This Month in Psychedelics - June 2020

Today marks the end of the first half of 2020. It’s crazy to think that so much happened in just six months, but here we are. Between a global pandemic and worldwide protests for racial justice, it might seem like nothing else has been going on. But we can’t forget the murder hornets, toilet paper shortages, Australian bushfires, the tragic death of Kobe Bryant, and so much more that has already happened this year. If the last six months are a reliable indicator of what’s to come, we definitely need to strap in before the ride really gets going.

The psychedelic world has been busy too. This month there was a ton of psychedelic news, including scientific research findings, innovations in the psychedelic industry, and some small wins on the drug policy reform front.

Here is a slimmed-down video recap version that is available for those who prefer an easier-to-digest option:

Without further ado, let’s jump into the news:

A Follow-Up Study Demonstrates Long-Term Benefits of Treating PTSD with MDMA

First up is a story about a new follow-up study that observed impressive long-term benefits that came from treating people who had PTSD with MDMA-assisted psychotherapy.

Compiling followup data from six clinical trials, the researchers found that not only do the positive effects of the therapy hold up for more than a year after the completion of the treatment, but patients also continue to improve as time passes following the active MDMA sessions.

This study just adds more evidence to the ever-growing pile of data backing up the idea that MDMA-assisted psychotherapy is an effective treatment for PTSD.

The World’s First Psychedelic Stock Index

Although the emerging psychedelic industry is still fairly new, several businesses have gone public, which means they can actually be traded on the stock market. But for a while it has been difficult for investors, bankers, analysts, journalists, and other market participants to find out which companies are selling shares.

However, this month CFN Enterprises launched PsyIndex, a new psychedelic stock index that aggregates and tracks the market performance of the multi-billion dollar industry. If you’d like to invest in psychedelic companies, I advise you to check out PsyIndex to become familiar with the overall landscape and read The Trip Report for constructive analysis about the various players in the industry.

A Phase 2 Clinical Trial of LSD for Suicide Headaches Begins Treating Patients

Cluster headaches, also known as “suicide headaches”, are said to be one of the most painful conditions that a human can experience. The pain typically occurs on one side of the head—or above an eye—and a single attack can range from 15 minutes to 3 hours. These attacks often occur in clusters which usually last for weeks or months, and occasionally they go on for more than a year.

Anecdotal reports suggest that LSD can halt an attack in its tracks in addition to decreasing their overall frequency and intensity, but until recently there hasn’t been much modern research into using psychedelics to treat cluster headaches. However, this month a Phase 2 clinical trial investigating whether LSD is an effective treatment for the condition started treating patients.

MindMed and University Hospital Basel’s Liechti Lab are collaborating on that research in addition to other LSD studies: a Phase 2 clinical trial investigating microdosing LSD for adult ADHD and an initiative named “Project Lucy” which is going to focus on LSD experiential therapy for anxiety disorders.

Can DMT Be Used Therapeutically?

MindMed and the Liechti Lab aren’t stopping with LSD. In the final quarter of 2020 they plan to begin a Phase 1 clinical trial that will test various intravenous dosing regimens of DMT to see if the drug can be used therapeutically, with a focus on its efficacy for treating addiction. MindMed hopes that the Phase 1 study will set the stage for future potential Phase 2a proof-of-concept trials.

These two organizations aren’t the only ones interested in exploring the healing potential of DMT. The Yield Growth Corporation announced this month that its subsidiary NeonMind has filed a patent application for the therapeutic use of DMT. The company is planning to investigate whether DMT can be successfully used to treat compulsive eating disorder and other illnesses.

Spanish Porn Star Charged with Manslaughter Following 5-MeO-DMT Ritual

A Spanish porn star named Nacho Vidal was arrested and charged with manslaughter for his connection with a mysterious death following a 5-MeO-DMT ritual. Vidal was one of three people who were arrested due to their involvement with the July 2019 death of Jose Luis Abad, a Spanish fashion photographer.

Abad died after smoking the dehydrated toad venom from Colorado River toad, with contains the psychedelic compound 5-MeO-DMT. At this point we still don’t know exactly what caused the death, but it may have been due to physiological issues like respiratory depression or convulsions related to the ingestion of the venom, rather than any foul play on the behalf of Vidal or the other two people involved.

Drug Policy Activists Are Still Collecting Signatures Despite the COVID-19 Pandemic

Although some drug policy reform efforts had to put an end to their signature collection due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, not every initiative has shared the same fate.

Activists in Montana submitted 130,000 signatures to legalize cannabis and the George Floyd protests actually helped the psychedelic decriminalization campaign in Washington, D.C. It seems that the racial justice protests may have actually counteracted the loss of potential signatures caused by the pandemic.

Psilocybin and the Human Ego

A breakthrough psilocybin study uncovered a new neurochemical mechanism that enables the drug to generate psychedelic effects and dissolve the ego. The study found that psilocybin can change levels of glutamate in the human brain, which in turn determines which type of ego dissolution the patient will experience—positive or negative.

Positively-experienced ego loss is related with heightened mood and euphoria whereas negatively-experienced ego dissolution involves a loss of autonomy and self-control of thought processes. The researchers were able to predict which type of experience the patient was going through by reading the levels of glutamate in the medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus.

And a meta-analysis of four prior studies found that psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy can engender large reductions in anxiety and depression after the completion of treatment. These benefits were also present at the six-month follow-up.

Ketamine Can Temporarily Shut Down the Brain

Another study found that high doses of ketamine are capable of temporarily shutting down the brain, which may help explain why some people report getting stuck in a “k-hole” after using the drug.

