This Week in Psychedelics - 4.23.21

Cannabis

• Schumer Celebrates 4/20 Marijuana Holiday On Senate Floor (Marijuana Moment)

• US House Passes Bill To Normalize Adult-Use Cannabis Commerce (NORML)

• Virginia Governor Signs Marijuana Legalization Bill In Ceremonial Event—Even Though It’s Already Enacted (Marijuana Moment)

• New Jersey Supreme Court Rules Company Must Cover Employee's Medical Marijuana Costs (MERRY JANE)

• Nine In Ten Americans Support Legalizing Marijuana For Recreational Or Medical Use, New Pew Poll Finds (Marijuana Moment)

• Florida Supreme Court Kills 2022 Marijuana Legalization Initiative That Hundreds Of Thousands Had Signed (Marijuana Moment)

• Border weed: How the hometown of tater tots became a cannabis capital (Politico)

• Louisiana Lawmakers Approve Bill To Legalize Medical Marijuana Flower For Patients (Marijuana Moment)

• Veterans Medical Marijuana Safe Harbor Act Reintroduced (NORML)

• Minnesota Marijuana Legalization Bill Clears Eighth Committee On Route To The House Floor (Marijuana Moment)

• Two-thirds of La. voters support legalizing marijuana; state lawmakers on both sides of the aisle eye legalization (WAFB)

LSD

• Today Is Bicycle Day, Which Isn’t Quite What You Think (Mother Jones)

• LSD Side-Effects: Risks To Be Aware of When Consuming LSD (The Third Wave)

Magic Mushrooms

• Oregon’s and Compass’s Opposite Approaches to Psilocybin Therapy Should Coexist, Says Initiator of Measure 109 (Chacruna)

• Revive Therapeutics Announces Successful Research Results for Oral Thin Film Psilocybin and Filing of U.S. Provisional Patent Application (Psilocybin Alpha)

MDMA

• MDMA and magic mushrooms reconsidered for rescheduling by Therapeutic Goods Administration (The Canberra Times)

• This is why sex on MDMA feels so good, according to experts (Gentside UK)

Ayahuasca

• Advocacy Group Aims to Decriminalize Ayahuasca in Portland (Willamette Week)

• Some Vermonters Turn to Ayahuasca as a 'Last Resort' to Heal Their Bodies and Minds (Seven Days)

5-MeO-DMT

• Researchers In Europe, U.S. Team Up To Produce First Ever 5-MeO-DMT Psychedelic Training Program (Forbes)

• Toad Conservation (Chacruna)

Peyote

• Hello, Religious Privilege is Good and Here's Why (Patheos)

Novel Psychoactive Substances

• 18-MC Has Unique Brain Functions and Mechanisms (Psychedelic Science Review)

Synthetic Cannabinoids

• Study explores synthetic cannabinoid for cancer-related anorexia (Outsourcing-Pharma.com)

Ketamine

• PharmaTher Announces Submission of IND Application with the FDA for Phase 2 Clinical Trial Evaluating Ketamine in the Treatment of Parkinson’s Disease (Psilocybin Alpha)

• Ketamine Infusion: How Ketamine Can Treat Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, and More (DoubleBlind)

PCP

• State's medical expert to grand jury: 'Police didn't kill Daniel Prude' (WXXI News)

Miscellaneous

• Norway opposition torpedoes plan to decriminalise drug use (France 24)

• Washington State Lawmakers Downgrade Proposed Drug Possession Penalties Ahead Of House Floor Vote (Marijuana Moment)

• Biden Is Allegedly Planning to Double Down on Trump's Prohibitionist Drug Policies (MERRY JANE)

• MindMed To Commence Trading on Nasdaq (Psilocybin Alpha)

• The “Equity Elephant”: Why Psychedelic Mutualism and Cooperatives are Crucial for an Accessible Future (Psychedelics Today)

• Jewish psychedelics movement blasts off with first-ever conference (The Times of Israel)

• ATAI Nasdaq IPO Plans Announced (Truffle Report)

• Researchers Slam Drug War At Federally Hosted Psychedelics Event (Marijuana Moment)

• There’s a Land Grab for Psychedelic Patents: Here’s What We Can Do About It (Psychedelic Times)

• You're Not Hallucinating: Black People Are Being Left Out of the Psychedelic Renaissance (The Root)

• People who regularly use psychoactive substances experienced negative impacts during COVID-19 (News-Medical.net)

• Most Canadians not ready to expand drug legalization beyond cannabis: poll (Coast Reporter)

• Extinction Rebellion founder says psychedelic drugs 'helped start environmental movement' (Wales Online)

• Silo Wellness Announces Five New Psychedelic Wellness Retreats in Jamaica (Psilocybin Alpha)

• Psychedelic Experience launches new website to help navigate the world of psychedelics (PR Newswire)

• The Overlap Between Kink/BDSM and Psychedelics (Chacruna)

• Cybin Demonstrates Proof of Concept of Its Deuterated Tryptamines for the Treatment of Depression and Addiction (Psilocybin Alpha)

• Michael Pollan: A Catalyst to the Psychedelic Renaissance (The Third Wave)

• If You're Going to Solo Trip On Psychedelics, Bear This in Mind (VICE)

Think Wilder is reader-supported. If you enjoyed this week’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.

