President Donald Trump's new pick for surgeon general, Dr. Casey Means, has talked openly about her use of unproven psychedelic mushrooms to find "love at 35," HuffPost reported Thursday evening.
Means, an "alternative medicine" blogger who studied medicine at Stanford but never finished her residency, was chosen by Trump because of her closeness to Health and Human Services Secretary and anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
In a newsletter she published last fall, Means said psychedelics helped her make "space to find love at 35," according to the report. She said she “did plant medicine experiences with trusted guides” that readied her to find a partner. Means added a mushroom emoji as punctuation.
The surgeon general's job is to make public health announcements based on the latest scientific information. As the report wrote, "Past surgeons general have used their position to educate Americans about health problems like AIDS and suicide prevention. The surgeon general’s warning in 1964 about the dangers of smoking helped change the course of America’s health."
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However, "Dr. Casey Means’ recommendation to consider guided psilocybin-assisted therapy is notable because psilocybin is illegal under federal law," noted the report. "It’s listed as a Schedule 1 drug, defined as a substance 'with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.' Oregon and Colorado have legalized psychedelic therapy, though several cities in Oregon have since banned it."
In her book, "Good Energy," Means wrote that “If you feel called, I also encourage you to explore intentional, guided psilocybin therapy. Strong scientific evidence suggests that this psychedelic therapy can be one of the most meaningful experiences of life for some people, as they have been for me.”
Means was selected after Trump's previous pick for surgeon general, Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, was withdrawn before the nomination could go to a vote. Far-right activists were enraged with the pick given that Nesheiwat appeared to have padded her credentials, and she also came under fire for having promoted COVID vaccination during the height of the pandemic.
However, Means is already facing similar pushback from the right, with some of the same influencers noting she lacks sufficient qualifications. Former Republican-appointed surgeons general have also come out against her.
