Curt Petrovich spent nearly four decades as a journalist for the National public broadcaster, telling stories from Canada’s Arctic to Asia. Much of his work has one common theme: holding the powerful to account. Whether it was uncovering a plot to steal an election that was hatched inside the office of the Premier of Manitoba, compelling the RCMP to document its own dysfunction, or telling the stories of people who’d otherwise be voiceless and forgotten, Curt never wavered.

There would be a toll, however. A lot of Curt’s assignments placed him in the middle of some global human and natural disasters. Following a particularly difficult assignment covering a devastating typhoon in the Philippines, Curt was diagnosed with severe PTSD, seen at the time as a career-ending illness. But Curt volunteered for the phase II MAPS study into the use of MDMA to treat PTSD. When the study ended and legal access to MDMA was again prohibited, he would go on to receive further private treatment using ketamine. His experience was the subject of a documentary that aired on CBC in 2017.

Since then Curt’s journalism has touched on the issues around the efficacy of psychedelic treatment and the bureaucratic and legislative opposition to its use. Despite publicly acknowledging Curt’s commitment to his work and what it cost him personally, the CBC privately worked to remove him as a senior journalist, because he could no longer cover the disasters and death that tend to dominate the news cycle. Curt’s depth of experience and knowledge of how the “News” is reported, along with his own personal journey using psychedelic psychotherapy to mitigate the symptoms of PTSD, makes him an authority on some of the issues that should matter to anyone disenchanted with or disbelieving what they see and hear in what passes for “news” today.

In relaying some of his first hand experiences, Curt’s observations and opinions may align with your own, or they may seem merely unsurprising. But in an era ruled by what a handful of sociopathic billionaires decide is “news”, re-establishing belief in facts, transparency and accountability has never been more important. You can expect Curt to touch on the state of journalism today, how topics like psychedelic science are regarded, how to speak to journalists - at least the responsible ones, and why principles, and not “holding your nose”, is critical to being believed.

Ecological medicine and psychedelic medicine converge in their recognition that healing extends beyond the individual to include the broader ecosystems in which we live. Ecological medicine views human health as deeply interconnected with the health of the planet, emphasizing sustainable practices that protect natural systems while promoting human well-being.

Similarly, psychedelic medicine often facilitates experiences of profound interconnectedness, dissolving the boundaries between self and environment and inspiring a renewed sense of responsibility for the Earth. By integrating these approaches, practitioners can address not only the psychological and physiological aspects of illness but also the environmental and societal factors that contribute to collective well-being. This synthesis offers a transformative model where healing individuals and healing the planet become part of the same process.

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The Psychedelic Association of Canada’s Annual Psychedelic Law Review.

Join the PAC and Psychedelic Law lawyers from across Canada to learn about recent and upcoming developments with psychedelic laws in Canada.

Conversations will include 2024-in-Review, pending trials and Health Canada application processes.