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In one sense, psychedelics have always been divisive in mainstream Western culture. During their heyday in the 1960s, proponents lauded psychedelics’ virtues for psychological healing and exploration. But troubling reports also emerged — stories of bad trips, psychological breaks and mostly apocryphal yet sensationalized reports of individuals leaping from buildings while under the influence. This darker side, combined with Nixon’s targeting of drugs popular with hippies, cast a pall over psychedelic research for decades, making the prospect of FDA approval seem like a practical impossibility. Psychdelic resurgence and pursuit of FDA approvalBut now, thanks to loosening restrictions, psychedelics are as hip as they have been in decades, and are a popular research subject in many academic circles. In June, FDA released gui…