News Drug policy group condemns psychedelic research association for response to B.C. sex assault claims

[thegreenhand]

Drug policy group condemns psychedelic research association for response to B.C. sex assault claims​

Bethany Lindsay
CBC
12 May 2022

Excerpt:

A national drug policy advocacy organization is condemning how a prominent psychedelic research body responded to a B.C. woman's allegations of sexual and physical abuse during clinical trials for MDMA-assisted psychotherapy.

The Canadian Drug Policy Coalition released a statement Thursday expressing "unequivocal solidarity" with Meaghan Buisson and calling on the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) and its Vancouver-based affiliate MAPS Canada to take public responsibility for causing harm.

"While [Buisson's] formal account of sexual assault ought to have resulted in swift, thorough, and decisive action, there are reports that it was instead ignored, minimized, suppressed, and used to coerce her into a position of extreme social and economic precarity," the statement reads.

 

[thegreenhand]

From what I can tell this is the equivalent of the DPA here in the United States, which at least here in the states is a pretty big player

 

[S.J.B.]

From what I can tell this is the equivalent of the DPA here in the United States, which at least here in the states is a pretty big player

Yeah, CDPC is the most important drug policy organization in Canada.

 

[neversickanymore]

Misconduct.. if it did happen.. should not reflect on the important research MAPS is doing.

 

[thegreenhand]

Misconduct.. if it did happen.. should not reflect on the important research MAPS is doing.

Well it’s not really an if… there is video evidence of it happening

And while I agree that this shouldn’t reflect on MDMA psychotherapy as a treatment option, it does reflect on if MAPS are the best organization to be leading the charge on this

 

[neversickanymore]

Well it’s not really an if… there is video evidence of it happening

And while I agree that this shouldn’t reflect on MDMA psychotherapy as a treatment option, it does reflect on if MAPS are the best organization to be leading the charge on this

Post up the vid.. and they did lead the charge so..

 

[thegreenhand]

Post up the vid.. and they did lead the charge so..

thread about it here

The video is about halfway down in the linked CBC article

They did lead the charge - but if they are unable to adequately handle therapeutic misconduct, then why should we look to them as the authority on these issues ? Surely that’s a red flag no?

At the very least, it raises the possibility that there may be some institutional malpractice that is yet to be uncovered imo

 

[neversickanymore]

thread about it here

The video is about halfway down in the linked CBC article

They did lead the charge - but if they are unable to adequately handle therapeutic misconduct, then why should we look to them as the authority on these issues ? Surely that’s a red flag no?

At the very least, it raises the possibility that there may be some institutional malpractice that is yet to be uncovered imo

The man looked like he just had a hand on the woman's shoulder in psychological support. The entire session was taped and there were two people there. What else are you looking for.

I love my first trip guide.. love you KETISto tell you all the truth.. he isn't a bloody therapist or counselor.. something much more significant.

Guy seems harmless and looking to comfort the woman.

But I guess you may be right.. lol.. send in a psychology or medical professional.. what could go wrong.

 

[thegreenhand]

The man looked like he just had a hand on the woman's shoulder in psychological support. The entire session was taped and there were two people there. What else are you looking for.

I love my first trip guide.. love you KETIS.. tell you all the truth.. he isn't a bloody therapist or counselor.. something much more significant. Guy seems harmless and looking to comfort the woman.

Seriously? That was a lot more than just a hand on the shoulder

He can be seen spooning her while pushing himself against her backside and throwing his leg over her, as well as pinning her down as she struggles and cries “no” (which prompts the female therapist to put a cloth in her mouth to quiet her down)

In what world is that harmless?

 

[neversickanymore]

Seriously? That was a lot more than just a hand on the shoulder

He can be seen spooning her while pushing himself against her backside and throwing his leg over her, as well as pinning her down as she struggles and cries “no” (which prompts the female therapist to put a cloth in her mouth to quiet her down)

In what world is that harmless?

