Brooklyn Balance: What No One Told Me About the Medicine I Was Taking
In this blog post, Josh Jupiter recounts a distressing experience with an underground "plant medicine" group that highlights the critical importance of informed consent.
The author describes being invited to a group led by a facilitator who projected professionalism and safety while maintaining an air of exclusivity and mystery. Participants were encouraged to "Trust, Let Go, Be Open" (TLO)—a mantra the author later realized served to discourage critical thinking and mask a lack of transparency. Despite an initial screening process that appeared thorough, participants were never informed about the actual substances they were being given, which were vaguely labeled as "heart openers" or "plant medicine."
Through his own research and piecing together information over time, Jupiter discovered that the substances included MDA, MDMA, Syrian Rue, and barbiturates. He emphasizes the danger of this lack of disclosure, noting that Syrian Rue—an MAO inhibitor—can create life-threatening pharmacological interactions when combined with other substances like MDMA, particularly for individuals with specific health conditions or those taking other medications.
The piece serves as a cautionary tale about the risks of high-demand or unregulated groups that prioritize secrecy over safety. Jupiter concludes that without clear, honest communication about what is being consumed, true informed consent is impossible, leaving participants vulnerable to significant physical and psychological harm. This experience was a foundational moment in his shift toward his current professional work in advocacy and education.