Mission, Vision & Ethics

Mission

Lucid News provides informed, honest and transparent journalism that covers the growing integration of psychedelics into society and their broad implications for human wellness. Founded by longtime participants of psychedelic communities who bring discernment and a healthy skepticism to their work, we offer news and opinion from a wide range of perspectives to help readers navigate this pivotal moment of innovation and transformation.

Vision

As appreciation grows for the healing potentials of psychedelics, we provide a platform for a grounded and dynamic discussion about their efficacy and impacts guided by principles of integrity, cognitive liberty, compassion, diversity, equality, and sustainability. We honor the wisdom of elders and traditional indigenous lineages and strive to incorporate this knowledge into our coverage.

Ethics

We believe that journalism should be accurate and fair. The accelerating acceptance of psychedelics, and the strong opinions that people can have about their use, pose challenges for those who write about these topics. Yet access to reliable information about psychedelic cultures and initiatives is critical for effective community engagement and the open exchange of ideas.

Readers  have a right to know what are reported facts and what is opinion. Lucid News clearly separates factual news from opinion pieces. We build trust with readers by seeking a range of views and encouraging transparency. We believe that journalists should try to recognize their own biases and distance themselves from them. Our editors and reporters reveal their potential conflicts of interest and interconnections within psychedelic communities they are part of. Advertisers and donors to Lucid News are not permitted to influence our independent coverage.

Lucid News seeks to quote sources accurately and paraphrase with care. Our reporters ask sources to reveal their own interests and the factual basis for their expertise before we give them credibility by quoting them. Lucid News reporters make every effort to seek out subjects of prior news coverage and give them an opportunity to respond to criticism or allegations of impropriety.

When information is taken from other publications or media, it is attributed. We attempt to fact check previously published claims, verify information before publication, and quote original sources whenever possible. We do not quote anonymous sources unless they face danger, retribution or other threats, or offer information that is not available from another source. If we grant anonymity we explain why. Our reporters and editors make their identity, affiliation and purpose clear to sources, especially when dealing with members of the public with less exposure to the news gathering process.

Our reporters gather and update information throughout the life of a news story. When readers and sources reach out, we will reply to queries about the accuracy and fairness of our reporting. If we make mistakes, we will correct them and clearly explain the corrections and clarifications. We do not quote sources who use pseudonyms, or create composite characters or fictional names, ages, places or dates. Our news reporters do not stage or re-enact events for the camera or microphone. Our team advocates for open access to public records and gatherings.

At Lucid News we support an open and respectful exchange of ideas and make space for perspectives that we do not personally support. Reporters and columnists are watchdogs and sometimes they need to be aggressive and insistent. But we believe that journalistic detachment should not make members of media organizations arrogant or indifferent to suffering. We encourage all reporters to be courteous and compassionate while striving for balance and cultivating healthy skepticism. Lucid News may ask challenging questions, but we treat sources, colleagues and fellow humans with respect. Our goal is to raise the bar for reporting and commentary about psychedelics, and by doing so encourage civil dialogue about psychedelics, and extend these values and insights to the world around us.