Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps, a major player in the soap industry, has recently announced that they will be providing free ketamine-assisted therapy to their employees as part of their healthcare benefits.
Ketamine-assisted therapy is a relatively new development in the field of mental health treatment. It has proven to be highly effective in managing a wide range of hard-to-treat mental illnesses, including severe depression, end-of-life anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
The treatment involves using controlled ketamine infusions in a medical setting in combination with traditional counseling and therapy techniques to help individuals struggling with mental illness manage their symptoms and improve their overall quality of life.
The “magic soap” company- which has its headquarters in Vista, California – is an ardent proponent of drug decriminalization and a vocal supporter of the use of psychedelic medicines for their therapeutic benefits.
Over the years, the family-owned business has used the labels on their soap and personal care products as a unique advocacy tool for preaching world peace and enlightening the masses about the benefits of psychedelic-assisted therapy.
Starting in 2015, they have channeled over $23 million to drug research, advocacy, and decriminalization/legalization efforts, as The New York Times reported. The company has also made headlines on several occasions in the past few years after being heavily involved in orchestrating and funding the successful push to legalize hemp cultivation in the United States and the legalization of the “magic” mushrooms for medicinal use in Oregon.
The decision to offer ketamine-assisted therapy as part of their employee healthcare benefits went into effect early this year and is seen as a natural extension of the company’s commitment to psychedelic research and drug policy reforms.
“Considering all our advocacy on this issue, this employee benefit is the next logical step,” Michael Bronner, the President of Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps, tweeted. “I don’t want to oversell ketamine therapy as a miracle cure, but it just stripped the rust away, gave me a reset, and got me to a really good space,” he added, referring to his experience with the treatment.
This move also comes at a time when psychedelic research is experiencing a resurgence, with more and more evidence mounting in support of the potential psychological and behavioral health benefits of different kinds of psychedelics.
The rise in research into psychedelics has also been spurred on by the discovery that classic psychedelics such as LSD and psilocybin could revolutionize the way we view and treat mental and behavioral health disorders.
David Bronner, the company’s CEO (Cosmic Engagement Officer), is also very passionate about drug decriminalization and the use of psychedelics for their medicinal effects. “Let’s face it, the world would be a far better place if more people experienced psychedelic medicines,” he is quoted as saying.
Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps is only the first major company to offer ketamine-assisted therapy as part of their employee healthcare benefits. Still, it’s likely we will see more and more companies follow suit in the coming years as psychedelic research and legalization efforts continue to gain mainstream traction.