Extinction Rebellion co-founder supports psychedelic disobedience

Extinction Rebellion (XR) has been integral in bringing climate conversations to the forefront, causing mass disruption across the country and undoubtedly playing a role in the government’s declaration of a climate emergency. The group’s latest venture? Mass ingestion of psychedelic drugs.

If you think this sounds weird, it’s because it is. Previously encouraging civil disobedience, XR co-founder Gail Bradbrook has reportedly now called for psychedelic disobedience – basically loads of people doing mind-bending drugs in protest against the UK’s draconian laws. 

Speaking at a conference on psychedelics in London last week (August 16), Bradbrook said: “I would support a mass civil disobedience where we take medicine to tell the state they have absolutely no right to control our consciousness and to define our spiritual practice.”

The activist explained that psychedelics played a part in her founding of the movement, though confirmed it wasn’t XR’s policy to promote drug use. “The causes of the crisis are political, economic, legal, and cultural systemic issues,” Bradbrook continued, “but underneath that are issues of human trauma, powerlessness, scarcity, and separation. The system resides within us and the psychedelic medicines are opportunities to help us shift our consciousness.”

In a report released earlier this year, it was discovered that just one psychedelic trip can have life-long benefits, revealing that LSD, mushrooms, DMT, and other drugs can trigger ‘god’ experiences. Previous studies have also outlined the benefits of MDMA in helping social anxiety, and ketamine as a treatment for depression.

Despite this groundbreaking research, the UK’s drug laws remain archaic, with just possession of class A drugs (including shrooms, coke, and ecstasy) carrying a possible sentence of up to seven years in prison. Although if you’re a politician, you get off scot-free.

Although Bradbrook asserts we shouldn’t rely solely on scientific studies to believe the positive effects of psychedelics, and should instead follow in the footsteps of cultures already utilising them. “Whilst I’m all for psychedelic science,” she told the conference, “I don’t think we necessarily have time to wait for the science to tell us these medicines are useful. The indigenous cultures have already shown us the ways.”

Advocating for positive drug law changes is vital, but imagine being off your nut and trying to reason with the government? No thanks TBH.