Hamilton Morris
| Hamilton Morris | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | American |
| Description | Researcher and documentarian on psychedelics |
| Known for | Hamilton’s Pharmacopeia |
| Notable interviews | Alexander "Sasha" Shulgin; contemporary chemists |
| Occupations | Journalist; filmmaker; host |
| Fields | Ethnopharmacology; psychoactive chemistry |
| Subjects | Psychedelics; drug synthesis; culture |
| Wikidata | Q4352294 |
Hamilton Morris (born April 14, 1987) is an American journalist, documentarian, and scientific researcher best known for his in-depth investigations of psychoactive substances. A trained chemist and anthropologist, Morris combines rigorous laboratory analysis with fieldwork and journalism to explore the chemistry, history, and cultural contexts of mind-altering drugs. He is the creator and host of Hamilton’s Pharmacopeia, a series of documentaries that debuted as a Vice web series in the 2010s and later aired on the Viceland network. Morris’s work has spanned print and video journalism as well as academic research, and he is often described as a bridge between the world of science and the broader public curiosity about psychedelics.
Early life and education
Hamilton Morris was born in New York City in 1987, the son of documentary filmmaker Errol Morris and art historian Julia Sheehan. He was raised in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in a highly intellectual and creative household. From a young age Morris was fascinated by science; he even conducted his own amateur chemistry experiments as a teenager. At around age 14, he appeared in prominent television commercials (including a 2002 advertising campaign for Apple’s first-generation iPod), reflecting an early comfort in media.
Morris’s formal education combined the sciences and the humanities. He studied anthropology and chemistry at the University of Chicago and later completed a bachelor’s degree at the New School in New York. This interdisciplinary background in anthropology (the study of human societies and cultures) and chemistry laid the groundwork for his later career. The anthropology training gave him tools to understand how different cultures use substances, while his chemistry training enabled him to analyze the drugs themselves. During his college years, Morris became deeply interested in psychoactive substances (drugs that alter perception, mood, or consciousness) through sources like the online forums Erowid and BlueLight. By his early 20s he saw an opportunity to share this knowledge, and he began writing for Vice magazine.
Writing and early career
While still a college student in 2008, Morris bought a laptop and started writing feature journalism about drugs. His first piece for Vice, titled “The Magic Jews,” chronicled his experience taking LSD with a group of Hasidic Jews. This unusual blend of personal narrative and cultural context set the tone for his style. He quickly became Vice’s pharmacopeia correspondent, writing a monthly column under the same name. In parallel, Morris contributed articles and commentary to publications such as Harper’s Magazine. For example, his 2011 Harper’s article “I Walked with a Zombie” recounts an investigation into Haitian voodoo practices and cultural ideas of zombification, reflecting his anthropological interest in drugs used in ritual contexts.
By 2010, Morris had begun turning his vice column into video content. He co-produced Hamilton’s Pharmacopeia as a low-budget web series for Vice’s online channel, VBS.tv. These early web episodes (2010–2016) were short documentaries focusing on one particular drug or psychonautic odyssey. Episodes included meetings with legendary chemist Alexander “Sasha” Shulgin (the author of PIHKAL and TIHKAL) and his wife Ann Shulgin, who introduced characters like MDMA. Others involved travels to remote settings: for instance, Morris went to South America to examine shamanic ayahuasca use, Mexico for salvia divinorum ceremonies, and even the waters off Réunion Island to pursue reports of hallucinogenic fish. Each episode mixed Morris’s first-person reporting (often including limited self-experimentation under safe conditions) with interviews, cultural history, and Chemistry lessons.
Morris’s Vice videos drew a following. When Viceland (Vice’s cable TV network) launched in 2016, Hamilton’s Pharmacopeia was reworked as a longer-format television series, with dozens of hour-long episodes over three seasons. The TV series expanded on the web show’s model. Each episode had a central drug or theme – for example, methamphetamine, the bufo toad secretion 5-MeO-DMT, kratom, or the psychedelic component of magic mushrooms. Morris traveled from country to country, interviewing scientists, traditional practitioners, and users, while often participating in ceremonies or experiments on camera. Importantly, Morris usually wore a lab coat during syntheses and demonstrations, signaling the scientific grounding of the series. The production often featured animated chemical equations or process diagrams to explain how a drug is made or works in the brain.