The study didn’t originally set out to study ketamine’s effects; the researchers initially wanted to find a cure for Huntington’s disease, which is a progressive disease that causes a progressive breakdown of nerve cells in the brain. And it wasn’t conducted with humans, either. Sheep were given injections of ketamine and hooked up to an EEG machine, which found that brain activity in the animals shut down entirely following the administration of ketamine. After the effects wore off, brain activity resumed, indicating that the brain can be effectively turned on and off (like a light switch) with ketamine.

That’s all for this month’s update. Remember to always test and weigh your drugs and until next time—keep thinking wilder.

Think Wilder is reader-supported. If you enjoyed this month’s update, please consider helping out by becoming a patron, making a one-time donation, or sharing this post with a friend. Thank you for your support.

This Month in Psychedelics - May 2020

We’ve reached the third month of the COVID-19 lockdown in America and the pandemic is still showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Some brave—or perhaps foolish—states have started to reopen, but it’ll be a couple weeks before we know how that process turns out.

Meanwhile, there has been a ton of movement in the psychedelic community, as per usual. The pandemic is still affecting things but there has been a lot of non-COVID news too, including a positive update on MAPS’ Phase 3 Trials of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for the treatment of PTSD, the release of a new psychedelic documentary to the masses, novel psychedelic research findings, and an ethical pledge for the psychedelic industry.

Here is a slimmed-down video recap version that is available for those who prefer an easier-to-digest option:

Without further ado, let’s jump into the news:

Cannabis and Ketamine for Coronavirus?

Scientists all around the world have been working day and night trying to discover a cure for COVID-19. The importance of finding a way to help patients is prompting them to look just about everywhere, even at controversial drugs.

A new preprint study found that cannabis extracts may be able to prevent the novel coronavirus from infecting human cells. The researchers found that using cannabis oils containing CBD and THC may be capable of lowering human cell production of two key proteins that act as a vector for the virus to enter the body and cause infection.

And another study (which hasn’t been conducted yet) is hoping to see if either ketamine or naltrexone could be an effective treatment for COVID-19. The hypothesis is that the two drugs might be able to interrupt the immune system response that can occur with some patients with the virus. Scientists are hoping that by reducing the hyperinflammatory autoimmune response, ketamine and naltrexone may be able to prevent the destruction of normal tissues that can result in death.

MAPS Phase 3 Trials Are Looking Good

The Multi-Disciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies announced the outcome from an interim analysis of the data from the first of its two Phase 3 clinical trials of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD.

The results from the first 60 out of 100 participants found that there is a 90% or greater probability that the trial will detect statistically significant results when all participants have completed treatment, and that the trial won’t require any additional participants beyond the initial 100.

But before you go run and tell your friends that ecstasy is capable of curing PTSD in 90% of people, you should know that that’s not exactly the case here.

The report simply indicates that the MAPS Phase 3 trials have a 90% chance of uncovering statistical significant findings when they are complete, which means that the FDA could still approve MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD as early as 2022.

DMT Makes You Believe in God

New research adds support to the idea that psychedelics may have the potential to open people up to spirituality. A study from Johns Hopkins University found that more than half of people who use DMT report encountering autonomous entities during their trips and more than half of those who previously identified as atheist before the experience no longer hold that belief.

The online survey asked more than 2500 respondents a series of questions to learn more about what happens when people come across entities in the DMT space. The range of entities that one can encounter after taking a few puffs off a DMT pipe included aliens, spirits, angels, demons, gnomes and fairies. More than 80 percent of the respondents reported that encountering entities during a trip permanently altered their concept of reality.

So before you take the ultimate plunge into entheospace with dimethyltryptamine, just know that it might completely alter the way that you view things forever.

Have a Good Trip Documentary Is Out On Netflix

If you’ve ever wanted to see a movie full of celebrities talking about their psychedelic experiences, then look no further because a new documentary called Have A Good Trip came out this month on Netflix that features exactly that.

The film features an impressive cast of actors, comedians, and musicians including Sting, Anthony Bourdain, Ben Stiller, Carrie Fisher, Nick Offerman, Bill Kreutzmann, and Sarah Silverman, in addition to many more.

Have A Good Trip has been somewhat controversial in the psychedelic community. Similar to Michael Pollan’s 2018 book How to Change Your Mind or the first episode from The Goop Lab Netflix series that came out earlier this year, the film is aimed more toward a mainstream audience than experienced psychonauts. But if you can get past some of the more overtly lame aspects of Have A Good Trip, you might find some things that you enjoy. If you decide to check it out, have a good trip!

Coronavirus Ravages Ayahuasca Capital

The ayahuasca capital of the world (Iquitos, Peru) has been hit extremely hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Iquitos is the largest city in the world that can only be reached by plane or boat, and right before COVID-19 showed up the population was already dealing with a nasty dengue fever outbreak. To top it all off, hospitals are relying on intermittent air deliveries of essential supplies of medicine, personal protective equipment, and oxygen.

If you’d like to help, there are some institutions accepting donations and a petition that you can sign that is aiming to get funds and resources distributed evenly throughout the country.

Researchers Accidentally Get High from Inhaling Too Much Nitrous Oxide-Rich Penguin Poop

When you think of getting high you probably don’t think of inhaling penguin poop, but scientists in Antartica found out—completely unintentionally—that it’s possible to experience psychoactive effects from doing just that.

The researchers went a little crazy after spending time surrounded on all sides by the animals’ colonies. That’s because penguin guano produces significantly high levels of nitrous oxide.

