservation of Peyote, and grateful to the organizations doing this important work.