In the lab segments, Morris carefully shows the chemical process step by step (a practice he insisted on despite initial network concerns about instructing synthesis). For example, he once demonstrated a low-cost synthetic route to the potent toad-derived compound 5-MeO-DMT, explicitly noting that producing it chemically could spare wild Sonoran Desert toads from being harvested. This emphasis—ethically guided by respect for both science and nature—is characteristic of his work. By the end of the Viceland run, Hamilton’s Pharmacopeia had become a unique hybrid of travelogue, science lesson, and human-interest story. It managed to treat even stigmatized substances (like PCP or methaqualone) with both curiosity and sober reflection, and it often highlighted the broader social, political, or spiritual dynamics surrounding drug use.
Alongside his film and writing projects, Morris developed a podcast. The Hamilton Morris Podcast (launched in 2020) features long-form interviews and discussions about drugs, science, and philosophy with personalities ranging from chemists to philosophers (including figures like Alexander Shulgin before his passing). A number of episodes are available freely, with additional content offered to subscribers. The podcast extends Morris’s interest in deep dialogue, providing a platform for experts (and sometimes his own reflections) in a more conversational format.
Scientific research and consultancy
Beyond media, Morris has pursued scientific research into psychoactive chemicals. After college he began spending weekends in a Philadelphia laboratory, studying emerging dissociative anesthetics (a class of drugs like PCP and ketamine that can produce feelings of detachment or “dissociation”). Over the years he coauthored several peer-reviewed papers on novel substances. For instance, he collaborated with chemist Jason Wallach and others on comprehensive reviews of nonmedical use of dissociatives (such as PCP, ketamine, and newer compounds like MXE) and on analytical studies of specific research chemicals. These publications, appearing in journals like Drug Testing and Analysis, document the chemistry and potential effects of substances that often have no official therapeutic use but appear on the illicit market.
In 2021 Morris took a more formal role in drug development. He joined COMPASS Pathways (a biotech company focusing on psilocybin for depression therapy) as a research consultant. Working mainly at COMPASS’s Philadelphia lab (housed at the University of the Sciences), Morris advises on the creation and pharmacology of new psychedelic compounds that could become future medicines. This reflects a shift from documentation toward clinical science: he is helping to systematically study and engineer psychoactive molecules for medical use. Notably, in his work with COMPASS and Wallach’s lab, he has contributed to cutting-edge research, including a multi-author 2023 study that elucidated how certain psychedelics activate the serotonin 5-HT₂A receptor pathway thought to underlie hallucinations. In McHis own words, Morris sees untapped promise in psychedelics for addressing mental illness, echoing the resurgent scientific interest in these drugs.
Method and style
A defining feature of Hamilton Morris’s work is his ethnopharmacological approach: he treats psychoactive substances as objects of both scientific analysis and anthropological study. In practice, this means he often travels to meet the people and cultures that have developed around a drug. For example, he has chewed ayahuasca leaves under the guidance of Amazonian shamans, attended Native American peyote ceremonies, and interviewed kratom farmers in Southeast Asia. In each context, he seeks to understand the cultural beliefs and practices associated with the substance, while also measuring out doses and sometimes experiencing the effects himself.
At the same time he never loses sight of the chemistry and biology. In his videos and talks, Morris frequently outlines the molecular structure of each drug, explains how it interacts with brain receptors, or even draws the reaction mechanisms he is performing. He treats organic chemistry as a visual and engaging story. The American Chemical Society profile of Morris notes that he was concerned when legal advisors suggested “skipping a step” in showing drug synthesis on camera; he argued that omitting details would only create safety hazards and educational gaps. Indeed, Morris often steps into chemistry containers, wearing safety goggles and coat, adding reagents, and narrating the process to the audience with excitement. One memorable example is his on-air synthesis of methaqualone (the tranquilizer Quaalude) with an underground lab in South Africa, where he coolly explains each chemical step while locals work around him.
