We are delighted to announce the formation of The Cottonwood Research Foundation in Taos, New Mexico. Steven Barker PhD from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Andrew Stone from Stone Design in Albuquerque, and I established the Foundation in the Spring of 2007 as a New Mexico non-profit corporation. We are now a Federal tax-exempt 501(c)3 organization, and donations are tax-deductible.

The Cottonwood Research Foundation will perform scientific studies into human consciousness, using the lens of naturally-occurring hallucinogenic medicines. We will apply our findings to the full spectrum of the human condition—including treatment of physical and psychological illnesses, religious and spiritual issues, and creativity studies.

We founded the Cottonwood Research Foundation to address several needs that exist within the research and therapeutic communities:

Emphasis on naturally-occurring compounds

This will partake of two specific approaches:

Naturally-occurring hallucinogens in humans

We believe the existence of hallucinogenic tryptamine compounds in the human body, such as N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), 5-methoxy-DMT, and bufotenine requires explanations taking into account multiple perspectives. These discussions should address evolutionary, cultural and social, and spiritual implications.

Earlier investigators in this field focused on the tryptamines’ relevance to psychosis, it is just as likely that they play a role in mediating other states of consciousness, such as dreams, religious/spiritual experiences, creativity, near-death states, as well as normal waking consciousness.

Naturally-occurring plant medicines

Indigenous cultures have a longstanding, rich, and varied knowledge-base regarding the existence, use, and side effects of an enormous number of psychoactive plant medicines. These include DMT-containing ayahuasca, ibogaine-containing iboga, mitragynine-containing kratom, mescaline-containing peyote, and salvinorin-containing Salvia divinorum. We intend to thoroughly integrate this empirically derived shamanic knowledge with contemporary Western medical, psychological, and religious/spiritual models. By doing so, we will develop a new model for the optimal use of these medicines, in addition to understanding the states to which they provide access.

Direct involvement by the Foundation in designing and performing research

Two of our three board members are established, hands-on researchers in the hallucinogen field. Dr. Barker has decades of experience in basic science studies of endogenous tryptamines, and runs a well-established and well-funded analytical laboratory affiliated both with LSU and the State of Louisiana.

My own background in initiating the US renaissance in clinical hallucinogen research in the 1990’s will also contribute to our ability to design approvable and fundable studies. Our DMT projects at the University of New Mexico established the model for subsequent studies at several universities around the US. In addition to the DMT work, we had begun psilocybin studies, and had approval and drug to begin LSD research.

Thus, the Cottonwood Research Foundation brings a unique combination of background, expertise, and success in obtaining funding for research projects, and we apply that unique background in designing and running our own studies.

Cottonwood Campus

Our long range goal is to purchase and develop a physical site in northern New Mexico which will bring together the many approaches and disciplines necessary for the fullest possible understanding of human consciousness, revealed through the tools provided by hallucinogenic plant medicines.

We envision this site partaking of aspects of a research clinic, liberal arts university, religious/spiritual training site, creative arts center, and graduate school.

In this multidisciplinary capacity, faculty, staff, and students will perform both basic and therapeutic clinical studies, working towards the establishment of new treatments for an array of physical and psychological conditions.

The campus also will contain academic departments that can apply their respective skills and datasets to more fully understand and apply the phenomena of interest. These would include Anthropology, Psychology, Religious Studies, Humanities, Pharmacology and Therapeutics, and Cognitive Science.

Those wishing to further their spiritual/religious training would have the opportunity to become involved in projects at our campus; as may those involved in aesthetic or scientific creative endeavors.

We will have training programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and operate a visiting scholars exchange program where experts in their respective fields can spend extended amounts of time with us in New Mexico, and the New Mexico faculty could travel abroad to further their own expertise.

In the twelve years since our University of New Mexico studies ceased, the field of psychedelic medicinal research has advanced, but we strongly feel much more can be done. We believe the Cottonwood Research Foundation will take the field to its next stage of evolution.
We welcome any ideas, comments, or suggestions you may have. We also welcome any and all donations.