Disclaimer: "This Week in Psychedelics" does not censor or analyze the news links presented here. The purpose of this column is solely to catalog how psychedelics are presented by the mass media, which includes everything from the latest scientific research to misinformation.

This Week in Psychedelics - 5.1.20

Cannabis

• Marijuana Seems To Reduce Opioid Use Among Chronic Pain Patients, Meta-Study Finds (Marijuana Moment)

• CIA Says Past Pot Use Does Not Disqualify Applicants From Agency Jobs (MERRY JANE)

• Commander-in-Cannabis: How Will Trump and Biden Approach Marijuana Policy? (High Times)

• CBD Can Stop Brain Cancer in Humans and Dogs, Study Finds (MERRY JANE)

• Kansas Governor Says Medical Marijuana Still On The Table In 2020 Despite Coronavirus (Marijuana Moment)

• Could cannabis terpene formulation treat COVID-19? (Health Europa)

• US Marijuana Research Policy Violated International Law For Decades, DEA Lawsuit Memo Reveals (Marijuana Moment)

• Maryland Medical Marijuana Dispensary Opens State's First Weed Drive-Thru (MERRY JANE)

• Lebanon has legalised cannabis growing, but its political class are muscling in on small farmers (The New Arab)

• Why you should read the label on your cannabis product (Leafly)

• Does cannabis use amplify the effect of prenatal alcohol exposure and vice versa? (EurekAlert!)

• Australian study finds vehicle crashes are a common factor in cannabis deaths (The Sydney Morning Herald)

• One doctor vs. the DEA: Inside the battle to study marijuana in America (NBC)

• Grandma gets high: Why seniors are consuming cannabis (Leafly)

• Scientists Create New Method To Store Marijuana Pollen On A Long-Term Basis (Marijuana Moment)

LSD

• LSD "off-switch" developed by psychedelic pharmaceutical company (New Atlas)

• What Happens When You Add Other Drugs To Your LSD Trip? (VICE)

• Bicycle Day 2020 Was Truly Historic, But Not for the Reasons You Think (Psymposia)

• When a Coronavirus Lockdown Resembles an LSD Trip (The New York Times)

Magic Mushrooms

• Oregon Therapeutic Psilocybin Legalization Campaign Has A New Signature Strategy Amid Coronavirus (Marijuana Moment)

• New York Assemblywoman Introduces Measure to Decriminalize Psilocybin (DoubleBlind)

• Compass raises $80M to take magic mushroom drug toward phase 3 (FierceBiotech)

• Oregon psychedelic startup tests nasal spray for PTSD, depression as legislative momentum builds (GeekWire)

• Calls For Australian Government To Allow MDMA And Psilocybin To Be Used To Treat Mental Health (LADbible)

MDMA

• Why MDMA Sex Feels So Good (VICE)

Novel Psychoactive Substances

• Scientists Solve the Crystal Structure of the Freebase of 5-MeO-DALT (Psychedelic Science Review)

Ketamine

• Treating Depression with Ketamine Under Quarantine (DoubleBlind)

• Ketamine and COVID-19 (Forest Bluff Magazine)

Miscellaneous

• Turn On, Tune In, Cash In (New Republic)

• Weed Biotech Partners with US Hospital to Make Psilocybin, MDMA, and DMT (MERRY JANE)

• Dr. Bronner’s Donates $1 Mil to Legalize Medical Psilocybin in Oregon (DoubleBlind)

• This petition to decriminalize psychedelics is causing Canadians to respond in droves (The Growth Op)

• Biden RAVE Act Legislation From 2003 Continues to Impede Risk Reduction Efforts (Lucid News)

• Biotech startup wants to make new short-acting psychedelic drugs more scalable & accessible (The Sociable)

• Field Trip Announces “World’s First” Virtual Psychedelic Therapy, But Forgets To Mention They Aren’t the First and No Psychedelics Are Involved (Psymposia)

• Dax Shepard Explains Why He'd Approve of His Daughters Taking Psychedelic Drugs (E! Online)

• Psychedelics Company Orthogonal Thinker Closes $6M Seed Round (Benzinga)

• Efforts to Legalize Psychedelics is Quickly Picking Up Momentum (Baystreet)

Think Wilder is reader-supported. If you enjoyed this week’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.

