This is VANCOLOUR
This is VANCOLOUR
CHEK Podcasts
Can psychedelic drugs actually treat addiction? (Dr. Melissa Lem)
7 minutes Posted May 8, 2026 at 7:00 pm.
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Show notes
Psychedelic drugs (hallucinogens) are getting a lot of attention — from podcasts to politics — with growing pressure to fast-track them as treatments for addiction, including high-profile voices like Joe Rogan urging U.S. President Donald Trump to speed up research. But is this a real medical breakthrough, or is the hype getting ahead of the science? This is VANCOLOUR host Mo Amir speaks with family doctor Dr. Melissa Lem about what the evidence actually shows. From psilocybin (magic mushrooms) for smoking cessation to ketamine for alcohol use disorder, how effective are these treatments? And what are the risks?  
Recorded: May 4, 2026