Oliver Bullough

Kimon de Greef’s The Ego Trip investigates Octavio Rettig, a charismatic practitioner who popularized ceremonies involving the Sonoran desert toad’s 5-MeO-DMT. Rettig claimed indigenous authenticity while administering huge doses with minimal screening, allegedly coercing clients, engaging in sexual relationships with women he treated and denying responsibility for patient deaths. The review praises de Greef’s rigorous reporting and broader examination of psychedelic commercialization, cultural appropriation, exploitation of the natural world and the influence economy surrounding wellness and social media.