New York Magazine partnered with anti-psychedelics activists on MDMA series
In 2022, New York Magazine produced a podcast about the dangers of MDMA-assisted treatment for people dealing with post-traumatic stress, along with two leaders of an activist group dedicated to stopping the practice from becoming legal in the US.
Now, the group is coming under greater scrutiny for its at times aggressive tactics, putting a spotlight on why the activist duo had editorial control over a major publication's podcast.
Last week, The New York Times published a story about how Psymposia successfully helped derail an effort last year to convince the Food and Drug Administration to approve MDMA-assisted treatment for people dealing with post-traumatic stress.
The story noted that two of the former primary figures in the group, David Nickles and Lily Kay Ross, had long been engaged in efforts to stop psychedelic therapy, including by exaggerating its risks, and tamp down criticism of their own group and its tactics. In a since-deleted 2018 post, Nickles 'outlined strategies for damaging psychedelic companies and nonprofits through persistent, critical media coverage and sabotaging 'business operations in ways designed to raise the costs of operating.''
In 2022, New York produced Cover Story, a limited series podcast, whose first season was about the dark side of psychedelic-assisted therapy. The show quoted Ross heavily as a source. But in an unusual arrangement, it also made her and Nickels co-producers on the show. (Psymposia said on its website that the group itself was a co-producer.)
In a statement, a Vox Media spokesperson told Semafor that although they were producers on the show, Ross and Nickles were two members of a larger production team that included others with editorial oversight.
'New York Magazine retained full editorial control of the podcast, which was rigorously reported and thoroughly fact-checked, and raised important questions about the psychedelic renaissance that warranted deeper exploration,' the spokesperson said.
In a statement to Semafor, Ross and Nickles said the New York podcast clearly explains how they are situated, and the accompanying articles for New York show the depth of their research and investigations into the world of psychedelic therapy.
'The New York Times article contains numerous inaccuracies and misleading assertions which we are working to get the paper to correct,' they wrote, disputing some parts of the Times' timeline.
The Times also separately singled out Vox for repeating an explosive accusation that one of the therapists who took part in clinical psychedelic therapy trials, Veronika Gold, had admitted in her book to pinning down a screaming patient. The paper reported that the incident was actually much more complicated than it has been presented in the media, including a 2024 Vox article.
Following Semafor's inquiry, a Vox Media spokesperson said the story had been updated and corrected to reflect that the drug used in the session was ketamine, not MDMA, and updated to include more context from Gold's account of the therapy session at the center of the allegation.
The Times has done significant reporting on psychedelic therapy recently, rolling out a long feature late last year about veterans seeking out treatment in Mexico.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump's nominee to run the Food and Drug Administration, has expressed openness to expanding access to psychedelics if he's confirmed, a prospect that excites advocates.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
The Best Art Shows of 2025, So Far
Art-wise, 2025 has already packed some hot events into a few short months. After being closed for several years, two monumental museum projects — an expanded Frick Collection and the Met's reimagined Rockefeller wing — splendiferously unfurled. Major exhibitions of European art, including ancient Roman sculptures and 19th-century German Romantic painting by Casper David Friedrich, landed with acclaim in Chicago and New York. Spring delivered a long-overdue tribute to the great under-sung contemporary artist Jack Whitten at MoMA. Solo surveys elsewhere brought significant midcareer figures — Lorna Simpson and Rashid Johnson — into rich focus, and offered a first full look at the much-noticed portraitist Amy Sherald. More good news: much of all this bounty is still on view right now. Holland Cotter 'Amy Sherald: American Sublime' Whitney Museum of American Art Amy Sherald is drawn to loud, retro-ish fabrics — to wide stripes and dresses imprinted with floral patterns or strewed with rows of strawberries or cherries or lemons. She excels at painting pleated skirts, their folds of fabric as stately and evenly spaced as ancient Greek columns. And note the exaggeratedly clean ambience. White shirts gleam with Tide-strength brightness, and khakis remain unblemished by mystery grease stains. You cannot find fresher clothing in the work of any contemporary painter, with the exception of Alex Katz, the pre-eminent realist who similarly garbs his figures in shirts and pants that look as if they were removed five minutes earlier from a J. Crew gift box. In the case of both artists, the squeaky-clean attire echoes in the formal neatness of their respective painting styles. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
Denny Hamlin Watches NASCAR At Home And Likes What He Sees On Prime
