The Drug Science Podcast | 63. Indigenous Wisdom with Mark Plotkin

This week’s episode features yet another great speaker at the ESPD55 conference Mark Plotkin, an ethnobotanist, advocate for tropical forest conservation and the host of Plants of the Gods podcast.

Show Notes

This week’s episode features yet another great speaker at the ESPD55 conference Mark Plotkin, an ethnobotanist, advocate for tropical forest conservation and the host of Plants of the Gods podcast.

Following research at Harvard under Richard Evans Schultes and years of working in a close relationship with the native communities of Amazonia, Mark with his books, podcasts and talks educates the public about the wondrous world of plants, their history, medicinal and cultural significance. Accordingly, he advocates for saving tropical forests as entities inseparable from their indigenous cultures. His group Amazon Conservation Team focuses on helping the communities to survive within the modern world rather than subordinate to it.

Tune in to the episode to find out how we can help these communities grow but also how wine, magic mushrooms and other substances might have influenced our own culture.

The Plants of the Gods

Stoned Ape Hypothesis

Drunken monkey hypothesis

The Ethnobotany of Wine as Medicine in the Ancient Mediterranean World

Richard Evans Schultes

Scopolamine

Erik the red

The Shamans and Apprentices Program

Tales of a Shaman’s Apprentice

Timothy Leary

Amazon Conservation Team

Alfred Russel Wallace

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What is The Drug Science Podcast?

Professor David Nutt has spent a career making the argument for a rational, evidence-based approach to drug policy and drug use. The scientific evidence still challenges perceived wisdom on drugs and for that reason can appear to be contentious. In this podcast, the Professor explores the actual harms and potential benefits of various drugs, challenging myths surrounding classification and legislation, and exploring the societal impact of poorly informed drug policy. Using evidence in public policy should not be controversial. A podcast for anyone interested in understanding the scientific truth about drugs, free from political or moral concern.