However this wasn’t a fun experience—the scientists began to feel ill and get a headache after breathing in guano for several hours at a time. So you probably shouldn’t rush off to buy a penguin to harvest its poop or order some primo guano from the Dark Web to scratch your itch for nitrous oxide. After all, you can probably find some at a store in your own city instead.

An Ethical Pledge for Psychedelic Businesses

An organization that goes by the name North Star shared an ethical pledge for psychedelic businesses that is meant to help guide the emerging psychedelic industry.

The pledge describes itself as “a commitment to a set of principles for individuals working professionally in the field of psychedelics”, and it’s currently comprised of seven principles:

1. Start Within

2. Study the Traditions

3. Build Trust

4. Consider the Gravity

5. Focus on Process

6. Create Equality and Justice

7. Pay It Forward.

Now those of us working in the psychedelic space have a set of guidelines that can help us make decisions that will bring benefit to the overall field.

Global Drug Survey: Special COVID-19 Edition

The Global Drug Survey is the largest survey in the world focusing on drug use. It normally only accepts responses at the end of each year, but the global pandemic inspired a special COVID-19 edition to open up.

If you would like to help the world’s largest drug survey learn how the pandemic is affecting people’s lives, relationships, mental health, well being, and drug use, then make sure you submit a response before the survey closes mid-June.

New York Bill to Decriminalize Psilocybin

A New York assemblywoman has introduced a measure to decriminalize psilocybin. Sponsored by Linda Rosenthal, who has historically proven to be pro-cannabis, this bill is one of the first of its kind because it was introduced from within the state’s legislature as opposed to coming from an activist group like Decriminalize Nature.

However, the measure has raised questions among activists because it appears to be aimed more at paving the way for pharmaceutical psychedelic industry rather than giving psychonauts a license to use psilocybin mushrooms recreationally or spiritually. That’s because instead of including provisions for amounts, cultivation, or distribution, the bill would simply remove psilocybin from the New York State Controlled Substances Act. In fact, it doesn’t mention mushrooms at all, instead focusing solely on the active ingredient psilocybin, which is far more likely to be created in a pharmaceutical laboratory than grown at home.

This is definitely a bill that we (as a community) need to keep our eyes on.

Joe Biden Is Pushing Marijuana decriminalization

Former Vice President and presumptive 2020 Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has a long history as one of America’s most adamant drug warriors but is looks like he is beginning to soften his stance on cannabis.

Biden released a new plan that would decriminalize the use of cannabis and expunge prior cannabis convictions as part of his “Plan for Black America”. He has also advocated for ending the crack vs. cocaine sentencing disparity (which he played a key role in creating in the first place), repealing mandatory minimums, and sending people with minor drug convictions to treatment instead of prison.

The question on the minds of many drug policy reformers is: “Is this enough to convince people who were harmed by Biden’s actions in the past to vote for him now?” We’ll have to wait until November to find out (assuming the pandemic has calmed down enough by then that we’ll even be able to vote).

Virginia Finally Decriminalizes Marijuana

The long fight to decriminalize cannabis in Virginia is finally over now that Governor Ralph Northam has signed two identical bills into law. The law will go into effect on July 1, and starting on that date, people who possess up to one ounce of marijuana will merely receive a $25 fine with no jail time or criminal record. It’s a small step forward, but it’s a step in the right direction nonetheless.

Cannabis Pre-Employment Testing Is Ending

Along with the relaxation of cannabis policies at both the state and federal level, many municipalities have begun to put an end to testing their public employees for cannabis use as well. As states continue to reform cannabis policies and the chance of decriminalizing or legalizing marijuana at the federal level becomes more of a reality than a pipe dream, we can probably expect to see more municipal offices loosening up when it comes to allowing their employees to use cannabis. As long as employees spark up off the clock, of course.

Could Psilocybin Help People Lose Weight?

A company looking to develop psilocybin microdoses to help people lose weight has filed for a patent that would allow the chemical to be used as a weight loss supplement. NeonMind Biosciences thinks that psilocybin might be able to reduce food cravings, put a stop to impulsive eating, and increase metabolism—all things that could help people struggling with their weight and enable the company to treat obesity-related diseases like diabetes.

However it is important to bear in mind that this is just a patent and it doesn’t prove that psilocybin is capable of addressing excessive weight gain. We will need to wait for more scientific research to be conducted in this area before we can say for sure.

A Florida Ayahuasca Church Is Suing the DEA

An ayahuasca church in Florida has filed a lawsuit with the DEA in an attempt to receive a religious exemption from the Controlled Substances Act. The group claims that the government’s legal restrictions when it comes to using ayahuasca in their ceremonies is an affront to their right to free speech that is granted by the First Amendment.

Soul Quest is a non-profit organization that has specialized in offering ayahuasca ceremonies to military veterans in a country where the DMT-containing brew is illegal. The group first filed a petition asking the DEA to provide an exemption three years ago but the agency did not respond. It’s safe to say that this lawsuit will prompt a reaction though!

Medical Psilocybin and Drug Decriminalization Campaigns Submit Signatures

Voters in Oregon will have two opportunities to show their support for drug policy reform efforts in the state later this year. After joining forces to fight for the reformation of outdated drug policies together, the campaigns to decriminalize drug possession and legalize psilocybin mushrooms for therapeutic use submitted signatures to make it on the ballot in November.

The signatures still need to be verified by the secretary of state’s office, but the activists behind the efforts are planning to continue collecting additional signatures until the July deadline so that the campaigns can ensure that they collect more than enough valid signatures.

