Mary Carreon
- Mary Carreón is the Senior Editor at DoubleBlind, co-founder of the Hyphae Leaks podcast, and an award-winning journalist from Southern California. Her work has appeared in Billboard, KCRW/NPR, Insider, DoubleBlind Magazine, The LAnd Magazine, High Times Magazine, OC Weekly, LA Weekly, and many other publications. Mary has moderated and been an expert on panels about psychedelics at numerous conferences, including Wonderland Miami, SXSW, MAPS' Psychedelic Science Conference, the Oakland Psychedelic Conference, California Psychedelic Conference, and more. Mary's work aims to humanize drug culture and track the real-world effects of policies and trends affecting accessibility and the environment. As a third-generation Mexican and Guatemalan, she's also dedicated to amplifying Latine and BIPOC voices, issues, and perspectives. Mary's currently a student at UCLA and earning a certificate in paralegal studies to bolster her portfolio in law. You can find her on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Latest Articles
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Plant Medicine Church in Oakland Gets Raided by Local Police Department
Zide Door, an entheogenic church that recognizes cannabis and psilocybin as sacraments, was raided last Thursday—evoking questions about religious protection, decriminalization, and cannabis and psychedelic retail.
Equity + Indigenous Reciprocity
Keepers of the Matrix: A Beginner’s Guide to Understanding Sacred Cacti
Mushrooms are en vogue, but what about the droves of psychedelic cacti?
FEATURES
Is Social Media the Best Place to Buy Drugs?
Whereas once the darknet was the go-to place for buying illicit substances on the internet, now many vendors have taken to "clearweb" platforms like Instagram.
FEATURES
Is Palo Santo Actually Endangered?
A conservation report raises concerns about the sustainability of this sacred wood.
Culture
Beyond Mushrooms: The Mysterious, Magical World of African Plant Medicine
As one of the world's oldest inhabited regions, Africa is home to a variety of plant medicines, so why don't we know more about this kingdom of ceremony?
Culture
The First Black-Owned Psychedelic Church In the US Is Open in Oakland
Akoma recently opened its doors in Northern California, offering a safe, soulful space for ancestral healing, community, and education.
News
Election Stress Drives Americans to Psychedelic Therapy for Relief
Psychedelic therapists are noticing a rise in appointments as political stress takes a toll on US citizens in the aftermath of the election.
News
Psilocybin Can Free You From Negative Thought Loops About Body Image
New research shows that psilocybin can ease the obsessive, self-critical thoughts of body dysmorphia, opening up a fresh path to treating eating disorders.
News
Spiritual Transformations Induced by Psychedelics Boost Mental Health
Researcher Jussi Jylkkä talks to DoubleBlind about the link between spiritual transformations triggered by psychedelics and lasting mental health benefits.
Equity and Reciprocity
Defending Ayahuasca from Extinction and Supporting the Shipibo-Conibo Community
We interviewed Walter Ramiro López, a Shipibo-Conibo ayahuasca healer, about the future of ayahuasca in the Amazon and specific ways you can show up as an ally for his community.
News
Psychedelic Group Therapy Is More Powerful Than One-on-One Sessions
Group-based psychedelic therapy could unlock levels of psychological progress that are generally unattainable from individual therapy, according to a new research paper.
News
Telehealth Ketamine Co-Founder Warns Industry Puts Profits Ahead of Patients
Co-founder of an at-home ketamine therapy provider describes the industry as a "wild west," warning that standards are slipping and the over-prescription of ketamine is an issue.
News
Spiritual Transformations Tied to Lasting Benefits of Psychedelics, New Study Says
New data suggests that spiritual shifts catalyzed by psychedelics may lead to lasting psychological benefits.
News
Researchers Gave Dogs LSD to Better Understand Its Impact on Autism
Scientists gave dogs LSD to explore how it might boost brain synchronization in social situations for individuals with autism.
Culture
Cadillac Unveils Electric Vehicle with Reishi Mushroom Leather Interior
The concept for the new electric vehicle is called the “Sollei,” and its leather interior accents are made from the mycelium of Reishi mushrooms.
News
Combining Ozempic with Psychedelic Compound May Treat Diabetes, Research Suggests
Though further research is required, scientists have found that combining drugs like Ozempic with harmine, an alkaloid in Syrian rue and Banisteriopsis caapi, may boost insulin production.
News
Reddit Says Xanax Is the Best “Trip Killer,” But Is It Safe?
Doctors publish letter warning against using "trip killers" to end psychedelic experiences and suggest remaining skeptical when seeking drug advice from Reddit.
News
Shipibo-Conibo Leaders Sound the Alarm About the Extinction of Ayahuasca
Ancestral medicine masters from the Shipibo nation of Peru recently gathered for an urgent meeting to address the effects of spiritual tourism and corporate exploitation.
Culture
Jon Hopkins’ New Album “Ritual” Is About Primal Embodiment
We caught up with Jon Hopkins about his creative process, vices, and how ice plunging influenced the primal sound of his new record.
Mental Health
Psilocybin-Assisted Group Therapy Can Reduce Shame in People Living with HIV
A new study suggests that psilocybin may significantly reduce HIV-related shame and improve mental health and lifestyle habits.
News
Another Psychedelic Drug Derivative Secures Patent and Awaits FDA Approval
Enveric Biosciences dubs EB-002 as a “next-generation” psilocin pro-drug and aims to use it as a stepping stone for its future, trip-free psychedelic medications.
News
Here’s How Psychedelics Legalization Is Unfolding In Colorado
Psychedelics-related crimes and hospitalizations have not increased since Prop. 122 passed in 2022, according to an analysis by the Reason Foundation.
