Interest in psychedelic substances has grown in recent years. Photo credit: Guardia Civil/Minsterio de Interior
People seeking help for serious illnesses can be especially vulnerable to anyone offering a cure when conventional treatment has failed to bring the answers they need. In Sagunto, Valencia, investigators say a clandestine retreat operation exploited that hope, charging clients hundreds of euros for sessions involving powerful psychoactive substances and allegedly promising to cure diseases including cancer.
The Guardia Civil dismantled the operation in a chalet in Sagunto as part of an investigation known as Operation Quimera. According to reports, the retreats were presented as therapeutic experiences, despite the premises allegedly lacking the necessary licence and the people involved not having the required professional qualifications.
Retreats reportedly cost up to €500
Participants were allegedly charged up to €500 per person to attend the retreats, where investigators say they were given substances with hallucinogenic or other psychoactive effects. The substances reportedly included ayahuasca, hallucinogenic mushrooms containing psilocybin, kambó and secretions from the Sonoran Desert toad (Incilius alvarius), which contain the powerful psychedelic compound 5-MeO-DMT.
These substances carry different risks, and their effects can vary considerably. They are not interchangeable treatments, nor is there established medical evidence that they cure cancer. The central concern for investigators was not simply the use of these substances, but the circumstances in which they were allegedly administered and the claims made to people paying for the sessions.
Promises to cure serious illnesses
According to reports of the investigation, the retreats were promoted with claims that the treatments could cure illnesses including cancer. Such promises can have serious consequences if they lead people to delay or abandon evidence-based medical care. Cancer treatment depends on the type and stage of the disease, and there is no recognised basis for presenting these psychedelic substances as a cure.
The investigation reportedly began after concerns were raised by the Valencian professional psychology association over the qualifications of those offering the services. Investigators subsequently examined the activities taking place at the property and the conditions under which the retreats were being organised. The premises reportedly did not have the relevant operating licence.
Two people linked to the operation
The operation resulted in the arrest of a 46-year-old man, while a 38-year-old woman was placed under investigation, according to published reports. Both were reportedly Argentine nationals.
The offences include crimes against public health, professional intrusion and fraud. These relate to the suspected administration of substances, the provision of services without the appropriate professional qualifications and the claims allegedly used to attract paying clients. The case remains under investigation, and the allegations have not been established in court.
The risks behind unregulated psychedelic retreats
Interest in psychedelic substances has grown in recent years, with researchers studying the potential medical uses of some compounds under controlled conditions. That research is distinct from unregulated retreats claiming to cure serious diseases. Substances such as psilocybin and 5-MeO-DMT can cause intense psychological effects and carry risks, particularly for people with certain medical or psychiatric conditions. Kambó, which is derived from the secretions of an Amazonian frog, can also cause severe physical reactions and has been associated with serious adverse events.
A retreat advertised as therapeutic does not automatically qualify as medical treatment, and claims of curing cancer should be treated with particular caution. For anyone facing a serious diagnosis, the danger is that a costly promise of a cure may offer false hope while exposing them to physical harm or diverting them from appropriate medical care.
The investigation in Sagunto draws attention to the questions authorities must address when businesses offer purported treatments involving psychoactive substances: who is administering them, what qualifications they hold, whether the premises are authorised and what is being promised to clients.