Editorial Standards

Psychedelic State(s) of America (PSA) is an independent, reader-supported news organization that covers psychedelic politics and policy. This page sets out how we label our work, disclose our relationships, use precise language, and correct our mistakes. Questions and correction requests go to Jack@psychedelicamericas.org.

Our relationships

PSA works with media partners, co-producers, event co-hosts and advertisers. Our media partnerships are content and promotion exchanges: no money changes hands in either direction. We list our current partners on our Partners & Projects page.

When a story, roundup item or event post involves one of these relationships, we say so at the top of the post or item in plain words, naming the relationship.

• Media partners. "[Organization] is a PSA media partner."
• Co-producers. The Chronicles of Kykeon co-produces The Psychedelic Bookshelf and The Psychedelic Silver Screen with PSA.
• Founder and staff interests. PSA founder Jack Gorsline also founded The Psychedelic Writers Guild. He writes the Weekly Psychedelic Policy Briefing for Psychedelics Today, and PSA co-presents events with Psychedelics Today. When we feature or cite work by PSA staff that was published elsewhere, we say who wrote it.
• Contributors. Contributors disclose consulting work, employment, equity, advisory roles and pending applications related to what they write about. We publish those disclosures at the top of the piece.
• Sources. When someone from a partner organization is quoted in a news story, we note the relationship where they are quoted.

Advertising

Ads in our newsletter are placed by our publishing platform, beehiiv, and appear under a label. Advertisers have no say in our coverage. We do not ask readers to click ads.

Independence

Partners, sponsors, advertisers and donors do not review or approve our coverage. When a news story concerns a PSA partner or an organization our founder runs, an editor other than the founder reviews it before publication.

Money

Donations to PSA support our independent journalism through The PSA Media Fund. PSA is fiscally sponsored by The Alternative Newsweekly Foundation (ANF), and donations are tax-deductible to the extent the law allows. When a PSA event sells tickets or offers a promo code, the event post says so.

How we label our work

Every PSA post carries one label above its headline. In multi-item issues such as the Sunday Sound-Off and State(s) of the Union, each item carries its own label.

• News: reported facts with attribution. Our own voice stays neutral, and evaluative words come from named sources.
• Analysis: an expert or staff interpretation of evidence, with its method and limits stated.
• Opinion: the author's argument. It does not necessarily reflect PSA's views. Reviews are opinion.
• Partner Content: written or produced by a partner organization. It is edited for accuracy, clarity and fairness, and labeled with the partner's name.
• PSA Event: promotion of an event PSA hosts, co-hosts or supports.
• PSA Announcement: news about PSA itself.

Headlines match their labels. A news headline makes no claim the story does not support.

Language we use

• We name the specific substance: psilocybin, MDMA, ibogaine. In our own voice we avoid "the medicine" or "plant medicine," though those terms appear in quotes and opinion. We use "medicine" for FDA-approved products.
• We call an unapproved treatment "investigational" and avoid calling it "healing" or "treatment."
• We say "participants" in trials, "patients" in clinical care, and "people who use psychedelics" otherwise.
• "Decriminalization" means a law that removes or reduces penalties. We say "lowest law-enforcement priority" when a measure changes policing priorities.
• We report adverse events with numbers, and we avoid "rare" or "safe" without data.
• "Psychedel*c" is a platform-safe spelling used only on social media. We do not use it in the newsletter or on this site.
• Every legislator gets their party and state on first reference, whatever their party.

Health and safety

Personal accounts of psychedelic use are one person's experience, not medical guidance. When a piece makes a health claim, we source it, add context, or cut it. Pieces that discuss suicide include crisis resources. If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988 in the U.S. to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Corrections

PSA corrects errors of fact promptly and visibly.

• Corrections: a dated note at the top of the post says what was wrong and what is right.
• Updates: new information, including a response from someone we wrote about, gets a dated "Update" note.
• Clarifications: used when wording was accurate but could mislead.
• No silent edits: we do not change facts without a note. We may fix typos and broken links without one.
• One version of record: we do not republish a corrected story as a new post.
• Corrections log: every correction is listed on our Corrections page.
• Right of reply: before we publish allegations against a named person or organization, we ask them for comment and give a reasonable deadline. We report whether they responded.

To request a correction, email Jack@psychedelicamericas.org. We respond within two business days.

Last updated November 9, 2026.