The Outlaw Chemist Teaching: Willy Myco's Digital Reach
The Digital Frontier of Psychedelic Synthesis
By Decode Today News
The Rise and Fall of Online Platforms
Myco's online presence initially flourished on platforms like YouTube and Patreon. His YouTube channel, "Willy's World," had garnered over 96,000 followers before its termination. A YouTube spokesperson, Boot Bullwinkle, confirmed its removal "under our terms of service, which prohibit creating new channels after a termination," following an inquiry from WIRED. Myco responded on Instagram, stating his channel had "zero strikes whatsoever" and accusing YouTube of being "back on their BS again," reinforcing his decision to prioritize his Patreon channel. However, Myco's Patreon account, which at one point boasted over 14,500 subscribers, also faced removal shortly thereafter. A Patreon spokesperson explained in an email statement that the platform "prohibits works that provide instructions around the creation of controlled substances or other recreational drugs," confirming the account's removal after an internal investigation. Myco expressed his intention to appeal this decision, noting his reliance on subscriber funds to pay his team. He maintains that his work is "all scientific," "all education," and aims to "promote harm reduction," despite the renegade nature of his activities. Myco's approach starkly contrasts with the growing trend of hallucinogens moving towards mainstream medical applications. He advocates for "radical self-sufficiency," bypassing clinics, regulators, and expensive "trip-sitters," a stance that resonates with many supporters who view him as democratizing psychedelic knowledge previously monopolized by academics, dealers, and other gatekeepers.Understanding the Mechanics of The Outlaw Chemist Teaching
Myco's journey into psychedelic chemistry is rooted in personal experience. The 38-year-old, originally from Boston and now residing in Puerto Rico, claims a transformative experience in 2002 after producing and smoking DMT, following a published scientific extraction method. This experience, which he says helped him cope with "a really serious depression" after family losses, solidified his desire to "be part of psychedelic history." After studying microbiology, Myco engaged in online drug forums like the Shroomery and Mycotopia starting in 2009, but found their "cliquishness" off-putting. He then worked for a pharmaceutical company in Boston, earning significant income, but viewed it as a temporary measure. In late 2014, he posted his first explainer video on YouTube, detailing psilocybin mushroom cultivation, while wearing a gas mask. The video's unexpected popularity, accruing thousands of subscribers, prompted him to quit his job and establish a Patreon, where he dubbed his supporters the "Trip Team family." By mid-2023, Myco began formulating plans to educate the public on LSD production. His goal was to translate complex synthesis schematics, often resembling "hieroglyphics" to the "average Joe," into accessible video tutorials. He aimed to be the first to visually present the long-established LSD recipes of legendary psychedelic chemists Albert Hofmann and Sasha Shulgin. To mitigate legal risks, Myco claims to have secured government approval from a university laboratory in Pakistan in May 2024 to produce psychedelics for scientific research. He subsequently released a video on synthesizing MDMA in Pakistan and, in March 2026, published a video on the synthesis of 2C-B, also known as "tripstasy." Myco plans to address an impending US Drug Enforcement Administration ban on the opioid-like compound 7-OH, found in kratom, by creating a synthesis video to empower individuals to produce their own high-quality versions. Each of these high-production-value videos, he states, costs tens of thousands of dollars to produce. Myco asserts that "these aren’t just substances to me," but "sacraments" and "medicines," advocating for the right to "explore our minds the way we see fit."Controversy, Threats, and Community
Myco's methods have drawn criticism. Hamilton Morris, a renowned expert in psychedelic chemistry and creator of the Vice show "Hamilton’s Pharmacopeia," reviewed Myco's LSD video in June 2025 (adjusted from last year) and "claimed, 'with absolute certainty this is not 100 percent pure LSD.'" Morris cited the greenish-blue color of the liquid as "suspicious." Myco, while acknowledging minor presentation errors, defended his synthesis route as long-established, speculating that Morris might be "upset that I figured out how to do this legally, and I got it out there." His commitment to democratizing drug production has also placed him in the crosshairs of drug dealers. In the run-up to his announced LSD video in spring 2024, Myco began receiving threats. A text from an associate in June 2024 warned, "Tell Willy putting out a video like that can hurt a lot of people's business and that can make problems nobody wants. It’s best for his safety to not release that video." As a result, Myco has heightened his security awareness. He consistently wears a face mask in his videos and photos to conceal his identity. Furthermore, he is "heavily armed" in Puerto Rico, stating, "I carry a gun everywhere I go." While he refused to disclose his exact earnings, documents shared with WIRED indicate a potential six-figure annual revenue. Despite these challenges and platform removals, Myco's "psychedelic roadshow" continues. He believes "the gatekeepers wanted to keep [the knowledge] mystified forever" and aims for people to realize, "you could do this yourself quietly at your home for pennies on the dollar." His "Robin Hood ethos" has garnered him support across the psychedelics industry. Dennis Walker, host of the "Mycopreneur" podcast, notes that "people have kind of grown up with him," learning mushroom cultivation from his videos. Walker describes Myco's core mission as "creating crowdsourced, decentralized access models for these substances." Reggie Harris, cofounder of Hyphae Labs, unequivocally states, "Willy is the god and fuck ANYONE who has anything negative to say about him." Myco actively fosters his "Trip Team family" community. Annually, he organizes vacations for over 30 followers, including trips to Disney World in Florida and, in October, to Sedona, Arizona, for "Tripaween." During these events, he mentions group activities like a San Pedro cactus ceremony with Navajo Native American shamans. Myco emphasizes the deep bond with his chosen family: "If it wasn’t for the [Trip Team family] I don’t know where I would be. They’re not my biological family, but they’re the family I choose, and I would give my life for them." In the event his appeal to Patreon is unsuccessful, Myco plans to continue his work through Discord and his personal website, firm in his belief that "the more people know about something, the safer they are."Key Milestones in The Outlaw Chemist Teaching
| Year/Period | Event/Development | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | First DMT synthesis | Transformative personal experience; catalyst for future work. |
| 2009 | Began posting on drug forums | Early engagement with the psychedelic community. |
| Late 2014 | First YouTube explainer video | Pivotal moment for public education; led to quitting pharmaceutical job. |
| Mid-2023 | Began planning LSD synthesis education | Shift towards more complex and controversial substance tutorials. |
| May 2024 | Secured Pakistan lab approval | Strategic move to minimize legal risks for synthesis videos. |
| Spring 2024 | Received threats from dealers | Indication of the high stakes and market disruption caused by his work. |
| June 2024 | Hamilton Morris criticized LSD video | Highlighted scientific skepticism and debate over purity. |
| Halloween 2024 | LSD synthesis video released | Presented as the "world's first" public synthesis tutorial. |
| After May 2024 | MDMA synthesis video released | Expansion of his synthesis tutorials using the Pakistan lab. |
| March 2026 | 2C-B synthesis video released | Further demonstration of complex psychedelic synthesis. |
| Ongoing | YouTube & Patreon accounts terminated | Challenges with digital platform compliance and content moderation. |
| Upcoming | Plans for 7-OH synthesis video | Proactive move against perceived government overreach and for harm reduction. |