Psychedelics May Relieve Chronic Pain

Rounding out this month’s recap is a story about a new review of the scientific literature published in the journal Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine that found that psychedelics may have the potential to relieve chronic pain.

The researchers reviewed previous studies that tested psilocybin, LSD, and the LSD analog 2-bromolysergic acid diethylamide (BOL-148) to treat conditions like cluster headaches, migraines, cancer pain, and phantom limb pain.

This is still a new area of research and to date none of the 200+ studies that were included in the review studied the efficacy of treating chronic pain with psychedelics. Future studies will need to be conducted in order to identify the mechanisms involved and figure out what effective doses of psychedelics that will reliably provide pain relief.

This discovery just adds on to the ever-growing pile of uses for psychedelics. It’s enough to make psychonauts wonder if there is anything that psychedelics can’t do?

That’s all for this month’s update. Remember to always test and weigh your drugs and until next time—keep thinking wilder.

Think Wilder is reader-supported. If you enjoyed this month’s update, please consider helping out by becoming a patron, making a one-time donation, or sharing this post with a friend. Thank you for your support.

This Month in Psychedelics - April 2020

Although the coronavirus pandemic first appeared in China all the way back in December, the COVID-19 pandemic didn’t really become a global issue until mid-March. That means we’re about two months into this thing and there’s still no telling how much longer we’ll be dealing with it.

But one thing’s for sure—the world of psychedelics has been just as busy as ever. In this month’s recap you’ll learn about a new compound that can make an LSD trip come to a screeching halt, an innovative technique for synthesizing psilocybin, how people are coping with being stranded at ayahuasca retreats, and much more.

Here is a slimmed-down video recap version that is available for those who prefer an easier-to-digest option:

Without further ado, let’s jump into the news:

MindMed Develops an Off-Switch For LSD

Have you ever wanted the ability to stop a psychedelic trip in its tracks? Many people keep benzodiazepines on hand just in case an innerspace voyage goes too far off the beaten path, but one psychedelic pharmaceutical company has a different solution in mind.

MindMed made two major announcements in April. The company acquired exclusive rights to eight clinical LSD trials and it is also developing a novel compound that is capable of stopping an LSD experience on-demand. This so-called “off-switch” could prove useful for bringing psychedelic therapy sessions to a halt if patients get too uncomfortable.

Many in the psychedelic community have questioned the necessity and efficacy of such an option. After all, even the most transformative psychedelic journeys can be uncomfortable, and sitting with (and navigating through) discomfort is often part of the experience. There’s also the possibility that halting a bad trip could prevent the process from coming to its natural conclusion, potentially prolonging underlying issues rather than resolving them.

However a clinically-tested trip-killer could prove useful in certain situations, such as when someone has lost their grip on reality and emergency medical staff are unable to communicate with the patient or get them to calm down. In that way it would be similar to using naloxone to revive an opioid user from an overdose.

At this point we don’t know exactly what the compound is or if it can stop psychedelic trips with other drugs. And it’s too early to know whether this compound is safe, effective, or even necessary. MindMed certainly hopes it is.

Growing Psilocybin From Yeast

Last month a team of Danish researchers presented a novel method of producing psilocybin that uses common baker’s yeast. This could prove useful for scientific research and psychedelic therapy, but it might also trickle down to the underground community of mycophiles who grow magic mushrooms from the comfort of their own home.

While there are still engineering issues to work out before this synthesis method could be applied at scale, it may prove to be a better option than the extraction and synthesis methods currently in use. Up until now, extracting psilocybin from magic mushrooms has been tricky and expensive, and existing chemical synthesis methods require expensive starting substrates that are also difficult to acquire.

But baker’s yeast can be found at any grocery store. So if this technique is perfected then manufacturing psilocybin for use in psychedelic research or therapy—as well as recreational or spiritual purposes—might become a whole lot easier.

People Are Stranded at Ayahuasca Retreats

People from all around the world have been finding themselves stranded at ayahuasca retreats in foreign countries due to border closings and a lack of flights. This has even affected one of my favorite YouTubers in the psychedelic/spirituality space, Dakota of Earth. Ayahuasca ceremonies introduce additional risks of spreading COVID-19, so it is very important that retreats take this issue seriously and respond accordingly.

This situation has been stressful for retreat operators and attendees alike, and although some attendees have been able to go home, not everyone has been so lucky. Hopefully those who are still stranded will be able to return to their home countries soon.

Cannabis Reforms Hit ANOTHER Wall

Cannabis reform efforts in America continued to suffer blow after blow last month due to the coronavirus pandemic. Attempts to legalize cannabis met their end in a couple states. In Missouri, activists officially decided to throw in the towel on their cannabis legalization campaign. And things in New York started off on the wrong foot when legalization was dropped from the budget, but the real death blow came a few days later when Governor Andrew Cuomo said that the effort was “effectively over”.

Organizers in other states didn’t call it quits but things aren’t looking so good. Activists in Idaho suspended their campaign to legalize medical marijuana and the legalization initiative in North Dakota is unlikely to move forward.

Although voters in Maine approved an initiative to legalize cannabis for recreational use way back in 2016, retail sales were not expected to begin until this Spring. However, officials delayed the rollout of adult-use cannabis stores due to concerns surrounding the pandemic.

Other campaigns are still hanging on by a thread. Arizona’s legalization campaign asked the state Supreme Court to allow the collection of electronic signatures and Montana activists went one step further by suing the state for the right to collect signatures online.

While many cannabis reforms have given up due to the coronavirus pandemic, others are soldiering on in hopes that they will still be successful.

