BBC's Psychedelic Science show now on Google Video

In 1997, the BBC aired an episode of their science show Horizon about psychedelic drugs and medicine. Over at Mind Hacks, Vaughan reports that the entire program, titled Psychedelic Science, is now available on Google Video. From his post, which puts the episode in a bit of historical context:

The programme looks at the history of psychedelic drug research when it was still easily possible, focusing on Osmond and Hoffer's early work on using LSD in treating addiction and facilitating psychotherapy.

It's also got loads of great historical footage from the early research but also talks to the new generation of researchers looking at compounds such as ayahuasca and ibogaine, who are now the senior figures in this growing area.

Link to "Psychedelic Science" video, Link to Mind Hacks

• [Crawford Tillinghast]

  I should mention that Free Speech TV has been airing a similar hour-long documentary called “Hofmann’s Elixir” from time to time (I got it saved to vhs last month). Well worth checking out.

  IMDB entry at:

  > http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0439611/

  Google video at:

  > http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6142421045737850930

  Erowid review at:

  > http://www.erowid.org/library/review/review.php?p=256

  You can google the rest.

• [Jeff]

  LSD has been shown to be an effective theraputic tool. Timothy Leary’s work is mostly ignored, but it shouldn’t be. The problem is finding therapists that can work with the stuff like Leary did. Leary is a great example of modern political persecution. But who cares about drug users, right? Despite the fact that the USA is soaked in drugs.

• [elNico]

  Great documentary – some really awesome vintage footage, too.

  Loved that Christian group in Brazil and their tee sessions – and then settle in a cinema setting without screen, all going through their own film.

  One would think that in a time where anti-depressants get prescribed if you have a few nights bad sleep, there would be an interest in exploring approaches that operate on a more targeted and short-term basis.

  Regulated psychoactive drugs that would allow a more controlled use at least as far as the dose is concerned could be a great benefit to many people…and I don’t mean the “drop out” version.

• [Takuan]

  If Ewen Cameron were alive today, would he be permitted over the border into America?

• [Minvaren]

  @ #7:

  Spot-on. Stanislav Grof has a voluminous book on and called “LSD Psychotherapy.” Some of the case studies he detailed working with (and successfully treating) would end up medicated beyond recognition in a psychiatric hospital nowadays. Leary’s work met with significant results, but is glossed-over because of poor controls he set on his prison experiment. With the current scheduling of psychedelics, it’s doubtful that anyone will attempt to reproduce his original results.

• [flip]

  Overall A very solid presentation it’s certainly up to the BBC’s standards of bring people up vs catering down to the lowest common dominator.
  THANK YOU DAVID for posting this (hope that mark is listening).

  We need more publications of solid presentations of Entheogenic research made available to the public if we’re to avoid the pitfalls of the past here in the USA.
  Certainly our culture needs to re-define it’s concept of drugs to make use of these powerful tools and medicines.

  There’s so much work to do and I thank David/ boing boing for being a positive part of it with this post .

  Save this one to your hard drives boy’s and girls!

  Sincerely,
  flip~

• [Kinnaird]

  If Ewen Cameron were alive today, would he be permitted over the border into America?

  Sure straight into a cell.

• [flip]

  #5 POSTED BY JAKE0748 , FEBRUARY 7, 2008 8:00 PM
  There should be a google button “save this video” on the RIGHT side of the play window
  IF not, then try using a fre service like
  http://keepvid.com/
  copy/paste the URL and it’ll provide you with download links
  perhaps in a few different configurations.

  The illegalization and halting of research into these tools is something that can and should be prevented in the modern case of Salvia D and it’s actives,

  Salvia may not be as significant of a tool when compared to the classic Entheogens but it’s the only legal one available for use by researchers and should be protected from negative press and used responsibly.

  Bests!

• [Takuan]

  Wouldn’t the CIA take care of their own?

• [Jake0748]

  Hey FLIP, pardon my ignorance. I really want to watch this, how to download it to my hard drive. Is there an easy way?

• [Cowicide]

  Wow, between this… the salvia, compubeaver… etc. Boing Boing is definitely getting getter with age. Great posts for ’08 and it’s still only Feb.