00:00Addiction and drug overdoses are a major problem for families and communities in my state of Maine
00:10and across the nation.
00:13I am concerned that in your book on good energy
00:19that you urge readers to consider psilocybin-assisted therapy.
00:28You also said that you were inspired to try psychedelics
00:36in what I can only describe as an internal voice that whispered,
00:43it's time to prepare.
00:46Illicit drug use remains a huge problem in this country,
00:51and this didn't happen in your teen years, according to your book.
00:58In 2021, you began using illicit psychedelic mushrooms.
01:07So my questions to you are twofold.
01:12One, do you stand by what you said in your book,
01:18encouraging people to try psychedelics?
01:22And second, as Surgeon General, should you be confirmed,
01:28how would you speak to the American people about the use of illicit drugs?
01:34Thank you so much, Senator Collins.
01:36And I also thank you sincerely for engaging so deeply with my work and learning about me.
01:44This is a very important question,
01:47and I would start by just saying that I believe what I would say as a private citizen
01:52is in many cases different than what I would say as a public health official.
01:57Joining a team where the purpose of this role is to communicate absolutely the best evidence-based science
02:03to the American people to keep them safe, thriving, and healthy.
02:08And when it comes to psychedelic therapy for mental health issues,
02:13I think the science is still emerging,
02:15and so it would certainly not be a recommendation to the American people to do that under no circumstances.
02:21I do believe that there is exciting work being done in this area that needs to continue
02:31on psychedelic therapies for PTSD in veterans, for mental health issues,
02:37and some of the researchers who are doing this work have said it's some of the most promising
02:41and exciting of their entire careers.
02:42So I look forward to following that, but to be very clear, under no circumstances would I recommend
02:47that to the American people in this role?
02:49Our illicit drug use problem in our country is monumental and severe,
02:55and I look forward to working with you on these issues that are so important.
03:00What did you mean by saying that you heard an internal voice whispering to you saying,
03:07it's time to prepare?
03:10Yeah, in that passage of the book, I'm referring to my mother's passing,
03:15which happened, she got a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer about a week after that experience,
03:23and in my meditations and prayers at that time,
03:27I was having a deep sense that something ominous was coming,
03:32and so that's what that's referring to.
03:34I think when I speak of spirituality, and I do believe Americans are ready to hear about spirituality
03:47as it pertains to medicine.
03:4880% of Americans are spiritual or religious.
03:50There's amazing evidence coming out of Columbia University, the lab of Dr. Lisa Miller,
03:55that spirituality has a large impact on health outcomes,
03:58and, you know, so certainly that's a personal anecdote,
04:03but, you know, I don't, I, I, again, I'm committed to sharing only the best solid science
04:12with Americans on how to be healthy.
04:14I'm, I'm, I understand totally what you're saying about spirituality,
04:21and I'm sorry about the loss of your mother.
04:24It's the link to illicit drugs that I'm having a hard time with.
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