Virginia Legalized Medical Marijuana

Fortunately not all cannabis reforms struggled. Virginia Governor Ralph Northam approved two separate bills—one to decriminalize cannabis and the other to legalize medical marijuana. But the governor also proposed several amendments to both bills, which meant they needed to go back to the legislature before they could become laws.

Virginia lawmakers approved the governor’s proposal to expand the state’s medical marijuana program, which means that the law went into effect without needing any further action from the governor.

However, members of both the House and the Senate ended up rejecting some of the proposed amendments to the decriminalization bill, which has gone back to the Northam’s desk. He’s expected to sign the bill into law, which means that Virginia will probably decriminalize cannabis on July 1st.

Bicycle Day and 420 Were Celebrated Online

Every stoner’s favorite holiday was a little bit different this year because 420 events were canceled all over the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was deflating, to say the least. But cannabis enthusiasts made the best of the situation by celebrating virtually this year by hosting smoke sessions and other events on video chat platforms.

Similarly, Bicycle Day celebrations were shut down but thankfully acidheads were able to get together online for a Bicycle Night livestream that celebrated the anniversary of Albert Hofmann’s first intentional use of LSD.

Macrodosing Legend Kilindi Iyi Passed Away

The psychedelic community lost one of its more ambitious and experimental elders in April when legendary macrodoser Kilindi Iyi passed away. Hailing from Detroit, he routinely worked with extremely large doses of psilocybin mushrooms and was part of a community of students and peers that explored the outer reaches of consciousness. He wasn’t afraid to speak his mind and lived like a true warrior.

If you’re not familiar with Kilindi Iyi then you should definitely check out some of his talks on YouTube. You won’t be disappointed. Rest in peace, Kilindi.

Psychedelic Clinical Trials Were Affected By the Coronavirus Pandemic

Psychedelic research trials were forced to adapt to the new world birthed by the pandemic. Many organizations took precautions to ensure the safety of researchers and patients.

MAPS postponed enrollment for Phase 3 MDMA trials and started using teleconferencing options to follow up with patients. COMPASS Pathways put a temporary hold on accepting new patients although pre-screening continued, which will allow the company to resume enrollment as soon as possible. The Johns Hopkins Psychedelic Research Center stopped all study visits but did not end its recruitment efforts.

MindMed started enrolling volunteers in the company’s human safety studies of 18-MC, a compound derived from iboga that was developed for the treatment of opioid use disorders. The company claims it is “taking the necessary precautions to protect the health and safety of patients and staff”.

Esketamine vs. (Racemic) Ketamine

Ever since esketamine started receiving breakthrough therapy designations back in 2013, there has been an argument about whether the drug is as safe and effective as ketamine, its much older (and much cheaper) sibling. That match-up was put to the test last month when a randomized control trial directly compared the two drugs and found that they are equally effective at treating resistant depression.

However, they may not be as good at treating depression as other psychedelics. New research from an animal study found that ketamine might not be as effective at treating depression than psilocybin.

The World’s First Psychedelic Video Museum

If you have extra time on your hands and are in the mood to watch something trippy then look no further—after posting one psychedelic video per day for the last ten years, The Daily Psychedelic Video shared its psychedelic video museum with the world on Bicycle Day. The new virtual museum features 700 videos that have been selected from the site’s archive. The collection is organized by categories like “Soviet Psychedelia”, “Sixties Psychedelia”, and “Psychedelic Cinema”.

12 Fall Ill After Eating Datura Seeds

Twelve people in an Indian village fell ill after consuming datura seeds that resembled the shape of the coronavirus. They got the idea after watching a video on social media, believing that the seeds would strengthen their immune systems and prevent them from getting sick. As a public service announcement, I’d like to recommend that you don’t eat any datura seeds. Especially the ones that look like the coronavirus.

That’s all for this month’s update. Remember to always test and weigh your drugs and until next time—keep thinking wilder.

Think Wilder is reader-supported. If you enjoyed this month’s update, please consider helping out by becoming a patron, making a one-time donation, or sharing this post with a friend. Thank you for your support.

This Month in Psychedelics - March 2020

Although COVID-19 was first discovered in December, it took a few months for the pandemic to finally spread to North America, Europe, and Australia. Now that it has officially arrived, people all across the globe are feeling its impact. Social distancing, sheltering-in-place, quarantines, job loss, financial instability, sickness, death… these are just some of the ways that this virus is rapidly forcing society to change.

The pandemic has had an enormous influence on the world of psychedelics too. In this month’s recap you will learn about what COVID-19 is doing to the cannabis industry, drug policy reform efforts, and the mysterious world of drug dealing.

While the virus has certainly taken the spotlight, there was also plenty of non-pandemic news this month too: sexual abuse in psychedelic research, tripping on placebos, breeding bad trips out of magic mushrooms, and much more.

Here is a slimmed-down video recap version that is available for those who prefer an easier-to-digest option:

Without further ado, let’s get into the news:

The Cannabis Industry Meets Coronavirus

American cannabis businesses had some big wins this month due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Several American states deemed cannabis access to be “essential” or made it easier to access cannabis in other ways. So while you may not be able to go to dinner and a movie, if you live in a state with a medical or recreational cannabis market you should check your local laws to see if you can still buy a bag or two of your favorite bud to survive your extended stay at home.

Across the pond in the Netherlands, Dutch coffee shops were initially planning to close their doors due to the coronavirus, sparking long lines of people stocking up before hunkering down at home. Fortunately the government changed its mind and shops were later told that they could offer take-home deals similar to the takeout options restaurants are offering at a time when everyone is being asked to stay put.

