8 Influential Figures Who've Tried Psychedelics

It turns out not even Hollywood A-listers are immune to the spiritual enlightenment offered by psychedelics. Below you will find several influential figures who have tried LSD and mushrooms, and what they have to say about the substances.

THE INFLUENCE OF PSYCHEDELICS HAS SPREAD FAR AND WIDE

A pathway to another dimension, access to the deepest recesses of the mind, or merely an overload of chemical reactions. However you view the capabilities of psychedelics, there is no denying that the experience is one you never forget. Many psychonauts regale tales of mythical beasts appearing, sounds taking form, and a feeling of complete unity with the cosmos. With such a powerful impact on our psyche, it will come as no surprise that numerous celebrities have also dabbled.

Is it just mild curiosity, or is there more to it than that? We explore a selection of famous actors, musical artists, and world-renowned CEO's to understand what it is that makes psychedelics so intriguing.

CELEBRITIES THAT HAVE USED PSYCHEDELICS

The world of psychedelics includes LSD, psilocybin (magic mushrooms), DMT, and mescaline, among other substances. It would appear, however, that two categories in particular have caught the eye of prominent celebrities.

LSD/ACID

• Bill Gates

Proud recipient of the title “World’s Richest Man” (several years in a row), Bill Gates is instantly recognisable for his role as the principal founder of tech giant Microsoft. What you may not know about this business mogul turned philanthropist, however, is he has also alluded to interactions with LSD as an adolescent.

During an interview with Playboy Magazine, Bill suggested that his younger mind “can deal with certain kinds of goofing around”, going on to add “that means that there were things I did under the age of 25 that I ended up not doing subsequently”. This was in response to a question from Playboy about whether he had ever taken LSD.

• Shia LaBeouf

Whether you know Shia Labeouf from his roles in films like Holes, Constantine, and Transformers, or from the memes that have overtaken the internet, the fact is, you know who he is. What is less known is why LaBeouf went from big-budget, family-friendly star to introvert indie movie actor. Maybe it was the pressure of Hollywood, or perhaps it was something else.

Talking to USA Today, LaBeouf let drop that while working on the set for crime comedy The Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman, the only way to prepare for a scene that involved his character taking acid, was to actually take acid. You cannot argue Shia isn’t dedicated to authenticity.

• A$AP Rocky

Let’s face it; if you're going to take acid, you may as well do it with style. And if there is something A$AP Rocky is famous for, it's doing things in his own unique way. Back in 2015, popular culture went wild over an admission from Mr. Rocky that he had multiple acid-fuelled orgies at the SXSW music festival.

The story wasn’t just a brag from A$AP either, as another rapper going by the stage name iLoveMakonnen confirmed the story to be true. In A$AP Rocky’s case, acid didn’t just open his mind to other dimensions, but allowed him to be with three girls at a time on three different occasions.

• Steve Jobs

If anyone could rival the previously mentioned tech giant Bill Gates, it would be the late Steve Jobs. Renowned for bringing Apple back from the brink of bankruptcy, there is a good chance you’re reading this article on one of the devices he had a hand in producing. With the genius of Jobs undisputed, what was it that provided his creative inspiration?

Steve Jobs attributed his pioneering creativity to lysergic acid diethylamide, or as it is more commonly known, LSD. He is quoted as saying “LSD shows you that there’s another side to the coin, and you can’t remember it when it wears off, but you know it”.

MUSHROOMS

• Susan Sarandon

Sarandon has appeared in just shy of a hundred movies, many of which are critically acclaimed. That doesn't include her television, documentary, and video game appearances. To say she is a successful actress would be putting it mildly. She also happens to be friends with acid aficionado Timothy Leary. Whether it was his influence or her own curiosity, Sarandon admits to trying both ayahuasca and mushrooms. She even professes that the perfect tripping environment is the great outdoors, adding “I’m not a city-tripper”.

• Joe Rogan

Fear Factor presenter turned MMA commentator, turned incredibly popular podcast creator, Joe Rogan has never been shy about his drug use. Frequently advocating the use of marijuana, you are unlikely to be shocked that psychedelics have also played a key role in his life. After experimenting with mushrooms and a sensory deprivation tank, Rogan says the experience changed his life.

Given how successful he continues to be, we are inclined to agree. Several of his podcasts feature prominent figures in the psychedelics world and are well worth a listen. Episode by episode, he is helping to break down the stigma attached to substances like magic mushrooms and LSD.

• Dr. Andrew Weil

Speaking of the Joe Rogan podcast, Dr. Andrew Weil has himself been an attendee. The appearance goes hand in hand with his prominence in the field of integrative medicine. By using alternative therapies in conjunction with functional medical treatment, Dr. Weil believes it improves the effectiveness of treatments.

When Dr. Weil was a freshman, he forged documents to get his hands on the potent psychedelic mescaline. It was also during these younger years that he sought to scientifically prove that mushrooms could be a viable option for treatment in specific cases. Given the illegal nature of the substance, the battle to determine its efficacy continues, despite Dr. Weil’s hard work.

• David Carradine

Love him or hate him, David Carradine knows how to play the bad guy. Arguably one of his most iconic roles is Bill in the aptly titled Kill Bill franchise. Aside from his love for martial arts, Carradine also confesses to the use of magic mushrooms and the peyote cactus in his autobiography Endless Highway. It appears many great actors have decided to venture into psychedelics, which does add some weight to the argument that psychedelics accentuate our creative talents.