Avens O’Brien is a co-founder, lead mycologist and VP of Operations at Advanced Mycology. @advancedmyco The company mission for the past three years has been to decentralize access to the magic of mushrooms & other psychedelic compounds through radically simple consumer-focused products. Advanced Mycology, with their innovative all-in-one grow bag & performance-guaranteed premium liquid culture, has sold over 100,000 units in 700 stores in all 50 states, and partnered with Mike Tyson in 2024 for their MIKEADELICS 2 lb grow bag. Avens taught Mike how to grow his own mushrooms - and he ate them on camera too! In April, Advanced Mycology released XÜM chewable tablets to continue their mission of radical simplicity. They explicitly state the active compound is Metocin (4-HO-MET), in order to lead the pack yet again in accessibility and transparency. Sharing their company ethos that consumers should be able to make fully informed decisions about their own bodies and minds. Avens has been an advocate and activist for ending the drug war for over 20 years. She began trip-sitting 15 years ago, and five years ago decided to make it her mission to become extremely good at growing magical mushrooms. This developed into the company’s first goal: to make it radically simple for others to do so themselves. She won first place for her mycelium plates in the Battle of the Agar at the 2022 CA Psychedelic Conference. Her enthusiasm for psychedelic experiences has her regularly experimenting with new compounds, contributing content on Substack, social media and DoubleBlind Magazine, and advising friends and strangers alike about risk-reduction and enjoyment-maximization on over a dozen psychedelic substances. She's here to make a more magical world. Join her to hear her talk about the evils of the drug war, and how human ingenuity and human flourishing will prevail!