Town Hall Seattle and April Pride present
Psychedelic Salon: From Outlaw to FDA-Approved
The History of LSD in Seattle
EVENT NOTES
Doors for this event will open at 6:30 PM. Town Hall events are approximately 75 minutes long.
LSD has traveled a strange arc in Seattle from underground circles guided by charismatic true believers to its global leadership conducting pharmaceutical clinical trials running right now in downtown.
In this season-opening Salon, we trace that arc through Seattle’s fascinating history with LSD, the wildly improbable figure at the center of that story, and the rigorous science now positioning it as a potential FDA-approved treatment for generalized anxiety disorder. But we also look forward to a near future in which shorter-acting synthetic analogs, streamlined clinical protocols, and a shrinking role for psychotherapists may push more people to navigate these experiences largely on their own.
Author and historian Brad Holden opens the evening with highlights from his book Seattle Mystic, which details the life of Al Hubbard — inventor, bootlegger, spy, and the “Johnny Appleseed of LSD.” Hubbard emerged from Seattle’s own backyard and was the first psychedelic enthusiast to emphasize the significance of a safe and supportive container, coining the term “set & setting.” Then we turn to the cutting edge: a conversation with the founding director of Seattle Neuropsychiatric Treatment Center, which is globally one of the top 10 psychedelic clinical trial sites.
This evening is an honest look at what the science shows, what it doesn’t, and what is gained and lost when a compound with a rich human history becomes a pharmaceutical product.
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About the Speakers
Author and historian Brad Holden writes about the more illicit side of Seattle’s past. His book Seattle Mystic chronicles Alfred M. Hubbard — inventor, bootlegger, spy, and the man who paved the way for the first generation of psychedelic disciples. Holden is a contributing writer for HistoryLink and has been featured on NPR, KIRO, KOMO, and King 5. He lives in Edmonds, WA.
Dr. Rebecca Allen, MD, MPH is an interventional psychiatrist and Director of Research at Seattle Neuropsychiatric Treatment Center — currently the #1 enrolling site in the MindMed Voyage Phase 3 trial of LSD (MM120) for Generalized Anxiety Disorder. She earned her MD/MPH from OHSU, completed residency at Harvard, and a neuropsychiatry fellowship at Brigham and Women’s. She is past President of the Washington State Psychiatric Association and has served as Principal Investigator on clinical trials of psilocybin, LSD, DMT, and methylone.
For more than a decade, April Pride has created brands and convened conversations at the intersection of women’s health, gray-zone medicine, and harm-reduction education. She launched the Psychedelic Salon in 2023, looking to move beyond the isolation of podcasting and connect in person with the psychedelic curious in Seattle, one of the first U.S. cities to decriminalize entheogens. Today, she hosts the Salon in partnership with Town Hall Seattle, where six times a year, a growing community of patients, practitioners, and curious newcomers gathers to hear local and national experts on the law, aging, grief, integration, and more. April’s work has been featured in New York Magazine, Forbes, Vice, and The Guardian.
Visit aprilpride.com for more information on April’s work, including her podcast, Substack, psychedelic events, and more.
Presented by Town Hall Seattle and April Pride.
Events are offered for informational, entertainment, and educational purposes only. Read Town Hall’s Program Content Policy.
Program Note
This event is offered for informational, entertainment, and educational purposes only and should not be construed as medical, legal, or other professional advice. Read more here.
This is part of the Psychedelic Salon Series