Denny Hamlin at JAY-Z's 40/40 Club during Fanatics Fest NYC held at the Javits Center on June 20, ... More 2025 in New York, New York. (Photo by Stephanie Augello/Variety via Getty Images) Denny Hamlin had the rare opportunity recently to sit on his own couch and watch a NASCAR Cup Series race as a fan — and, as it turned out, he was impressed. That opportunity came courtesy of a well-timed — and very personal — delay: Hamlin's fiancée, Jordan Fish, was nearing the birth of their first son, Jameson Drew Hamlin, the couple's third child. With the logistics of traveling to another country and the unpredictability of timing, the decision was made for Hamlin to stay home in North Carolina and skip the Mexico City race. Jameson arrived the Wednesday before the race, giving the new dad the rare chance to sit back and watch a NASCAR race live on Amazon Prime Video — one of five exclusive Cup Series races streamed this summer. And for Hamlin, the experience was eye-opening. 'From a broadcast standpoint I was entertained,' Hamlin said Saturday at Pocono. 'Even when the racing wasn't super entertaining, what I liked was the broadcast gave you another story they were talking about. Their production was fantastic and their pre and post-race show kept me engaged.' That kind of feedback — from a driver, team co-owner, and longtime observer of how racing is packaged on television — is no small thing. Hamlin is a stakeholder in the sport both on and off the track, and he's not one to hand out empty praise. 'There were lulls, but that's just part of it,' he added. 'Sometimes someone wins by 16 seconds and that's okay. I think they [Amazon Prime] do a good job of telling the stories and getting you excited about strategy and showing how one driver may catch another and be on the lookout for it. They are doing a great job so far.' For Hamlin, the difference isn't just slick graphics or modern streaming flexibility — it's the people in the booth and the rhythm of the show. The Amazon team, including Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Steve Letarte, brings a different energy that feels less boxed in by old-school TV constraints. 'They have racers in the booth,' Hamlin said. 'If you look at the people that they have, they know the sport inside and out. Dale Jr. hosts a podcast each week that talks about the sport. Steve Letarte is one of the best, if not the best at just keeping you constantly engaged.' That chemistry among the Amazon crew has translated to a broadcast that flows more naturally — and addresses a common fan frustration: commercials. 'They are not bound by network and having to hit commercials,' Hamlin explained. 'I think they talked about it on (Dale) Junior's podcast this week about being flexible when they take their breaks. I think that's certainly important because a lot of the gripe you hear is maybe nine laps to go and it's necessary for network to go to commercial — and it's just not the right time. Unfortunately, that's just how network TV works.' Hamlin wasn't just spectating this stretch of Amazon's five-race slate — he was part of it. He won at Michigan earlier this month, a race streamed exclusively on Prime. And while he returned to driver duties for the final event in the package at Pocono, he now knows exactly what fans at home have been seeing. And liking. As NASCAR leans further into a changing media landscape, with streaming playing a bigger role in how the sport reaches its audience, Hamlin's perspective could be especially valuable. He's one of the few who can say he's seen it from both sides — behind the wheel, and behind a remote.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
NYT Connections today – my hints and answers for June 22 (#742)
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Looking for a different day? A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Saturday, June 21 (game #741). Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints. What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game. SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers. Today's NYT Connections words are… PORT PURSUIT PROGRESSIVE SUCCESSION HAPPINESS DEPARTED FLASH LIBERTY WIRE EUPHORIA REMAINING ENTOURAGE INSECURE BULLETIN LIFE REPORT What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups? YELLOW: Breaking! GREEN: We hold these truths to be self-evident BLUE: Box-set staples PURPLE: Not right Need more clues? We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles… What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups? YELLOW: NEWS ANNOUNCEMENT GREEN: NOUNS FROM A FAMOUS LINE IN THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE BLUE: HBO SHOWS PURPLE: WHAT 'LEFT' MIGHT MEAN Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM. The answers to today's Connections, game #742, are… YELLOW: NEWS ANNOUNCEMENT BULLETIN, FLASH, REPORT, WIRE GREEN: NOUNS FROM A FAMOUS LINE IN THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE HAPPINESS, LIBERTY, LIFE, PURSUIT BLUE: HBO SHOWS ENTOURAGE, EUPHORIA, INSECURE, SUCCESSION PURPLE: WHAT 'LEFT' MIGHT MEAN DEPARTED, PORT, PROGRESSIVE, REMAINING My rating: Moderate My score: 1 mistake My first thought on seeing the word board today was that surely ENTOURAGE, EUPHORIA and SUCCESSION went together as examples of glossy US TV shows. But what to add to them? The WIRE, maybe, but it was missing the definitive at the start, so seemed unlikely. Was there a show called DEPARTED maybe – or was that The Departed? Or it could be LIFE, as that's definitely a TV show – but a British one. In the end I got cold feet on that and looked elsewhere, spotting that LIFE, LIBERTY and the PURSUIT of HAPPINESS were all NOUNS FROM A FAMOUS LINE IN THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. That gave me an easy green, so I decided to next search for the supposedly easier still yellow. Yellow groups are almost always just straight groups of words with no subterfuge or misdirection, so I looked at the board with a clear mind and spotted FLASH, REPORT, WIRE and BULLETIN as examples of a NEWS ANNOUNCEMENT. With one more needed I looked again at the TV shows one, now shorn of LIFE and WIRE, and played those three with DEPARTED. That gave me 'one away', but I added INSECURE as another possible and got it right. Turns out they were all HBO shows. That just left purple and WHAT 'LEFT' MIGHT MEAN, a nice oblique group with DEPARTED, PORT, PROGRESSIVE and REMAINING. How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below. YELLOW: STOCKY SOLID, SQUAT, STOUT, THICK GREEN: COMPANY CONCERN, FIRM, HOUSE, OUTFIT BLUE: APPLE PRODUCTS BRANDY, BUTTER, CIDER, SAUCE PURPLE: STARTS OF EUROPEAN COUNTRIES GERM, LUXE, MALT, PORT NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult. On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room. It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers. It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.