Morris’s on-camera persona combines scientific earnestness with a disarming, curious informality. He has been compared in style to Louis Theroux: in his interviews he speaks softly and listens carefully, giving subjects space to speak, yet he sometimes raises an eyebrow or asks a pointed follow-up that reveals his surprise or skepticism (all without losing respect). He often wears comfortable, casual clothing or a white lab coat, and he maintains a calm, talkative presence even when exploring extreme settings. Observers note that he tries not to cast judgment on his subjects. For instance, when filming addicts in South Africa or Mexico, Morris has insisted on portraying their perspectives honestly. He explains that he neither glorifies nor condemns the drug experience; rather, he presents it and its effects plainly, so viewers can draw their own conclusions. In one interview, Morris said that if a drug use episode shows someone having a “joyous” experience, he won’t untruthfully pair it with sad music, even if it’s a tragic story overall. This philosophy – to depict reality undistorted by the producer’s biases – is central to his method.
Morris’s own use of substances is cautious and mostly off-camera. He has tried many of the drugs he covers, reporting them second-hand or off-screen in order to inform the narrative. For example, he has sampled MDMA, psilocybin (the active compound in magic mushrooms), DMT, and others in controlled settings. He has noted that some compounds he tried (like bufotenine, an obscure tryptamine) were so unpleasant due to nausea that he doesn’t recommend them. Importantly, Morris keeps professional boundaries: he rarely shows himself getting high in the final episodes, because he believes that focus would distract from the stories he wants to tell. When observers or media have teased him with phrases like “You get high for a living,” he rejects that caricature as reductive. He emphasizes that while he is a self-described “psychonaut” (a person exploring altered states intentionally), his main work is about science, people, and policy – not simply recreational use.
Over the years Morris has coined terms and concepts that reflect his interdisciplinary approach. He even uses the phrase “ethno-chemistry” to describe blending ethnographic fieldwork with organic chemistry experiments. In interviews, he articulates philosophical curiosity about what these substances reveal – about consciousness, culture, and the human mind – while sticking to empirical observations. His background in anthropology gives him sensitivity to context: he acknowledges issues like colonialism or medical exploitation when discussing drug history. At the same time, his chemistry training ensures each exploration is grounded in molecules and measurable effects.
Influence and reception
Hamilton Morris emerged at a pivotal time in the so-called “psychedelic renaissance,” and his work has resonated with a broad audience. Hamilton’s Pharmacopeia attracted critical praise for its originality. Documentary reviewers noted Morris’s ability to humanize complex topics and his clear, engaging on-screen presence. The series became something of a cult favorite online, with fans admiring its candid portrayal of taboo subjects. One historian writing about the series observed that Morris combined the flair of his documentary-filmmaker father (Oscar-winner Errol Morris) with a distinctive chemistry-minded inquisitiveness. Viewers have reported that episodes of Pharmacopeia sparked their own interest in science; in fact, Morris himself has received many messages from students who said the show made them switch to chemistry or pursue graduate studies. The American Chemical Society profiled him partly for this educational impact, noting that many people found “chemistry boring” until seeing it dramatized in his work.
The broader media began to turn to Morris as an expert on psychedelics. He has been interviewed on radio programs and featured in articles whenever the press wants a knowledgeable perspective on drugs. For example, after the first season of his Viceland show aired, a New York Times profile noted his unusual beat (“nesting, the Vice media way”) and quoted Morris speaking about drug science. Other outlets like The Guardian ran interviews highlighting his methodology and pushback against stereotypes. The Memphis was once asked whether filming meth labs or “getting high” could be seen as endangering subjects. He replied that, if anything, his film work posed more risk to his own mental health than his measured drug use did – a playful way of underscoring his professional distance.