But not everything went well for the cannabis industry. Medical marijuana doctors in Colorado were told they can’t use telemedicine due to Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment regulations, which is putting staff and patients at heightened risk. And a federal agency (the Small Business Administration) informed cannabis businesses that they are not eligible for coronavirus disaster relief since cannabis is still federally illegal. The only silver lining is that this limitation does not apply to business that produce or sell hemp or hemp-derived products, which were legalized under the 2018 Farm Bill.

Drug Policy Reform Efforts Are Struggling

Drug policy reform efforts hit a snag as well. What was once shaping up to be a year of massive cannabis reform may turn out to be a lackluster year after all is said and done. The pandemic has affected cannabis legalization bills in several U.S. states, which has made them seem a lot less likely to be successful this year.

Psilocybin reform movements in California and Oregon are being forced to adapt too. California’s psilocybin legalization activists have requested the ability to collect signatures online. And in Oregon, a campaign to legalize psilocybin mushrooms for therapeutic use has implemented an option for potential signees to fill out an electronic form to request an official ballot petition by mail, which can then be printed, signed, and sent back. An Oregon drug decriminalization campaign is also now offering a printable option.

A psychedelic decriminalization campaign in Washington DC delayed its signature gathering effort out of concern for COVID-19 and is considering a new “micro-scale petition signature collection” approach in order to try and make the November ballot.

The Emergence of Remote Psychedelic Therapy

Two new psychedelic medicine clinics providing ketamine therapy opened up this month: Field Trip Health in Toronto and Mindbloom in New York City. That was before the pandemic spread to North America.

After the spread of COVID-19, Mindbloom adapted by offering a remote option for its ketamine therapy service. Now patients can experience a virtually administered psychedelic therapy session from the comfort and safety of their own homes instead of needing to go into the clinic for treatment.

Sexual Abuse in Psychedelic Research

One of the most distressing stories last month involved allegations of sexual abuse that may have taken place between a therapist and his patient during a sanctioned MDMA research study. Additional accounts of abuse involving psychedelic therapists have been reported during the last few years, indicating that there may be a dark problem brewing within the field of psychedelic therapy.

If you or someone you know has suffered from abuse you can call the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline (800.656.HOPE) for help.

Tripping on Placebos

There’s always that one friend who always claims they’re really feeling the effects of a psychedelic even though they didn’t take a large enough dose to match their exuberant claims.

So it shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise that this phenomenon was replicated in the scientific literature last month when a study found that participants reported experiencing psychedelic effects even though they weren’t really given psychedelics at all—they actually received placebos.

Breeding the Bad Trip Out of Magic Mushrooms

One company is attempting to redesign magic mushrooms so that they will never again cause a bad trip.

Instead of trying to increase the amount of psilocybin in mushrooms, the company is studying a compound that the fungi possess called aeruginascin that may act similarly to the way CBD behaves in cannabis, which could possibly reduce or eliminate the potential for challenging or traumatic psychedelic experiences.

COVID-19 Is Impacting Drug Dealing

One thing you might not think of when it comes to the coronavirus is the impact that the pandemic has had on the black market for illegal drugs. But just like everything else, COVID-19 has also played a role in changing drug dealing too.

Similar to restaurants and grocery stores that can drop food off at your door so you don’t have to leave your house, dealers who deliver drugs are reporting that business is booming. As one dealer put it, “When you have people at home all day, what else are they going to do?”

All that demand—plus added risks for dealers—has led to price increases.

Innovative dealers in Russia have changed the game by turning the act of buying and selling drugs into a treasure hunt. Instead of meeting up in-person with clients, the dealers stash the drugs in geotagged locations for online buyers, avoiding any risk of being detected or coming into contact with the coronavirus.

Tripping During A Pandemic

With plenty of extra time on their hands, many psychonauts have been taking advantage of the opportunity to trip. But it may not be the best time to take psychedelics, considering the setting that we all find ourselves in and the set that many people have at the moment. If you’re suffering from anxiety, depression, grief, or trauma then perhaps now isn’t the best time to trip.

Cannabis Reform Wins in Africa and the U.S.

Two countries in Africa relaxed their grip on marijuana prohibition this month. Both Malawi and Ghana legalized cannabis for health and industrial purposes in hopes of benefiting from rising global demand for medicinal cannabis products.

The Oglala Sioux Tribe on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota passed a referendum to legalize medical and recreational cannabis, making it the first and only Native American tribe to establish a legal market in a state where cannabis is otherwise prohibited.

Just in the nick of time, Virginia lawmakers approved a decriminalization bill and sent it to the governor’s desk before the pandemic spread to North America. Governor Ralph Northam is in favor of decriminalization and is expected to sign the bill into law.

Native American Church Requests Peyote Not Be Included in Decriminalization Initiatives

Not everyone is excited about decriminalizing psychedelics. The Native American Church (NAC) released a statement requesting that peyote not be mentioned explicitly in any future decriminalization initiatives in order to preserve their sacred cacti.

Now instead of calling out peyote specifically in its list of psychedelic plants and fungi, organizations like Decriminalize Nature will need to advocate for decriminalizing “mescaline-containing cacti”, a phrase that does not directly implicate peyote. The NAC hopes that removing the cacti from decriminalization initiatives will help ensure that they don’t go extinct.

