The psychedelic medicine community has lost one of its great figures as Dr. Roland Griffiths has passed away.
Roland Griffiths, Ph.D., was a Professor of Psychiatry and Neurosciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and founding Director of the Johns Hopkins Center on Psychedelic and Consciousness Research. He was a world-renowned psychopharmacologist whose research helped to revive interest in the therapeutic potential of psychedelic drugs.
Dr. Griffiths had been battling terminal cancer for the last few years, yet still managed to keep up his work and advocacy, becoming an even more public and inspiring figure as he moved through the final stages of his journey.
For a deeper look at Dr. Griffiths’ view on his life and work, read this piece from Johns Hopkins, told in Roland’s own words:
ROLAND GRIFFITHS REFLECTS ON SCIENTIFIC CURIOSITY, GRATITUDE, AND COMING TO TERMS WITH A TERMINAL ILLNESS
Roland Griffiths: Life & Work
Griffiths was born in Glen Cove, New York, on July 19, 1946. He earned his undergraduate degree from Occidental College and his Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Minnesota in psychopharmacology in 1972. After completing his postdoctoral training, he joined the faculty of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
Griffiths’ early research focused on the behavioral and subjective effects of sedative-hypnotics, caffeine, and other mood-altering drugs. In 1999, he initiated a research program investigating the effects of the classic psychedelic psilocybin. His research has found that psilocybin can be safely administered to healthy volunteers and can produce profound mystical and spiritual experiences. Griffiths’ work has also shown that psilocybin can be effective in treating a variety of mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
In addition to his research on psilocybin, Griffiths has also studied other psychedelic drugs, such as LSD and ayahuasca. He has also published extensively on the history of psychedelic research and the ethical implications of using psychedelics in therapy.
Griffiths’ work has had a major impact on the field of psychedelic research. He is considered one of the leading experts in the field, and his research has helped to pave the way for the renewed interest in psychedelic therapy that is currently underway.
His research has been largely supported by grants from the National Institute on Health and he is the author of over 400 journal articles and book chapters, and has trained more than 50 postdoctoral research fellows. He has been a consultant to the National Institutes of Health, to numerous pharmaceutical companies in the development of new psychotropic drugs, and as a member of the Expert Advisory Panel on Drug Dependence for the World Health Organization.
Watch this inspiring video of Dr. Griffiths talking to Oprah about his life, his work, and how he’s handling his final chapter with grace.
