APS launch at Rainbow Serpent Festival
The Australian Psychedelic Society (APS) officially launched at Rainbow Serpent Festival (RSF) on the Australia Day long weekend. For those who are not familiar with RSF, it is a five day transformational festival in regional Victoria, filled with music, art and creative self-expression. During these five days there is an overwhelming sense of community that binds the 16,000 plus visitors. We were honoured to share our views on psychedelics, and launch the APS with these beautiful people.
Figure 1: Ash Blackwell looking dapper in his velvet vest, inspiring the crowd about our rights to take psychedelics and change our own minds as we please.
Nick Wallis, producer and host of the Enpsychedelia radio show, MC’d the event, introducing and describing the aims of the APS. Steph Tzanetis of Harm Reduction Victoria’s DanceWize program provided psychedelic harm reduction tips. Ash Blackwell of Students for Sensible Drug Policy Australia, outlined the issues of drug policy in Australia and how they impinge on our cognitive liberty. He used historical examples to show how prohibition fails to help the masses, rather it impinges on our own autonomy, self-exploration, and personal growth.
Figure 2: Nick Wallis (left) and Stephanie Tzanatis (Right) introduce the APS and talk about the importance of harm reduction.
Dr Martin Williams, Dr Monica Barratt and Dr Stephen Bright of Psychedelic Research in Science and Medicine (PRISM), then gave a panel discussion on the current status of scientific research into psychedelics in Australia. They discussed the current status of research with psychedelics around the world, and described how Australia is falling behind the global context due to bureaucratic road blocks in our funding and ethics systems.
Figure 3: Dr Martin Williams (left), Dr Stephen Bright (centre) and Dr Monica Barratt (right) talk about psychedelic science within Australia
Melissa Warner and Dr Dean Wright then discussed the need for the community to come out of the psychedelic closet and talk with their friends and families about their use of psychedelics. This helps educate the wider community and the effects of these substances, reducing the stigma around their use. It is only through educating the community that the failing war on drugs can be abolished, and access to psychedelics as medicines or tools for personal growth can be attained.
Figure 4: Melissa Warner (left) and Dr Dean Wright (right) talk about the importance of coming out of the psychedelic closet.
Finally, the seminar concluded with stories from members of the audience, describing how psychedelics had positively changed their lives. These were inspiring, beautiful, occasionally quite funny, and finalised the session with the inclusive community feel that Rainbow inspires.
Thank you to all who were able to make it to the launch of the APS. If you were unable to make the launch, then do not worry, as we will be posting the video of the event shortly to our website and Facebook pages. We will also be holding further community events on the last Sunday of every month in the greater Melbourne area.
The next one is this Sunday 26th of February! Be sure to come along.
Much love, The APS
Figure 5: The crowd get comfortable under the shades of the Cocoon as Martin, Steve and Monica talk about psychedelic science.
