Approaching the study of the regulation of psychedelics (onto-)politically.

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Crescenzo is a PhD candidate at Maastricht University (CAPHRI; Department of Health, Ethics and Society). The aim of their doctoral research is to explore how psychedelics are medically legalised and how human and non-human actors are involved in this process. They have previously completed a bachelor’s degree in Sociology at the University of Naples, Federico II (Italy), and a Master of Science in Social Research at Birkbeck University, London (UK). They also are part of the National Centre for Social Research (London, UK) where they work as a Senior Researcher in the Centre for Health (Health Policy Team).

The process of regulation and policymaking in health is often non-neutral, politicised, influenced by cultural structures, and sometimes characterised by a parallel process of medicalisation. The legalisation of psychedelics for therapeutic purposes is not exempt from this. In this context, the categories of legitimate and illicit uses and of socially acceptable users are created. This also confines psychedelic use to a narrow medico-legal perspective. However, psychedelics offer diverse experiences, and focusing solely on their therapeutic potential risks missing broader possibilities as well as dangers. The current evaluation paradigm, centred on biological responses, is inadequate for Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy (PAT), which requires considering contextual and relational aspects, as well as non-medical events. An ontopolitically-oriented research perspective is suggested to view psychedelics as part of assemblages also involving ethics, history, politics, and sociality, beyond mere neuropharmacological tools, recognising their role in complex networks of interactions.

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