Beyond journalism, Morris’s influence extends into academia and industry. His decision to join COMPASS Pathways reflects how seriously mainstream science takes his expertise. By helping develop new medicines, he is moving from commentator to practitioner in the field of psychedelic pharmacology. He also occasionally lectures or participates in conferences on drug policy and neuroscience. Colleagues describe him as a bridge-builder: someone who can converse fluently with chemists and therapists alike while keeping the public entertained. In this role, he echoes a trend of “gonzo-scientists” like Jon Ronson or Louis Theroux, but with a uniquely scientific edge.
His series and talks have inspired many younger researchers and filmmakers interested in psychedelics. They often cite his combination of first-person curiosity with data-driven analysis as a model. For example, after an episode featuring him tracing the site of a WWII drug experiment, one academic remarked that Morris’s storytelling was “a great metaphor” for how chemistry and history intermingle. In short, Morris has helped bring a nuanced, fact-based discourse on psychedelics into popular culture, at a moment when policy and research are rapidly changing. Many argue that he has done more than danger-awareness or simple advocacy; he has reframed the conversation as a legitimate scientific and cultural topic, questioning longstanding taboos with reasoned inquiry.
Critiques and controversies
Despite broad admiration, Morris’s work has not escaped criticism or controversy. One concern raised by some viewers is the ethical line involved in showing illegal or risky activities. For example, in the first episode of Hamilton’s Pharmacopeia, he films heavily intoxicated methaqualone users in South Africa. The American historian reviewer noted that these scenes – people collapsing into stupors – are “uncomfortable viewing,” and asked whether the crew’s presence might be exploitative. In response, Morris has acknowledged encountering such dilemmas. He has publicly reacted to criticisms by pointing out that he is careful to portray subjects sympathetically and to avoid sensationalism. For instance, he admitted when a past episode had lower background music that misrepresented the mood (in that case he was asked to cut a lively disco soundtrack so as not to glamorize an addict’s world). He later reflected that reliability in Hamilton’s Pharmacopeia lies in showing truthfully both the horrors and the humanity he encounters, even if some viewers find it uneasy.
Another critique comes from within drug-policy circles. A few advocates feel that Morris sometimes reveals too much technical detail about drug synthesis, which they fear could inspire illicit activity. They argue that in the history of prohibition, some activists deliberately kept clandestine chemistry methods secret to protect people. Morris has confronted this critique head-on: he believes that suppressing knowledge only perpetuates ignorance and risk. In interviews he has said that obscuring steps in chemistry (to “protect” viewers) might actually encourage unsafe shortcuts. Instead, he contends that accurate information helps responsible users and researchers, and he takes particular care to highlight potential dangers (such as toxic byproducts) when demonstrating syntheses. This viewpoint – that openness and education are ultimately safer than secrecy – has been a point of debate, but Morris consistently defends it as part of his commitment to transparency.
Some mental-health professionals caution that Morris’s style, even if unintended, could normalize experimenting with strong drugs. They worry that showing a relatively modest reaction in one case might make amateurs underestimate risks. Morris’s own response is to emphasize balance: while he wants to destigmatize psychedelics, he does not advocate reckless use. He often points out negative experiences when they occur and reminds viewers that he operates under controlled conditions with preparatory knowledge. In several episodes he interviews doctors and researchers who stress caution – for example, in an episode on ketamine, medical experts are consulted about its therapeutic uses versus its dangers.
Shot by shot, the series avoids making Morris appear infallible. During a Q&A event, Morris joked that he keeps his drug indulgences off-camera partly because “if I’d smoked Mandrax, it would have been the thing people talked about more than anything – more than a massive government drug conspiracy!” He clearly did not want his personal high to overshadow the story. Such remarks suggest he is aware of the risks of misinterpretation.