Ayahuasca Healings’ Trinity de Guzman Calls Coronavirus A “Necessary Purge”

The founder of the Ayahuasca Healings retreat center in Washington, Trinity de Guzman, is no stranger when it comes to controversy. A few years back Guzman falsely claimed that he was founding the first legal ayahuasca church even though that wasn’t the case. Now he has made headlines again by claiming that the coronavirus is “a necessary purge” for the human race.

Drug Possession Defelonized in Colorado

Coloradans have yet another reason to celebrate now that the state has officially defelonized the possession of small amounts of all drugs, which means that offenders will not be incarcerated in the majority of cases.

But that doesn’t mean drugs are now legal or even decriminalized; those convicted for small-time drug possession will still end up with a misdemeanor on their criminal record.

Corporadelic: A Psymposia Series About Psychedelic Capitalism

One of the most thought-provoking pieces I read this month was actually a six-part series called “Corporadelic” that Russell Hausfeld wrote for Psymposia. The series explores the potential issues what we might see with psychedelic capitalism, and its one that every psychonaut should read so we can avoid preventable mistakes as the for-profit psychedelic industry and framework bursts on the scene and continues to evolve.

That’s all for this month’s update. Remember to always test and weigh your drugs and until next time—keep thinking wilder.

Think Wilder is reader-supported. If you enjoyed this month’s update, please consider helping out by becoming a patron, making a one-time donation, or sharing this post with a friend. Thank you for your support.

This Month in Psychoactives - February 2020

Let’s face the facts. It’s incredibly tough to keep up with psychoactive drug news nowadays.

There’s a ton happening, and this month was certainly no exception. In this blog post I cover the most important news stories from February so that you can stay up-to-date regarding what’s going on without having to spend all of your time tracking down stories and figuring out which ones are actually worth reading.

Here is a slimmed-down video recap version that is available for those who prefer an easier-to-digest option:

Without further ado, let’s get into the news:

First-Ever Thank You Plant Medicine Day

Last week thousands of people all across the globe shared stories on social media expressing gratitude for the important role plant medicines and psychedelic compounds played in helping address a wide range of issues.

This coordinated effort was all part of the first-ever Thank You Plant Medicine Day, which inspired stories of gratitude that were shared on YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Reddit, and Snapchat. This day of gratitude for psychedelics gave people the encouragement they needed to come out of the psychedelic closet online, many for the first time.

I joined in the fun too, producing a YouTube video and blog post discussing how psychedelics have helped heal me from a variety of conditions and catalyze a personal transformation that has resulted in a much different person than I was 15 years ago.

Psychedelic Companies Are About to Go Public

A psychedelic company based in Toronto will soon be listed on a Canadian stock exchange, marking the first time a business in the psychedelic space has gone public.

Mind Medicine Inc. (MindMed) is currently preparing for a Phase 2 clinical trial looking at using ibogaine to treat opioid addiction. The company is aiming to become one of the first publicly listed neuro-pharmaceutical companies developing psychedelics.

Competitors are still weighing their options. London-based company Compass Pathways has not commented on whether its planning a public listing, but Ronan Levy of Field Trip Psychedelics Inc. (also known as Field Trip) is considering a public listing, although both companies might end up getting private funding instead.

Here in the U.S., if any American psychedelic companies decide to go public they would be able to list on the Canadian Securities Exchange even though they aren’t able to do so in their home country.

Federal Vaping Flavor Ban Goes Into Effect

The federal vaping flavor ban went into effect earlier this month, banning all flavors other than menthol and tobacco in an attempt to reduce teenagers’ access to nicotine vapes.

But the reality of the situation is probably not what you’re thinking of when you hear the phrase “federal vaping flavor ban”.

The restriction only applies to one specific category of devices: cartridges or pre-filled pod devices, like the ones made by Juul. The full range of flavors is still available in several other forms though, including refillable vapes, nicotine pouches, and some disposable vaping devices.

Journal Retracts Problematic E-Cigarettes Study

A paper published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal last year was retracted this month after a review identified serious issues with its findings. The study, which was published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, falsely claimed that e-cigarette users were more likely to have had heart attacks.

However, the study’s authors didn’t get things right.

It turns out that the majority of the vapers studied had suffered a heart attack on average a decade before they even started using e-cigarettes. In other words, there isn’t sufficient evidence to conclude that there is a relationship between vaping and heart attacks.

Unfortunately, even though the study was retracted, it’s already done quite a bit of damage to e-cigarettes reputation due to widespread media coverage last year and its unlikely those same media outlets will cover the retraction.

UK Rejects Ketamine Nasal Spray

Back in December the UK granted a license to the nasal spray form of ketamine, known as Spravato or esketamine, for the treatment of severe depression. It looked like treating depression was right around the corner.

But that progress hit a stopping point this month when a UK assessment agency called the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) decided against integrating Spravato into the UK health system. NICE expressed concerns over Spravato’s efficacy for treating depression and its cost-effectiveness, claiming there isn’t enough evidence to approve the drug at this time.

The drug’s developer, Johnson and Johnson, may file for an appeal but would need to provide new evidence to support its case in order for Spravato to eventually be incorporated into the UK’s healthcare system.

New Investigation Finds Vaping Lung Injuries Started in 2007

New cases of vaping-associated pulmonary injury, or VAPI, have decreased dramatically this year compared to 2019, but a new investigation found that contrary to popular belief, these issues didn’t actually spring up overnight last year.

In fact, it turns out they actually date back all the way to 2007.

I was right about one thing over the course of the VAPI epidemic last year—these lung injuries can be caused by more than just vitamin E acetate. The investigation found that toxic pesticides, metals, solvents, oils, and heated byproducts also led to injuries.

