I'm David Bronner, CEO of activist soap company Dr. Bronner's. We donate more than one-third of our profits to charitable organizations and campaigns each year, and have committed $1 million to the legalization of psilocybin therapy in Oregon. AMA!

first of all, love yall and yalls soap!! we use it all the time here, it's great for so many uses. why all the religious scriptures and stuff on the bottles?

My grandfather had the ovens of the Holocaust behind him and felt in a nuclear armed world, we would destroy ourselves if we didn't unite across religious and ethnic divides.
He felt all the religious traditions at their msytical core were about the one true religion of Love, and tried to show that on the labels. For inspiration he drew heavily on his own Jewish upbringing, but also from many other religious and philosophical traditions.

What are some product attempt fails?

Also, why does the peppermint soap refresh and invigorate my crotch rather than make it feel on fire?

Haha yes, that's definitely a favorite effect of many of our customers. Several songs have been written about the tingle... we had a tagline that we joked about but will never use "we've got ya by the balls" : ) But seriously the menthol in our organic fair trade peppermint oil activates cold-sensitive receptors in our skin, mimicking an icy feeling without actually being in cold weather!

My dad Asks “what’s the meaning of life?”

LOVE! I think love is at the core of it, and that it takes many forms. Different things can put you in touch with the love at the heart of the universe, like dancing all night or catching a sweet wave, or just a solid hang and laugh with friends.

I'm the grandson of Dr. Emanuel Bronner and Cosmic Engagement Officer (CEO) of the fighting soap company, Dr. Bronner's. Photo with proof: https://imgur.com/a/ReqL5Mc

I'm a big believer in integrating psilocybin therapy into American & global culture as soon as possible, to help heal epidemics of depression, anxiety, and addiction.  This therapy helps people to process difficult and traumatic emotions and experiences, break destructive patterns of thought and behavior, and to love, integrate and forgive themselves and each other. People connect to the deeper spiritual ground of their being and to the miraculous living natural world we are one with.

That’s why we’re dedicating $1 million to the IP 34 campaign to legalize psilocybin in Oregon this year: https://bit.ly/yesonip34

I'll be answering questions from 8 - 9am PST. Ask me anything!

Why did you decide to advocate for psilocybin therapy? What has been the response like from your customer base?

My family's no stranger to severe depression and anxiety. Pharma drugs and traditional therapies are often inadequate, and psilocybin therapy has shown remarkable promise in clinical trials at John Hopkins, NYU, and other universities, for depression and end-of-life anxiety. FDA has recently designated the therapy "breakthrough" status, and we want to see this therapy available for those who most need it. But also for all adults struggling with the dilemmas of life, this therapy is incredibly helpful.

Can you recount any particular time where you've had to choose between your values and a large sum of money?

Yeah we had to ride through a major price spike of coconut oil in Sri Lanka, where we had set up a major fair trade coconut operation after the Tsunami hit to help rebuild the economy. We could have closed up shop and restarted a fair trade operaiton in Phillipines and saved a ton of money but chose to commit to the Sri Lankan project... and then launched what became the top selling Virgin coconut oil in the market.

Do you think that the legalization of psilocybin therapy will be accessible to everyone and affordable? Current therapy in approved states comes at a price.

This measure doesn't impose exorbitant taxes beyond what's needed to cover the program, so the cost of medicine and therapy should be relatively affordable versus otherwise. Definitely programs sponsoring the most indigent and marginalzied and traumatized communities should be developed and we're actively looking at this with other donors. Clinics like Somatic Center in Portland have a "sliding scale" model where they charge higher for people who can afford, and discount for others.

I'm sure the consumer reaction to the company's drug policy reform philanthropy has been overwhelmingly positive, but have any customers ever complained about it or boycotted because they oppose those efforts?

Customer response has been overwhelmingly positive. I think this reflects the general shift in the culture at large and that more and more people are receptive to these kinds of therapies. We have had some upset customers writing in about our company’s support of these therapies, but they are the minority. No boycotts that we know of.

What's your favourite sandwich?

I love making vegan BLT's, with tempeh and tomato and garlic spread, and a seedy baguette : )

Curious as to where you are in the world? We are in Bellingham Wa ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

I'm at Dr. Bronner's factory in Vista, CA <3

What are you doing to keep your spirits up doing this difficult time?

Hanging with my partner Mia, plenty of cannabis, dancing, music, friends and fam on zoom, hikes and meditation in the mornings.

Do you follow the OG Doc Bronner’s philosophy of sun bathing?

https://imgur.com/a/c3gu99g (edited to correct link)

Dr Bronner was for sure more advanced than me on his comfort with nudity, his classic state was taking phone calls in the yard in his leopard print speedo. I've got a few speedos and rock em at pride celebrations and sometimes when I'm feeling extra playful hangin on the beach with my friends : )

Big fan and love yalls stuff.

