What happens when a veteran firefighter confronts the emotional cost of a career spent saving others and discovers healing in plant medicine?

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Paul Walton, a Bernalillo County firefighter and co-founder of Firefighters for Plant Medicine, to explore his deeply personal journey through trauma, cannabis reform, and psychedelic-assisted healing. This is a conversation about emotional truth, systemic change, and how psychedelic advocacy is reshaping mental health for first responders.

What You’ll Learn:

Episode Highlights:

• 00:00 – Why Paul Walton is rewriting the mental health script for firefighters
• 05:14 – The story behind policy change: How cannabis reform happened at the county level
• 12:47 – From opiates to ayahuasca: A turning point in Paul’s healing journey
• 18:33 – Psilocybin as “20 years of therapy in one session”, and why integration matters
• 25:02 – The invisible trauma load of first responders, and why traditional therapy falls short
• 31:40 – How microdosing builds trust and softens stigma in resistant communities
• 36:18 – What’s next: Funding, equity, and legislative strategy for psychedelic access
• 39:45 – Final reflections on purpose, perseverance, and the power of plant medicine

Meet the Guest:

Paul Walton is a 17-year veteran of the Bernalillo County Fire Department and co-founder of Firefighters for Plant Medicine, a grassroots movement advocating for psychedelic access and cannabis rights for first responders. His work is paving the way for trauma-informed legislation and integrative healing protocols across the U.S.

Tools, Frameworks, or Strategies Mentioned: