Worldwide Psychedelics Events: Miami, Croatia, D.C., France, UK, NY, Oregon, Arizona & SXSW

Activities are galloping along in the psychedelics community. From online seminars and discussions to major onsite conferences, scientific-oriented to general crowd-friendly, below’s a list of the different events you can join in the next couple of weeks:

November

• Wonderland Miami, spanning Nov. 9-11, is the ultimate immersive event where investors, industry leaders, researchers and enthusiasts converge to explore around the potential of psychedelic medicine, longevity, and mental health. With over 250 speakers, main stages and an exhibition floor, it will also offer experiential rooms, namely a “community village,” an art gallery, an impressive auction, a “healing garden,” a playground with a new psychedelics integration card game to premiere, a sanctuary and an “engage stage.” See full agenda -including NY Times bestselling author Jim Kwik, who will share his new strategies to overcome childhood brain injury-related learning challenges and how they helped him truly enhance cognitive performance. 

• Coinciding dates with Wonderland, a four-member group composed of Iter Investments, data platform Neuly, online resource Psychedelic Invest and innovation partner The Mighty Shed will present an ongoing Psychedelic Series panel at Soho House Miami on Nov. 8, 7 p.m. with the goal of raising awareness and changing perception. There will be a happy hour mixer on Nov. 10, 4-8 p.m., at Miami’s downtown Paraiso Estereo.

• Psychedelics Today’s “Navigating Psychedelics: Vital Tools for Risk Reduction and Integration” is taking place in Denver, Colorado Nov. 10-11. The in-person event course is designed specifically for clinicians and offers “a comprehensive exploration of the therapeutic potential of psychedelic substances,” including tools and firsthand experiences. Tickets here.

• The First Multidisciplinary Conference of Psychedelics in Croatia is set for Nov. 11. Taking place in Zagreb and with lectures by scientists, experts, clinicians and therapists, its goal is to raise awareness about scientific research on psychedelics and their potential application in medical and therapeutical contexts, as well as the general perception of psychedelics in that part of Europe. Details here.

• Society for Neuroscience’s next conference is taking place Nov. 11-15 in Washington D.C. With scientists from the whole globe, psychedelics-related highlights include Prof. Philip Zoladz’ presentation on psilocybin’s potential to enhance exposure therapy’s effectiveness in individuals with PTSD. Tickets here.

• How to Regulate Psychedelics, A Practical Guide interactive webinar will be on Nov. 14. Held by the guide’s creator, the famed Transform Drug Policy Foundation, the presentation will focus on the somewhat ill-treated non-medical use of psychedelics.

• France’s Société Psychédélique Française has announced several activities, including an open, informal gathering in Nantes on Nov. 11. There will be an art exhibition on the Peruvian Amazon and contemporary representations of visions triggered by ayahuasca at the Musée du Quai Branly, starting Nov. 14.

• “The Urgency of Drug Policy Reform: Harms, Health and Human Rights” is a conference hosted by the University of Manchester’s School of Social Sciences. Taking place in Nov. 15, speakers include former President of Switzerland, Ruth Dreifuss, who will talk to Julia Buxton about the urgent need to reform drug policies. Reserve a free spot here.

• The Behavioral Health Tech Conference connecting healthcare stakeholders for broadening access will occur both online and in-person in Nov. 15-17 in Phoenix, Arizona. Keynotes and panel discussions feature industry innovators from emerging and leading healthcare and digital health organizations. Details here. Look out for the “Getting Real: Delivering on the Promise of Psychedelics Without Everybody Tripping” panel

• Kahner Global’s Cannabis & Psychedelics Investment Summit Series scheduled for Nov. 16 stands as “the premier event” for investor education in both industries, convening distinguished experts, entrepreneurs and investors at the Cohn Reznick venue in New York. Tickets are not for sale, but rather an invite must be requested.

• Microdosing Mushrooms Conference, by Psilocybin San Francisco, will be held virtually on Nov. 19. The non-profit educational platform offers knowledge on psilocybin mushrooms including risks and harm reduction, preparation and integration. The speakers' list includes renowned psychedelic experts like Paul Austin, Jennifer Chesak, Dr. Mike Dow and Jakobien van der Weijden. Two ticket options are available. 

• “Psychedelics and Relationships: Intimacy, Love & Beyond” is a conversation between researcher Tommaso Barba and talk series host Seed Talks taking place Nov. 21 in London. On-site and livestream tickets are available here.

December

• Horizons PBC’s Northwest is hosting its second annual conference Perspectives on Psychedelics next Dec. 1-3 in Portland, Oregon. Led by an amazing list of specialists including Johns Hopkins’ Dr. Gül Dölen, the event will explore Oregon’s Psilocybin Services Act regulatory system and national and global dialogues around many dimensions of psychedelics. Tickets here.

• The Eco-Chaplaincy, Psychedelics and Spirituality virtual workshop co-hosted by Chacruna Institute and the Chaplaincy Innovation Lab. will take place on Dec. 12. It will introduce professional spiritual care practitioners and chaplains, many of whom are trained in psychedelic-assisted therapy. Tickets here.

• The All-New 2nd Annual Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Global Summit taking place Dec. 12-18 online will reunite some of the most knowledgeable folks in the space, including Rick Doblin, Stanislav Grof, Deepak Chopra, Andrew Weil, Gita Vaid, Rosalind Watts, Paul Stamets and more. Full roster and tickets -free of charge!- here.

Sneak Peek At 2024

Famous Austin-based South by Southwest (SXSW) festival taking place next March 8-16 recently announced its official 2024 lineup which, as Marijuana Moment’s Ben Adlin reported, seems to be “leaning into psychedelics while nixing the cannabis track.”

Of the over 450 sessions chosen by the public, discussions around marijuana will be fewer than those of psychedelics and, for the first time since 2018, won’t be held within a dedicated track. Individual panels will focus on opportunities for marijuana businesses worldwide, how advocacy has impacted cannabis policy and criminal charges -panel featuring Last Prisoner Project members.

Meanwhile, psychedelics will be discussed in no less than 13 sessions within a specific track. Panels will include including therapeutic applications, breakthrough research and a growing business environment of both “novel and traditional” drugs.

Some of the topics to be discussed include MDMA’s journey and its path to FDA approval - a panel featuring MAPS’ Rick Doblin and Julie Holland as well as a personal story on sexual trauma healing featuring therapists and the Urban Indigenous Collective and The Phoenix Project representatives; how to develop “mindful, healthy relationships” with psychedelics, marijuana and other psychoactive plants; the legal status of psychoactive substances as potential alcohol substitutes; the commercialization of psilocybin medicine and synthetic vs. natural versions; and psychedelics in the context of business leadership and systems change.

Photo: Benzinga edit with photo by Yellow duck, nfsstudi0, Arif_Vector and Alexander Supertramp on Shutterstock.