Disclaimer: "This Week in Psychedelics" does not censor or analyze the news links presented here. The purpose of this column is solely to catalogue how psychedelics are presented by the mass media, which includes everything from the latest scientific research to misinformation.

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 Week in Psychedelics - 4.17.20

Cannabis

• Virginia: Governor Approves Bills to Decriminalize Marijuana and Legalize Medical Cannabis (NORML)

• DC Allows Medical Marijuana Delivery Under Coronavirus Emergency Order (Marijuana Moment)

• N.F.L. Bows to Marijuana’s New Status (The New York Times)

• Missouri Activists Officially End 2020 Marijuana Legalization Campaign Due To Coronavirus (Marijuana Moment)

• 420 Smoke-Out Is Officially Canceled in San Francisco Due to Coronavirus (MERRY JANE)

• UK’s First Virtual Cannabis Legalisation Rally to be Held on 4/20 (The Cannabis Exchange)

• How To Celebrate The 4/20 Marijuana Holiday Virtually This Year Amid COVID Social Distancing (Marijuana Moment)

• COVID-19 delays Maine’s recreational marijuana rollout (Leafly)

• House Democrats Working to Roll Cannabis Banking Into Coronavirus Relief Effort (MERRY JANE)

• No federal relief: Cannabis businesses cry for help as coronavirus batters industry (NBC News)

• Virginia Governor Urges Medical Marijuana Expansion As Amendment To Recently Approved Bill (Marijuana Moment)

• A.I. Suggests US Vaping Illness Case From Last Summer Was Actually COVID-19 (MERRY JANE)

• Montana Marijuana Activists File Lawsuit For Electronic Ballot Signature Gathering During COVID (Marijuana Moment)

• Rare cannabinoid shows early promise for diabetes (Leafly)

• Marijuana Use Reaches All-Time High Under Coronavirus Pandemic (The Fresh Toast)

• Hemp Farmers Make Double the Salary of Average Agricultural Workers, Study Says (MERRY JANE)

• Cannabis May Ease Opioid Withdrawal Symptoms, Johns Hopkins Study Finds (Marijuana Moment)

• Study suggests frequency and severity of negative reactions to cannabis (Medical News Today)

• DEA Seized More Marijuana Plants In 2019, But Arrests Fell (Marijuana Moment)

• ‘Cooked With Cannabis’ takes pot-infused cuisine to new highs (Chicago Sun Times)

• USDA Approves Hemp Plans For Florida, Kansas And Three Indian Tribes (Marijuana Moment)

• Medical Cannabis and Arthritis – Could it Help? (The Cannabis Exchange)

• Does cannabis make you poo? (Leafly)

LSD

• Indie Film ‘Debbie and Doug Drop Acid in the Desert’ is a Visual and Emotional Trip (Psymposia)

• Bicycle Day: Demons, Milk, and “Medicine for the Soul” (DoubleBlind)

Magic Mushrooms

• Neuroscientists uncover how magic mushrooms "rebalance" the brain (Inverse)

• Psychedelic compound from magic mushrooms produced in yeast (Phys.org)

• Science breakthrough: How ancient humans used magic mushrooms to grow brains exposed (Express)

• Orthogonal Thinker Files For Patent For Its Psilocybin Product, Psilly (Benzinga)

• Psilocybin Mushrooms Are Making A Comeback (Longevity Live)

• How to Make Mushroom Chocolates (DoubleBlind)

MDMA

• Scientists say MDMA could help treat mental health in a post-lockdown world (Dazed)

DMT

• What Is DMT "Changa" and How Do You Make This Form of the Psychedelic? (MERRY JANE)

Ayahuasca

• Coloradan Gets Stuck at Ayahuasca Retreat in Peru (Westword)

• How Ayahuasca, an Ancient Amazonian Hallucinogen, Became Hollywood's New Favorite Escape (Town & Country)

• The Virus, Ayahuasca, Grief, and Hope (Chacruna)

5-MeO-DMT

• Habitat Influences Psychoactive Toad Secretions (Psychedelic Science Review)

• Hamilton Morris on 5-MeO-DMT, the Entourage Effect, and Protecting Toads (Psychedelic Science Review)

Iboga

• What Is Ibogaine and Can the Psychedelic Plant Help Break Drug Addictions? (MERRY JANE)

Novel Psychoactive Substances

• MindMed Initiates Dosing in Human Safety Study of Novel Treatment for Opioid Addiction, 18-MC (The Salamanca Press)

Nitrous Oxide

• The Rise of Laughing Gas in the Delivery Room (The New York Times)

