Removing Barriers of Accessibility to Psychedelics with Brett Waters

Reason for Hope is a national non-profit organization with a focus on advocating for policy and legal reforms to make safe, ethical, and affordable access to psychedelic-assisted therapy a reality.Brett Waters shares his personal motivation behind founding Reason for Hope after the tragic loss of his mother to suicide in 2018. He discusses his role in drafting psychedelic legislation in multiple states, including Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and New York, and his involvement in briefings for the White House Domestic Policy Council, HHS, and members of Congress regarding the importance of an inter-agency psychedelic task force.The conversation dives into Reason for Hope's mission to prevent deaths of despair by promoting accessible psychedelic medicine and assisted therapies. They support the bipartisan Breakthrough Therapies Act, aimed at expediting research and deployment of psychedelic therapies with breakthrough status.Brett also introduces the collaborative efforts of Reason for Hope's team, which includes strategic minds from various fields, working together in drafting legislation, preparing legal briefings, educating legislators, and building advocacy coalitions. Currently, Reason for Hope focuses on establishing MDMA- and psilocybin-assisted therapy expanded access pilot programs for those unable to wait for FDA approval.Tune in to explore the inspiring work of Reason for Hope and Brett's personal journey driving legislative change for psychedelic therapies. Subscribe to the Psychedelic Spotlight podcast for more insightful conversations and stay connected with Psychedelic Spotlight on your favorite social media platforms. Find out more about Reason for Hope here: https://www.reason-for-hope.org/