New Age Journal. Reviews controversy surrounding possible medical and psychotherapeutic applications of the hallucinogenic amphetamine MDMA, especially the ongoing debate over the value and efficacy of psychedelic drug therapy. Bravo, Gary, and Charles Grob. Shamans, Sacraments, and Psychiatrists. Reviews scheduling of MDMA despite initial reports of its promise as a therapeutic tool, including an overview of psychedelic drug therapy.
Authors conclude that with appropriate controls, adverse effects are virtually nonexistent.
The Role of Psychoactive Substances in Shamanic Transformations of Consciousness. Author examines cultural patterns of drug use to determine why some cultures are successful in integrating chemicals as sacramental and transformational agents while others cannot. Argues that the trend in white, Western culture is to de-evolve religious use of drugs for recreational purposes, beginning with tobacco and coffee and continuing today with MDMA and other hallucinogens. Addiction Research Foundation. Interviews with 20 psychiatrists reporting therapeutic use of MDMA shows favorable long-term outcomes, including enhanced empathic skills and reduced defensiveness.