A brand-new club is creating potential controversies on campus. NISG recently approved the addition of a Psychedelic club to UNI’s many student organizations.

The club’s objective is to take away the negative stereotypes on psychedelic drugs and, according to junior social science teaching major, Katherine Rinken “educate students on the benefits of psychedelics.”

“It is already a club on numerous college campuses across the nation and we are just trying to start a branch here” Rinken said.

Clubs involving cannabis, psychedelics and other drugs are common amongst university campuses.

One such example is the Cannabis Club at Iowa State University. According to the Des Moines Register, the students “sued school officials after the university’s trademark lincensing office forbade a pro-marijuana group using the Cy [school] logo on t-shirts.”

The students asked a judge to declare that Iowa State violated students’ freedom of speech by banning the school’s logo on the shirts.

According to the club’s Facebook page, “Psychedelic club is a grass-roots organization dedicated to eliminating the negative stigma surrounding psychedelic substances. Our approach is professional in nature- we wish to represent psychedelics on a level that is easily understood by the public.”

Freshman deciding major, Haley Bunnell, sees the positives and negatives of the club.

“I feel like [a] positive would be getting people involved in a club who may not normally join clubs,” Bunnell said. “However […] I don’t want to promote the use of drugs in any way.”

Jace Michels, junior anthropology major and founder of the club, discussed how learning about the topic impacted him.

“The knowledge that comes with learning about psychedelics has changed my life for the better,” Michels said. “I know it will help so many other people.”

Some students remain cautious.

“I feel like educating students on psychedelic drugs would be like promoting the use of it. I just don’t see the benefits in using drugs like LSD” said Peyton Obermier, freshman interior design major.

Michels stresses that the club’s goal is not to promote drugs.

“It is extremely important to know that this club does not promote drug usage or give means to accessing drugs,” Michels said. “This is an educational club [… and will] be run by the members who choose to contribute,” Michels said.

The club was officially approved on Oct. 26.

Though Rinken said that there isn’t a set meeting time yet, more information on the Psychedelic club can be found by contacting Jace Michels at [email protected], visiting their Facebook page “UNI Psychedelic Club” or visiting their Twitter page at @TrippyPanthers.

“I’m planting a seed that I hope will continute to grow many years into the future,” Michels said.