Ecstasy Therapy: How MDMA became medicine

2 August 2024 - 29 mins
Podcast Series Today, Explained

Military veterans are unlikely collaborators with the psychedelic counterculture. The two groups’ efforts are being tested this month, when the FDA is poised to announce whether or not it’ll approve MDMA for PTSD.

This episode was reported and produced by Haleema Shah, edited by Lissa Soep and Matt Collette, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Rob Byers, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. It’s the second in a series supported with a grant from the Ferriss–UC Berkeley Psychedelic Journalism Fellowship.

Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast

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29 mins

Series Episodes

Politics beyond Trump Playing

Politics beyond Trump

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30 mins

14 November Finished

Mississippi, hot damn! Playing

Mississippi, hot damn!

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Establishment Dems had written off Mississippi. Then the state elected its first Black senator since Reconstruction. This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Jolie Myers fact-checked by Gabriel Dunatov, engineered by David Tatasciore and Bridger Dunnagan, and hosted by Noel King. Mississippi Sen.-elect Scott Colom (D-MS) gestures to the crowd after his victory speech at Tougaloo College on Nov. 11, 2026 in Tougaloo, Mississippi. Photo by Aron Smith/Jackson State University via Getty Images. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

25 mins

13 November Finished

The downfall of Jensen Huang? Playing

The downfall of Jensen Huang?

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Nvidia’s CEO has stepped down after an affair with an alleged Chinese spy, and there could be implications the world over. This episode was produced by Kelli Wessinger and Avishay Artsy, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Gabriel Dunatov, engineered by David Tatasciore, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Jensen Huang, then-chief executive officer of Nvidia Corp., during a Bloomberg Television interview in London, UK, on Oct. 14, 2026. Photo by Jose Sarmento Matos/Bloomberg via Getty Images. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

26 mins

12 November Finished

Elon takes the L Playing

Elon takes the L

explicit

From blowing half a billion dollars on the midterms to killing the Cybertruck, Elon Musk’s ideas for how we should live and move in the world were just rejected in a big way. This episode was produced by Danielle Hewitt and Dustin DeSoto, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Gabriel Dunatov, engineered by David Tatasciore and Bridger Dunnagan, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Tesla co-founder and CEO Elon Musk stands in front of the shattered windows of the newly unveiled Tesla's Cybertruck on Nov. 21, 2019. Photo by Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

25 mins

11 November Finished

AI also lost the election Playing

AI also lost the election

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26 mins

10 November Finished

"Impeach Hegseth" Playing

"Impeach Hegseth"

explicit

The midterms blame game has begun and Trump's war in Iran is getting a lot of it. And Congress is coming for one of the officials who pushed the war. This episode was produced by Denise Guerra and Peter Balonon-Rosen, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Gabriel Dunatov, engineered by David Tatasciore and Bridger Dunnagan, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on October 14, 2026 in Washington, DC. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

25 mins

9 November Finished

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