What does bronner's do on a company basis for sustainability? I know yall do fair trade stuff abroad but what about locally? Where are your water and energy sources coming from? You all use a lot of plastics is there anything in the works to reduce its use in your supply chain? What about how your products are shipped.

We're powered 100% renewable, a mix of our own solar plus green energy we purchase. We support a lot of local organizations, especially youth programs like Boys and Girls Club and Boys to Men. We use 100% Post consumer recycled plastic, and have concentrated soaps, but the bar soaps are definitely the more eco option. We're also going to be lanching a drum program for bulk refil shops.

What exactly does psilocybin therapy entail?

Psilocybin therapy is a treatment for those suffering from depression, anxiety or just looking for personal growth where a trained therapist uses psilocybin mushrooms as a part of a therapy session. It involves a preperation session without medicine, the actual facilitated medicine session, and then an integration session after. In many ways, psilocybin therapy is just like regular therapy, but with the assistance of psilocybin to open the mind and give the participant a new perspective. The sessions can be extraordinarily powerful. In studies on depression and anxiety, psilocybin therapy has been shown to be a breakthrough therapy - having a positive, lasting impact for people.

In your experience/opinion, outside of petitions and voting, what are some concrete ways or direct action we can do to speed up the process of legalization?

Sharing our own powerful experiences of healing and transformation with friends and family is huge. And sharing with them the research how these psychedelic medicines actually work and who can benefit, will continue to lay the groundwork for expanded access to these powerful and beneficial medicines.

What’s your opinion on LSD vs psilocybin?

Psilocybin is amazing and I've had some very powerful experiences, including a really amazing one at a Roger Waters the Wall concert when I felt like I was in the Sacred cave Plato style with the cables from the roof like the roots of the tree of life, and Iwas just gettng the mega downloads on the human condition. LSD is a personal favorite of mine, I had some really important early experiences that helped set me on my path. During one in particular I was in a gay trance club in Amsterdam where I spent time after college finding myself and hanging out with some amazing people in the squat scene there... I had taken MDMA and LSD and died five different ways into the love and light at the heart of existence.

David, first off, thank you for keeping the product line going. I couldn’t live without the peppermint castile soap. I use the liquid at home and must always bring a bar with me when I travel.

How has your production been hurt by the covid-19 outbreak? I’ve noticed the products have been harder to find on the shelves of stores where they are usually readily available. Also, how do you feel about stores like Kroger and Walmart not carrying their own version of your products?

It's been crazy with Covid trying to keep up with the huge demand... definitely a lot of out of stocks just cuz it's nuts right now. And imitation is the sincerest form of flattery I guess ;)

Dr Bronner Q&A

Hi David, I’m writing you from Pucon the south of Chile. I first came into contact with your products when I lived in Encinitas San Diego. I love with a passion your liquid soap and everything you make, truly miss having access to such a good and multipurpose soap, especially now that I’m a mum and creating a home. What can I do to bring your soaps here and make them available to my community of eco-friendly peeps?

We have been looking for solid distribution partners in Latin America. We look for partners who are a good match in terms of commitment to organic and fair trade products, and using business as a force for good—and of course they have to have a solid background in selling natural products in the target market.

Do you have any studies that have been published, and are accessible to the public?

John Hopkins is one of the leading institutions researching psychedelics. The University recently opened a center dedicated to psychedelic research [https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/johns-hopkins-scientists-give-psychedelics-the-serious-treatment/]. Some key recent studies from Johns Hopkins include: research into psilocybin treatment for tobacco addiction [https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/ben/cdar/2014/00000007/00000003/art00005], research identifying the potential mediating factor in treatment success-- the degree to which patients have a “mystical experience” [https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0269881108094300], and research into how psilocybin interacts with personality in depressed patients [https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0269881111420188]. Additionally, Dr. Robin L. Carhart-Harris, a researcher at Imperial College of London’s Faculty of Medicine, is at the forefront of psychedelic research, heading many of the recent studies done on psilocybin as a treatment for depression. One particularly interesting recent article proposes a model of the consciousness centered around entropy. This theory adds valuable context to the discussion of psilocybin efficacy, safety, and neurobiological action.

[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24550805?dopt=Abstract]

Hi, love your products. What are some. Of your future products?

We just relaunched our coconut oil with Regenerative Organic Certified www.regenorganic.org that's brings together the best of the soil health, fair labor and animal welfare movements in one standard. All our products will be ROC soon. We got a new lotion reformulation coming too. And then there's something really tasty coming hopefully but can't share til we know for sure.

Do you think the hemp farming industry will be able to make a comeback in the US given the recently rising crazy surrounding hemp products?

I think the outlook for hemp in the U.S. is very good, although the latest whipsaw in the CBD markets is unfortunate. We source hemp oil for our lip balms from U.S. farmers, and we are hoping to source more as production comes on line.

In what ways (if any) is the structure of Dr. Bronners different than a traditional company? Are there any "co-op like" elements?

