Aaron Rodgers says psychedelics gave him 'a deeper self-love'

What a trip: Aaron Rodgers says psychedelics have given him ‘a deeper self-love’

In a horizontal frame Aaron Rodgers, left, gestures with his left hand while talking into a hand-held microphone

June 22, 2023 1:52 PM PT

Maybe psychedelic drugs can be more helpful than harmful. Maybe the federal government should decriminalize them because of that, as the longtime Green Bay Packers and recently acquired New York Jets quarterback and others advocated for during the Psychedelic Science 2023 conference in Denver this week.

But does he have to seem so smug talking about it, as he did Wednesday night onstage with podcaster Aubrey Marcus?

“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?” Rogers asked the audience while speaking onstage with Marcus at the Colorado Convention Center.

Psychedelics are prohibited under federal law, although U.S. researchers have been conducting numerous clinical trials approved by the government, looking into the drugs’ effects on a number of ailments and disorders. The Food and Drug Administration has deemed the psychedelic psilocybin a potential “breakthrough therapy” for treating depression.

Rodgers has spoken before about his use of the plant-based psychedelic ayahuasca, and apparently has gotten some guff about it.

“I guarantee you all these bums who want to come after me online about my experience and stuff, they’ve never tried it,” Rodgers said Wednesday night. “They’re the perfect people for it. We need to get these people taking it.”

The conference is being hosted by the Multidisciplinary Assn. for Psychedelic Studies, an advocacy group that has found an enthusiastic voice in Rodgers.

“We have the opportunity to change the conversation by dispelling these archaic myths about the dangers of [psychedelics] or the negative side effects or whatever it might be and start to share the actual wisdom and truth about it,” Rodgers said.

“And I think that’s how we move this conversation forward is more people to be out there comfortable talking about their own journeys — their spiritual journey, their medicine journey, their ceremonies — so that we can bring this to people that need it.”

At one point, Rodgers even seemed to credit ayahuasca with his on-field improvement between the 2019 and 2020 seasons.

“The previous year — 26 touchdowns, four interceptions, we had a good season,” Rodgers said. “Ayahuasca — 48 touchdowns, five, interceptions, MVP. What are you going to say?”

The Alcohol and Drug Foundation lists many possible effects of ayahuasca. They include nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, euphoria, anxiety and intense hallucinations.

Rogers mentioned another one from his experience.

“I found a deeper self-love,” he said, according to the Associated Press.

Wait, who knew that was even possible?

Man, that ayahuasca stuff is good.