Lastly, some critics have noted inherent tensions in his on-screen role. As an American filming impoverished communities struggling with drugs, he occupies a privileged position. Occasionally this raises questions about power dynamics. In one episode, he gently asks a sick, poor meth lab worker if his illness might be caused by chemical exposure. Some viewers felt uncomfortable with that exchange, highlighting how even well-intentioned interviews can carry paternalism. Morris himself has reflected on these moments, acknowledging that he tries his best to navigate them with humility and by giving input back to the community (for example, by helping arrange clean water or medical attention off-camera). In general, Morris has been receptive to feedback: he corrected factual errors (like misattributing a pamphlet in a previous season) and publicly apologized on one episode’s introduction. Such gestures have earned him goodwill even among skeptical observers.
Overall, while Hamilton’s Pharmacopeia sometimes tests the boundaries of drug reportage, many critics emphasize that its ethical handling (and Morris’s transparency about mistakes) strengthens the series. The Guardian noted that Morris chose to remove certain upbeat music from an edited scene because it felt inconsistent with the reality he saw — a decision that some praised as evidence of his integrity. In sum, debates about Morris’s work tend to underscore the very complexity he tries to reveal: drugs are not simply good or evil, and neither is documenting them.
Legacy and continuing contributions
Though still in his 30s, Hamilton Morris’s impact on psychedelic culture and science is already significant. He has helped shift public perception away from caricatured “druggie” images toward a more scientific discourse. By treating psychedelics as legitimate topics of investigation rather than mere counterculture tokenism, he has paved the way for more nuanced media coverage. His persona – earnest, curious, scholarly – has provided a model for how to engage wide audiences on complex, controversial issues.
In the research arena, Morris is also carving a niche. His involvement with COMPASS Pathways places him at the forefront of modern psychopharmacology developments. He is not just pointing out problems or history; he is actively engaged in creating therapies. That move into biotech suggests that his legacy will include contributions to new drug development and mental health treatment, not only popular education.
Morris’s story also highlights a broader trend: the blending of science journalism with documentary storytelling. Similar to how he admires figures like Terence McKenna or Timothy Leary for challenging perceptions, Morris himself is pushing boundaries by using film, print, and new media. He has hinted that Hamilton’s Pharmacopeia may have been his last full TV project (due to its difficulty), but he’s equally open to producing new investigative content when opportunities arise. For example, he is reportedly working on a podcast conversation series with the father Errol Morris (who directed a psychedelic-themed documentary in 2019), and his Patreon and podcast platforms continue to expand.
Fans and colleagues often say Morris has inspired them to study chemistry or to think more critically about drugs and culture. In one sense, that is exactly his aim. He has said he would rather instill scientific curiosity than simply captivate viewers with sensationalism. Looking ahead, even as the legal and medical landscape around psychedelics changes rapidly, Morris seems poised to remain a key commentator and contributor. His blend of skepticism and openness suggests he will continue to question dogmas, whether about the perils or the promise of psychoactive substances.
Ultimately, Hamilton Morris’s legacy may be that of an “ethno-chemist” explorer who opened people’s eyes to the human stories behind molecules. As one reviewer put it, his work uses psychedelics as a lens to examine larger topics like politics, identity, and history. In doing so, he honors both the wonder of chemistry and the diversity of human experience. Even after his television series ends, the paths he has plotted through the world of drugs will influence both viewers and researchers for years to come.
Selected works
- Hamilton’s Pharmacopeia (2010–2016) – Vice.com web documentary series (host, writer, director).
- Hamilton’s Pharmacopeia (2016–2021) – Viceland cable TV series, Seasons 1–3 (host, creator, co-producer).
- Hamilton Morris Podcast (2020–present) – Interview podcast series (host).
- “I Walked with a Zombie: Travels Among the Undead,” Harper’s Magazine (2011) – long-form journalism piece by Morris.
- Research Publications (selected): H. Morris et al., “From PCP to MXE: a comprehensive review of the non-medical use of dissociative drugs,” Drug Testing and Analysis 2014; co-author with J. Wallach on publications about synthetic dissociatives and psychedelic pharmacology.
Note: This article is a synthesized summary of publicly available information about Hamilton Morris. It was prepared as an informational overview and does not contain direct citations to source materials.