Roland Griffiths
Roland Griffiths is the name of an American psychopharmacologist who studied how drugs affect behavior and consciousness. At Johns Hopkins University, he became known for research on caffeine and psychedelics, including controlled studies of psilocybin. His work helped bring renewed scientific attention to psychedelic research, but it did not establish that these substances are safe or effective for everyone.
- Field
- Psychopharmacology
- Institution
- Johns Hopkins University
- Known for
- Caffeine and psychedelic research
- Born
- July 19, 1946
- Died
- October 16, 2023
Who was Roland Griffiths?
Roland Redmond Griffiths was an American scientist who studied psychopharmacology, the science of how drugs influence behavior and mental processes. He spent much of his academic career at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where he held professorships in neuroscience, psychiatry, and behavioral science. He also directed the university’s Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research. His work covered several kinds of psychoactive substances, not only psychedelics.
Born in Glen Cove, New York, Griffiths grew up in California and studied at Occidental College before earning a doctorate in psychopharmacology from the University of Minnesota in 1972. He joined the Johns Hopkins faculty after graduate school. In 2021, he was diagnosed with metastatic colon cancer. He died at his Baltimore home in 2023, aged 77. He was married to Marla Weiner at the time of his death and had three children.
- 1Set a question
Researchers define what the study will investigate and how outcomes will be assessed.
- 2Review risks
Ethics reviewers examine participant protections, study plans, and potential risks.
- 3Recruit volunteers
Researchers screen volunteers and explain the study before participation.
- 4Run sessions
The research team follows a controlled protocol and monitors participants.
- 5Analyze results
Researchers interpret collected data, report limitations, and share findings for scrutiny.
How did Roland Griffiths conduct his research?
Griffiths studied the effects of drugs through structured experiments, including research with human volunteers. In this kind of work, researchers pose a specific question, review the risks, and use planned procedures to record participants’ experiences and other outcomes. His earlier research included caffeine and its dependence and withdrawal effects. He began focusing on psychedelic drugs in 1999, bringing his background in drug research to a field that had seen little clinical study for decades.
A widely discussed 2006 paper reported that some participants in a controlled psilocybin study described experiences they considered deeply meaningful. The study was about participants’ experiences under research conditions, not proof that everyone responds the same way or that psilocybin is a treatment. Griffiths also led a controlled study of Salvia divinorum in 2010. Research findings depend on the methods used, the people studied, and how results are interpreted.
His work included drug effects and controlled studies with human volunteers.
He studied both, with later public attention focused on psychedelics.
His studies contributed to a continuing university research center.
Editorial placement to help compare; not a measurement.
Why does Roland Griffiths matter to psychedelic history?
Griffiths helped reopen a path for careful human research into psychedelics. His 2006 study received broad media attention, and his later work contributed to a wider revival of scientific interest in topics such as consciousness and participants’ reported experiences. In 2019, Johns Hopkins opened its Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research, which Griffiths directed. His career is often discussed as part of the modern psychedelic research revival, sometimes called the psychedelic renaissance.
His work is part of a larger research history, not a single answer to complex questions. Scientists continue to examine possible uses of psychedelics in supervised research, including areas where people seek mental-health support. Study results are not a guarantee of benefit, and research findings should not be treated as personal medical advice. Griffiths’ contributions helped establish research questions and methods, while later work and independent review remain important to understanding what the evidence does and does not show.
| Roland Griffiths | Paul Stamets | Timothy Leary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main role | Academic psychopharmacologist | Mycologist and author | Psychologist and public figure |
| Known for | Controlled drug research | Fungi and mushroom advocacy | Public psychedelic advocacy |
| Institutional link | Johns Hopkins University | Independent research and writing | Harvard, then independent work |
| Research focus | Caffeine and psychedelics | Fungal biology and ecology | Psychedelic psychology |
What are common misconceptions about Roland Griffiths?
One misconception is that Griffiths’ research proved psychedelics are safe, beneficial, or suitable for everyone. A study conducted with selected volunteers under research oversight cannot establish those things for the wider public. Another is that his work was simply advocacy. He publicly discussed the significance of psychedelic research, but his academic role involved designing and conducting studies. In 2024, former colleague Matthew Johnson publicly criticized the soundness of research from Griffiths’ lab, underscoring that methods and interpretations can be debated.
Research history also does not change the law. Psilocybin remains federally Schedule I in the United States. Supervised legal access exists through state programs in Oregon and Colorado; New Mexico’s medical program is being set up. State rules do not change federal classification, and details can change. A research study, a state program, and personal use are different settings. Check current official rules rather than assuming that a study or a scientist’s findings make a substance legal.
- 1946
Born in Glen Cove, New York.
- 1972
Earned a doctorate in psychopharmacology from the University of Minnesota.
- 1994
Published research on caffeine dependence and withdrawal.
- 1999
Began studying psychedelic drugs.
- 2006
Published a prominent study on psilocybin and reported meaningful experiences.
- 2023
Died in Baltimore at age 77.
How does Roland Griffiths connect to mushroom topics?
Griffiths is relevant to mushroom education because psilocybin occurs in some fungi and was central to several of his best-known studies. The body converts psilocybin into psilocin, a compound that interacts with brain systems involved in perception and mood. His research helped make these compounds a subject of modern scientific study, but he did not discover psilocybin or represent the entire field. Mushroom biology, chemistry, law, and human research are related topics with distinct questions.
For readers exploring mushroom terms, it helps to separate species identification from drug research. Knowing a mushroom’s name does not establish that it is safe to eat, and appearance alone can be misleading. Never eat a wild mushroom without expert identification. In the United States, psilocybin’s Schedule I status also matters when reading about research or state programs. Related topics include the psychedelic research revival, psilocybin studies, the Johns Hopkins center, and the legal framework for controlled substances.
Common questions about Roland Griffiths
Who was Roland Griffiths?
Roland Griffiths was an American psychopharmacologist and Johns Hopkins professor. He studied how drugs affect behavior and mental processes, including caffeine and psychedelics. His controlled research on psilocybin helped renew scientific and public interest in psychedelic studies.
What did Roland Griffiths research?
His research included caffeine, sedatives, and psychedelic drugs. He became especially known for controlled psilocybin studies examining participants’ experiences. Those studies offer evidence about the people and conditions studied; they do not show that the same outcomes apply to everyone.
Did Roland Griffiths prove psilocybin is a treatment?
No single researcher or study can establish that a substance is a dependable treatment for everyone. Griffiths’ studies examined specific questions under research conditions. Researchers continue to evaluate the evidence, and findings are not a substitute for medical advice or proof of guaranteed benefit.
Is psilocybin legal because of Griffiths’ research?
No. In the United States, psilocybin remains federally Schedule I. Supervised legal access exists under state programs in Oregon and Colorado, and New Mexico’s medical program is being set up. Research, state programs, and federal law are separate; check current official rules.
Related terms
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Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Roland R. Griffiths
- Oregon Health Authority: Oregon Psilocybin Services
- DEA: Drug Scheduling
Written by the Pscilly editorial team and reviewed November 2026. Educational content only, not medical or legal advice. Pscilly does not sell psilocybin. Never eat a wild mushroom without expert identification.