The video presentation was confusing, was fragmented and as such I didn't initially finish it as I thought it was done. Looks like the cloth was presented to prevent her grinding her teeth. Yep its not traditional therapy.. so videos of it may cause alarm. But really anyone who has tripped?

 

[thegreenhand]

The video presentation was confusing, was fragmented and as such I didn't initially finish it as I thought it was done. Looks like the cloth was presented to prevent her grinding her teeth. Yep its not traditional therapy.. so videos of it may cause alarm. But really anyone who has tripped?

Ok sure the cloth was to stop teeth grinding… still doesn’t excuse the rest of that video (and the fact that he had sex with the patient after the trials ended)

True, it’s not traditional therapy but even MAPS themselves have said these people deviated from their therapeutic guidelines

Does the mere fact of it being non traditional therapy give license to deviate from established practices and do whatever they want ?

 

[neversickanymore]

and the fact that he had sex with the patient after the trials ended

I was not aware of that.. thats not right for someone to do..


I don't know, Im rather disillusioned with US health care and the entirety of psychology currently. So these days..

 

[thegreenhand]

I was not aware of that.. thats not right..


I don't know, Im rather disillusioned with US health care and the entirety of psychology currently. So these days..

yeah it was in the article, MAPS acknowledged it too

I get it, I don’t like just about any aspect of US mental health care myself. I’m just not sure MAPS will be the ones to revolutionize it, as some people have claimed in the past

 

[Opi_Kid_Rock]

Isn’t the situation known as an outlier in terms of results?

 

[Landrew]

Interesting recent development. I noticed the solidarity page in question missing about a month ago, they finally "explained" it a few days ago and I just found it.

Statement of Retraction​

August 8, 2022 (August 8, 2022)
By Canadian Drug Policy Coalition

WARNING: This post contains mention of sexual abuse

On May 12th, 2022, Canadian Drug Policy Coalition (CDPC) posted a statement. The CDPC statement, removed from the website drugpolicy.ca on May 20th, addressed concerns involving an incident of sexual abuse that came to light in 2018, within a clinical trial conducted by the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies in the United States (MAPS) and also implicated MAPS Canada.[...]

read more: https://www.drugpolicy.ca/statement-of-retraction/

 

[thegreenhand]

Hmm that is interesting…

I wonder if CDPC did this on their own volition or if it’s the result of pressure from MAPS. I assume it’s the second. They probably pissed a lot people off when they made the statement, but you would think they would’ve expected that ? Disappointed to see they didn’t stick to their principles

 

[Landrew]

yes it smells like MAPS in the details of how it went down - remove page, say nothing for a month, and then quietly give answers that raise more questions than answer anything.

As an email subsciber to Canadian Drug Policy Coalition and a long time rat park fan this makes me sick to my stomach

 

[Landrew]

As an email subsciber to Canadian Drug Policy Coalition and a long time rat park fan this makes me sick to my stomach

I mistakenly thought Rat Park creator Bruce Alexander was a CDPC Kingpin for some reason, but still think this is an interesting find.

Finding Rat Park [2015]
By MEAGHAN BUISSON

Finding Rat Park - Mad In America

Countless times in therapy, I’ve told myself that once I am finally able to fully explain what happened, once I’ve finally cried myself to emptiness, once there’s nothing left to give, my problems would go away. This past year, I realized that wasn’t the case. To be truly whole, I can no longer...

web.archive.org

 

[alasdairm]

I wonder if CDPC did this on their own volition or if it’s the result of pressure from MAPS. I assume it’s the second.

why?

what pressure could maps exert on them to force them to change their mind?

the threat of legal action, perhaps? well, if so, the cdpc can't have had much faith that their earlier statement was, in fact, true...

alasdair

 

[thegreenhand]

what pressure could maps exert on them to force them to change their mind?

Social pressure is all really

the threat of legal action, perhaps? well, if so, the cdpc can't have had much faith that their earlier statement was, in fact, true...

I don’t think any threat of legal action was made. However, MAPS is a powerful organization in the drug policy sphere. I think it’s certainly possible that they have influence in other organizations