Aaron Rodgers pushes for acceptance of psychedelics - ESPN

NFL star quarterback Aaron Rodgers was among a wide-ranging lineup of speakers at a psychedelics conference in Denver this week and advocated for the legalization of psychedelics by discussing his own experiences.

The conference, put on by the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies — the largest U.S. advocacy group — took place months after Colorado's voters decided to join Oregon in decriminalizing psychedelic mushrooms. While it's a sign of growing cultural acceptance for substances that proponents say might offer benefits for things like post-traumatic stress disorder and alcoholism, medical experts caution that more research is needed on the drugs' efficacy and the extent of the risks of psychedelics, which can cause hallucinations.

«Is it not ironic that the things that actually expand your mind are illegal and the things that keep you in the lower Chakras and dumb you down have been legal for centuries?» Rodgers, who had previously discussed his use of ayahuasca, said Wednesday night.

Rodgers, who'll soon debut with the New York Jets after years with the Green Bay Packers, spoke at the conference with podcaster Aubrey Marcus. Rodgers described taking ayahuasca with his teammates as «radically life-changing,» and said many other pro athletes have reached out to him.

«The response from other people in the sports industry has been incredible. To see basketball players and baseball players and surfers, entertainers and my own teammates and colleagues across the league reach out and either share their story about their own medicine journey or ask to be a part of an upcoming one was pretty special.»

Ayahuasca is defined as a psychoactive beverage native to South America and is often used for religious,