Culture
Warning: Don’t Take the Nazi Molly
Nazi-stamped pills are circulating in Europe’s party scene, a trend coinciding with an uptick in far-right political beliefs among the region’s youth.
Health & Wellness
Teen Drinks Ayahuasca and Now Facilitates Plant Medicine Ceremonies in Bali
A 15-year-old from Russia drank ayahuasca after his parents took him to a retreat in Colombia. Now, he leads ceremonies, hosts workshops, and offers courses in Indonesia.
Equity and Reciprocity
MA’AT Brings Sexual Assault Advocacy to the Psychedelics and Wellness Spaces
The psychedelics and wellness spaces have a major sexual assault problem, but now there’s a community organization taking action.
Health & Wellness
LSD Is on Deck As New Treatment for PMS and PMDD
MindBio Therapeutics is launching a study to find out if LSD can be a tool for improving the challenges of women's moon cycles.
Equity and Reciprocity
California Will Not Legalize Widespread Access to Psychedelic Therapy Any Time Soon
SB1012, the bill to legalize and mainstream psychedelic therapy in California, was axed among hundreds of other initiatives in May.
Science
Psilocybin Mushroom Potency Can Degrade by Nearly 50% in Six Months, New Data Shows
A preliminary experiment by Hyphae Labs shows that the potency of psilocybin mushrooms can drastically decrease in less than a year.
Culture
87% of Music Festival Goers Plan to Use Drugs in 2024
A recently updated study shows that cannabis, psychedelics, and cocaine are the drugs of choice among music festival-goers.
Health & Wellness
Orangutan Makes History Using Plant Medicine to Heal
Rakus the orangutan just proved to researchers that animals are brilliant and know how to harness the healing properties of plants.
News
An Outdated Law Has Stopped All Psychedelic Research in California
Numerous studies looking at the efficacy of psychedelics on mental health are on indefinite hiatus due to a law enacted more than 50 years ago.
News
Paul Stamets’ Employees Push to Unionize Over Allegations of Low Pay and Insurance Disruptions
A group of workers at Fungi Perfecti are pushing for a union, but facing obstacles from a consulting firm known for its union avoidance services.
News
LAPD Launch Investigation Into Matthew Perry’s Fatal Ketamine Dose
An investigation is underway to determine the details of how Matthew Perry acquired the ketamine that led to his death.
News
That One Time the US Treasury Secretary Ate Shrooms in China
“I was not aware that these mushrooms had hallucinogenic properties," said Janet Yellen, US Treasury Secretary. "I learned that later.”
Equity + Indigenous Reciprocity
Shamans Are Going to Jail for Ayahuasca Possession
Since 2022, nine shamans have been arrested for possessing ayahuasca, sparking debate on its classification as a drug and the necessity of legal religious protections.
Health & Wellness
Woman Dies at Mushroom Retreat in Australia
Death at a wellness retreat center raises concerns over contaminated products and the practice of administering foraged mushrooms to clients.
Science
Why Closing Your Eyes Makes You Trip Harder
A recent study suggests that closing our eyes intensifies the effects of psychedelics, potentially enhancing their therapeutic benefits.
Equity and Reciprocity
Church of the Eagle and the Condor Can Now Drink Ayahuasca Legally in the US
The Church of Eagle and Condor becomes the third organization in the United States to obtain religious exemption from the Controlled Substances Act to legally use ayahuasca.
News
Petition Urges FDA to Review Risks of Lykos Therapeutics’ Bid for Legal MDMA
Scholars and concerned citizens file a public petition to the FDA to consider the unintended consequences of approving MDMA for PTSD therapy.
News
You Can Buy “Legal Shrooms” On the Venice Beach Boardwalk
There’s a “mushroom dispensary” on Ocean Front Walk in Venice Beach. But do any of the products actually contain psilocybin?
News
Mistaken Autopsy Report Blames Ketamine for Tragic Hot Air Balloon Crash
After publishing the initial report, the medical examiner updated it to show that medical professionals administered ketamine in an attempt to save the pilot’s life.
Culture
5 Drug Highs That Define the Grateful Dead’s Legacy
From a birthday cake laced with 800 hits of LSD to writing "Touch of Grey" after a night of railing lines, here are some of the Grateful Dead's most iconic drug moments.
Science
Even Small Doses of LSD Can Expand Consciousness
LSD drastically impacts neural complexity and boosts theta and delta waves in ways that the majority of other drugs don’t.
Culture
Ancient Romans Used to Trip on Hallucinogenic Seeds, Archeologists Say
A recent discovery of seeds hidden in a container made out of bone gives archeologists a clue about how Ancient Romans used psychedelics.
Culture
How a Supreme Court Ruling Made Blotter Paper Beloved Among Acid Dealers Everywhere
Ever wondered why paper tabs are the most common delivery method for LSD? We broke down a 1991 US Supreme Court ruling that made it this way.
News
Mushroom Seizures in the US Are Up 273 Percent From 2017, New Research Shows
New data from US law enforcement agencies shows that access and use of psilocybin products have increased over the past five years—and so have mushroom seizures.
Opinion
Swallowing the Psychedelic Red Pill
The general public has historically associated psychedelics with liberal ideologies, but they can also make people more inclined to believe in conspiracy theories and right-wing extremism.
News
The DEA is Playing God with Psychedelic Churches
The Drug Enforcement Administration has been deciding which psychedelic churches are and are not legitimate—but, according to legal experts, they don’t have the right to do so
Art + Culture
The Multi-Billion-Dollar Crystal Industry Isn’t All “Love and Light”
Are crystals really all good vibes—or dark energy in disguise?