Psilocybin changed their lives for the better - Pt 2

The entrepreneurial story of Shontelle Pinch’s dive into the mushroom business turned its first page with her desire to understand brain health, hormonal balance and their collective impact on health and longevity.

Of personal interest, besides her Choose Happy brand of psilocybin-infused roots wine, chocolates, and the ‘PsiloCann capsule’, a proprietary product that combines psilocybin with CBD (all from her Mandeville-based laboratory run by head scientist Rojae Cowan), Pinch has identified advantageous opportunities for psilocybin to assist women in hormone therapy, as well as helping those who have served time in the penal system.

Pinch is partnering with St James-based family physician Jodine Tafari on the doctor’s hormonal health evaluation of patients and is super proud of the clinical trials that will be based here. “Once the treatment options are obtained, she will provide them with treatment options which may include hormone replacement therapy (HRT)combined with psilocybin, HRT solely, or psilocybin therapy exclusively,” Pinch explained of the collaborative undertaking now under way.

The Canadian-Jamaican entrepreneur, who owns the eco-friendly Serenade resort property on the West End in Negril and is the only female member of the collective, elaborated that “Choose Happy can play a crucial role in this (hormone treatment) process by supplying Happy Cappies, which are psilocybin-infused products designed to support mental health. With a carefully crafted plan, patients will receive personalised recommendations based on their individual hormonal needs and preferences that ensures a comprehensive approach to their health and well-being.”

Pinch also believes benefits can be gleaned through psilocybin therapy for formerly incarcerated persons who transition into the world beyond bars.

Although Choose Happy does not operate a rehabilitation facility, she proposed that there should be existing pre-release hostels and community centres in the island, and “in these settings, along with collaboration with experienced therapists and practitioners, we can help facilitate a smoother transition for individuals, empowering them to confront and address underlying mental health challenges” by way of structured microdosing of psilocybin.

RIPPLE EFFECT

The oft-repeated power of psilocybin by its users has served Jason Williams well, too. A member of The Mushroom Collective. Wiliams’ Cosmic Mushrooms business was established in 2017.

“I taught myself how to grow mushrooms, grew a batch, and tried it myself. That first experience showed me the healing, transformative power it carries,” he explained in a sit-down. “I’ve always been deeply interested in consciousness and spirituality, or at least metaphysics, and psilocybin sits right at that intersection between nature, science, and spirit. It just felt like the right path for me.”

The 35-year-old entrepreneur whose St Andrew-based indoor production business cultivates and manufactures its flagship two-gram ‘Cosmic Tea’, along with capsules and raw, dried mushrooms, posited that “in this age of technology, scrolling and distraction, psilocybin is the antidote”.

His 0.5-gram butterfly pea flower and psilocybin tea, for example, eases anxiety and uplifts low moods, while his 0.7 gram milk chocolate squares “are ideal for social settings and soft introspection”.

Williams said its pluses are that “it reconnects you to nature, to yourself. People on mushrooms usually want to put the phone down, be present, be in the moment. It brings creativity, emotional clarity, and peace. That ripple effect would spark new art, new ideas, and, through that, a new cultural energy.”

He’s optimistic of the road ahead for the local mushroom industry. “I want to see Jamaica become more accepting of psilocybin; less stigma, more education... . I’d like to see the National Council on Drug Abuse using mushrooms to help people get off harmful substances. Instead of treating us like enemies, we could be allies,” Williams said.

There are benefits too, according to him, that could be realised in the integration of psilocybin into palliative care . “For people facing terminal illness, it’s been proven to ease end-of-life anxiety and bring peace,” the earnest advocate assessed. “We should already be offering that kind of support. It’s time we help our ageing population and those with terminal conditions experience the kind of mental clarity and spiritual peace that psilocybin provides, because the science is there, and the need is now.”