We're organized as a Benefit Corporation in California, and probably the main thing that sets us apart structurally is that we’ve capped executive pay at 5:1 of fully-vested full-time workers. This not only makes things way more equitable internally, but also gives us the money to power our activist and philanthropic projects.

I have tried so many things but my sobriety and happiness never lasts. The two are necessarily connected - I’m not a sad drinker and I’m not necessarily depressed as a result of my alcoholism but two things I would like to overcome for good if possible. How many “sessions” would one need to see long term results for chronic depression and alcohol addiction? How can I find trustworthy and safe access to this kind of therapy in my area? (Southern California)

Right on thanks for sharing honestly. I recommend seeing the new documentary Dosed, which is about a heroin addict seeking to kick her addiction first with psilocybin therapy and then ibogaine. It's really awesome and honest. Definitely there is really encouraging results in the clinical studies on alcoholism, going back to the 60's. There's no legal access in California yet, but when we win in Oregon we'll be coming to California and Colorado next.

What do you think about decriminalization of psilocybin mushrooms in Oregon?

Totally support this... we are supporting the broad based Portugal style decriminalization effort in Oregon called the Drug Addiction, Treatment and Recovery Act DATRA. www.yesonip44.org We also support Decrim Nature PDX

Do you have any favorite books?

Olaf Stapledon's "Last and First Men" and "Starmaker"

What was your first experience with psychedelics like? Was it something that you've always wanted to try or was it more spontaneous?

In college junior year I took a mushroom chocolate, and was looking at my arm pondering what does it mean that at a quantum level, there's no seperation between where my arm ends and the world begins, and when I eat and poo, the world is pouring through me like a river, I'm not even the same stuff month to month, but am part of a much bigger living reality, and had my first unity experience of my self as very much part of and connected to this much bigger reality.

The world and nature are alive and connected, not dead inert matter "out there"

Might that have been the first time you understood the label on your soap? :-)

Yes :)

What exactly is psilocybin, and how does it help? What are side effects? Can they help debilitating migraines?

Studies show psilocybin may be a valuable tool in treating depression, anxiety, addiction, and more. A recent study found the dependence potential of the drug to be low and the risk to public health to be negligible [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6007659/]. Also, a Harvard study suggested psilocybin may be a useful treatment for those who suffer from cluster headaches. [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16801660] LSD has a more established reputation for treating migraines... will find the link here shortly.

https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2011/06/lsd-alleviates-suicide-headaches (actually cluster type migraine)

What are your thoughts on cbd (Cannabidiol)?

I think CBDs are really helpful in balancing THC. I am a one hit wonder, usually using just a few drops of a concentrate as a base and then smoking a little on top and prefer a 1:1. We've also been exploring CBD for our Magic Balm which we'll hopefully be releasing sometime next year.

Do you believe psilocybin is a viable solution to ptsd?

Anecdotally people have shared that they have processed deep trauma with mushrooms, but the relevant clinical trials that have shown dramatic efficacy are with MDMA assisted therapy, not psilocybin.

What's your favorite color???

Rainbow!

I've always wondered why you guys stopped covering your labeling with zealous religious purity stuff? It seems that the more stores your products appeared in, the less crazy the labels got. I'm not religious but it was totally off-the-wall and I liked it.

We have launched special, limited-edition labels to promote specific causes (for example, our Heal Earth label promotes climate change solutions and our upcoming Heal Soul label promotes the legalization of psychedelic therapy), but our standard labels still contain Dr. Bronner's original teachings and philosophies, promoting One Love on Earth.

What do you think needs to be done to overcome the public stigma of psychedelic drugs so it can be accepted as a form of psychotherapy?

The people doing research at institutions like Johns Hopkins, NYU, and others are leading the way in breaking through the public stigma by showing all of the newly found benefits of psychedelic therapies. In addition, as we continue to share the stories of those who have personally benefited from psilocybin and other psychedelic therapies will continue to pave a greater path to acceptance for these new breakthrough therapies. But most of all, victory in Oregon this year will fundamentally reshape public discourse and acceptance in this country

When is AlpSnack coming back? And what do you have in R&D for new products?

Right now poof, look under your chair!!! all our new most wonderful flavors, like chocolate rasberry marshmellow and carrot cake :)

It’s always nice to know who were talking with. Is this David Bronner?

Yes

https://imgur.com/a/ReqL5Mc

What does the future pf psychedelic medicine look like for people both sick and well? Do you see it following a non-profit model?

The future is bright! Thanks to the research that shows that psychedelics can help people with afflictions and the ongoing therapy work that shows that psychedelics can be a breakthrough therapy and give people needed perspective when they need to break out of the loops their life might be stuck in. I feel super confident that we’re going to continue to help people. As part of that, I’m also hopeful that we can avoid the corporatization that’s happened with some of the cannabis industry and make sure that psychedelics are affordable and accessible through non-profit and small business models. In Oregon, the initiative has limits on ownership to make sure the psilocybin therapy model is a model that will work for ALL! (with caveat there are contra-indications like schizophrenia so almost all)