Media contact: Hannah Echols, echolsh@uab.edu
Peter Hendricks, Ph.D.
Department of Health Behavior
Areas of expertise:
- Substance abuse treatment and prevention
- Hallucinogenic therapy
- Novel treatments for tobacco, cocaine and polysubstance dependence
Hendricks is currently researching the use of psilocybin to see if it will help individuals addicted to cocaine stop using the harmful drug. He theorizes that psilocybin, which is the active compound found in Psilocybe mushrooms, also known as "magic mushrooms," will work from the angles: biochemical, psychological and transcendental/spiritual. Hendricks is able to talk about his research as well as novel and more effective treatments for substance abuse dependence, with specific areas of focus on tobacco, cocaine and polysubstance abuse in vulnerable populations.
Media appearances:
- Magic mushrooms, illegal in most places, may have therapeutic uses, The Economist
- The place where mushrooms get their own parade, Vogue
- Alabama professor: LSD, mushrooms may be effective in preventing criminal behavior, AL.com