The Long Now Foundation presents Ismail Ali discussing “Psychedelics: History At The Crossroads,” A Conversation At The Interval At Long Now in Building A at Fort Mason Center For Arts & Culture. The in-person talk happens on Tuesday, February 14, 2023, 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. (check-in starts at 6:00 p.m., arrive early at 6:30 p.m. to obtain seats and buy a beverage in advance).

Psychedelics and other mind-altering substances have been used for 1000s of years across the world in religious, spiritual, celebratory, and healing contexts. Despite a half century of a “War on Drugs” in the U.S., there has been a recent resurgence in public interest in ending drug prohibition and re-evaluating the roles these substances can play in modern society.

Ismail Ali works daily developing and implementing the legal and policy strategies that define the next several decades of psychedelic access, and joins Long Now in an evening of exploring the deep history of psychedelics and what role they can play in our future.

Ismail Lourido Ali, JD (he/him or they/them) is the Director of Policy & Advocacy at the Multidisciplinary Association of Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), and has been personally utilizing psychedelics and other substances in celebratory and spiritual contexts for more than 15 years. Ismail Ali is actively involved with numerous organizations in the drug policy reform ecosystem and has held leadership, board, and advisory positions with Alchemy Community Therapy Center (formerly Sage Institute), Psychedelic Bar Association, Students for Sensible Drug Policy, Chacruna Institute, and the Ayahuasca Defense Fund.