However, a lot of people (myself included) were wrong about something else—VAPI isn’t exclusively related to THC after all. But that doesn’t change the fact that the vast majority of cases last year involved illicit THC vape cartridges, not nicotine e-cigarettes or weed vapes sold by legally regulated shops in states that have legalized cannabis. This investigation also found that unregulated cartridges containing nicotine, CBD, or other drugs like DMT or kratom can also cause lung injuries.

We need federal regulations for vaping products now more than ever, but it turns out that problems with vaping stretch back even further than some of us previously thought.

Washington DC Psychedelic Decriminalization Ballot Measure Advances

A measure to decriminalize psychedelics in Washington, D.C. advanced this month when the Board of Elections approved the initiative’s ballot language.

Similar to other cities that have decriminalized psychedelics within the last year, the D.C. measure would not change the laws that currently ban psychedelics. Instead, it would make enforcing those laws among the lowest priorities for law enforcement and request that the attorney general and federal prosecutor stop prosecuting people for these offenses.

Marijuana Reforms Advance in Several Places

Cannabis reform efforts made a ton of progress in February. When it comes to legalizing marijuana at the state level, New Hampshire and Vermont advanced legalization bills and Ohio filed a legalization measure for the November ballot.

Medical marijuana bills in Kentucky and Alabama moved forward and lawmakers in Virginia lawmakers approved a bill to decriminalize cannabis possession in the state.

Other countries are warming up to the idea of legalizing cannabis too, with Croatia, Luxembourg, and Israel thinking about relaxing their laws. We’re still waiting on Mexico to finalize its legalization framework though.

But not all reform efforts were successful—New Mexico, Mississippi, and Arizona ran into roadblocks that may prevent the states from moving forward with legalizing recreational or medical marijuana.

Denver Holds World’s First Psilocybin Policy Review Panel Meeting

The city that started the wave of psychedelic decriminalization in America held its first psilocybin mushroom policy review panel meeting to discuss how things have been going since the fungi were decriminalized last year.

Denver’s district attorney and a sheriff deputy met with Kevin Matthews, the man behind the decriminalization movement, in front of an audience of tie-dye wearing people who came out to watch. Sara Gael Giron, a harm reduction advocate from Boulder, also served on the panel.

By all accounts it seems like things are going well so far. The first task is to figure out reporting criteria for local law enforcement agencies regarding psilocybin mushrooms, which must be done by March 31. The panel will also be responsible for presenting a report to Denver City Council a year from now on the effects of decriminalization.

Who would’ve thought that decriminalizing one of the safest psychoactive substances around would have gone so smoothly? (Well… I did, as did most psychonauts, I’d imagine.)

Will Boulder Be the Next City to Decriminalize Psilocybin Mushrooms?

And Denver might not be the only city to decriminalize psilocybin mushrooms in Colorado. It looks like advocates in Boulder are pushing for it too.

However, this reform effort would go one step further by taking the Decriminalize Nature approach that Oakland and Santa Cruz employed to decriminalize multiple psychedelic plants and fungi all at once.

New Drug Testing Techniques Can Detect MDMA and Cocaine Use

Drug testing technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace. Scientists unveiled a technique that involves using speech pattern technology to detect whether you’re under the influence of MDMA. It may sound farfetched, but is it really that much crazier than using thermal cameras at raves to find people in the crowd who are high?

And a new fingerprint test is capable of determining the difference between someone who has actually taken cocaine vs. someone who has just touched it.

It’s amazing to see all the ingenuity that goes into drug testing tech, but I can’t help but feel like that energy could be better spent on more worthy endeavors.

Philly’s Supervised Injection Site Gets Final Approval From Federal Judge

Harm reductionists in Philadelphia have a lot to celebrate this month, as a long battle to open the nation’s first legal supervised injection site finally received approval from a federal judge. Safehouse was hoping to open its doors next week but after intense opposition announced it will hold more community meetings before proceeding.

Wearable Microdosing Technology Patented

In an unexpected turn of events, the patent for a new personalized perfume technology included a section on wearable microdoses that could be consumed via spraying a scent into the air from a device like a watch. The concept was based on Philip K Dick’s sci-fi book Ubik.

Will wearable microdoses ever make it to market? Will they even work? Does it even matter in the first place? I don’t know.

Case Report Covers Extreme LSD Overdoses

An astounding paper co-authored by Mark Haden, the executive director of MAPS Canada, looked at three case reports featuring extremely large doses of LSD. Unexpected health benefits came out of these psychedelic trips, including mental health improvements, pain reduction, and an easing of opioid withdrawal symptoms. One woman accidentally consumed 500ug (5 times more than a normal dose) during her first trimester of an unknown pregnancy and the baby turned out just fine.

But the case that takes the cake belongs to a woman who accidentally mistook LSD for cocaine and snorted a whopping 55mg of LSD. That’s 550 times more than a normal dose—a completely insane amount.

All of the subjects survived and experienced bizarre health benefits.

Man Regains Sense of Smell with Psilocybin

One of the stand-out stories from Thank You Plant Medicine Day involved a man who regained his sense of smell—lost after a severe car crash two years prior—following the use of psilocybin mushrooms.

These magical fungi must be effective at treating many more issues that we know of at this time, but as more people come out of the psychedelic closet and share their experiences with the world we will continue to learn of their true potential.

Think Wilder is reader-supported. If you enjoyed this month’s update, please consider helping out by becoming a patron, making a one-time donation, or sharing this post with a friend. Thank you for your support.

Image by Psychedelic Astronaut.