Ketamine

• Champignon Brands Acquires Ketamine Clinic Operator AltMed Capital (Benzinga)

• Can Ketamine-Induced Near-Death Experiences Expedite Healing? (Chacruna)

Miscellaneous

• Announcing the Launch of the World’s First Psychedelic Video Museum (The Daily Psychedelic Video)

• Coronavirus triggers UK shortage of illicit drugs (The Guardian)

• Mindset Pharma Begins Work with Leading R&D Contractor for Next-Generation Psychedelic Drugs (PR Newswire)

• Coronavirus pandemic could trigger a spike in mental illness — this organisation thinks psychedelic drugs will help (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

• Therapists See Benefits and Risks in Psychedelic Therapy During Covid-19 Crisis (Lucid News)

• How Psychedelic Drugs Can Help Us Overcome Crisis (Kahpi)

• Why 2020 is the Year of Psychedelics and Threesomes (DoubleBlind)

• Teens once again discover that nutmeg can get you high with the #NutmegChallenge (The Daily Dot)

• 5 Tips For Psychedelic Integration Providers (Maps of the Mind)

• Social Isolation Turns the World Inside Out. That’s Why Shamans Do It. (Kahpi)

• Ensuring Psychedelic Liberty in Black and Brown Communities: Questions to Ponder (Chacruna)

• The COVID 19 Journey is a Psychedelic Experience (Medium)

• UCSB Psychedelics Club Explores Psychedelic Usage and Research (The Bottom Line)

Think Wilder is reader-supported. If you enjoyed this week’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.

Disclaimer: "This Week in Psychedelics" does not censor or analyze the news links presented here. The purpose of this column is solely to catalogue how psychedelics are presented by the mass media, which includes everything from the latest scientific research to misinformation.

This Week in Psychoactives - 4.26.19

CANNABIS

• CBS Poll: Nationwide Support For Marijuana Legalization At All-Time High (NORML)

• All the Top Democrats Running for President Favor Legalizing Marijuana (Reason)

• Marijuana Legalization Not Linked To Increased Traffic Deaths, Study Finds (Marijuana Moment)

• Years After Legalization, Maine Releases First Cannabis Industry Rules (Leafly)

• Mexican Lawmakers Plan To Tackle Marijuana Legalization This Summer (Marijuana Moment)

• The Clean Slate Act's Record-Sealing Provisions Go Further Than Cory Booker's Marijuana Justice Act (Reason)

• North Dakota: Governor Signs Medical Cannabis Expansion Laws (NORML)

• Alabama Lawmakers Approve Medical Marijuana Bill (Marijuana Moment)

• CBD reduces impairment caused by cannabis (EurekAlert!)

• Homeland Security Says Cannabis Users Lack ‘Good Moral Character’ (Leafly)

• USDA Clarifies That Farmers Can Import Hemp Seeds From Other Countries (Marijuana Moment)

• Texas House Votes To Legalize The Farming Of Industrial Hemp (Marijuana Moment)

• Wisconsin Legalization Would Save Lives, Bring $1.1B Benefit, Study Says (Leafly)

• Utah is allowing only 10 cannabis farms. Will that be enough to supply the state’s new medical marijuana program? (Salt Lake Tribune)

• Denver City Council to vote on allowing cannabis clubs to operate closer to daycare and rec centers (KDVR)

• Cannabis websites in US and Canada crash on biggest 4/20 day (The Guardian)

• Lawmakers Want Legal Protections For Universities That Research Marijuana (Marijuana Moment)

• SFPD Spread Misinformation about Fentanyl-Laced Marijuana (SF Weekly)

• The Weed Industry Is Burning Millions on DC Lobbyists and Getting Nowhere (VICE)

• Earth Day Begs The Question: Is Cannabis Farming Sustainable? (Forbes)

• USDA Accepting Applications For Hemp Intellectual Property Protection (Marijuana Moment)

• Cannabis, Marijuana, Weed, Pot? Just Call It a Job Machine (The New York Times)

• How Israel Became the Global Leader in Cannabis Research (Green Entrepreneur)

• Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome, Without the Hype (Filter)

• Where Presidential Candidate Joe Biden Stands On Marijuana (Marijuana Moment)

• Where Presidential Candidate Seth Moulton Stands On Marijuana (Marijuana Moment)

• Keeping Score: Major League Sports’ Stance on Cannabis (Leafly)

• Can Cannabis Replace Wellbutrin? (Civilized)

• The Indica vs. Sativa Distinction Isn’t Real (Slate)

• Did a Cannabis Company Just Patent the Spliff? (Leafly)

• Quitting Cigarettes? Joints Rolled With CBD Might Help (Marijuana Moment)

• The Paradoxical Power of Medicinal Microdosing (Psychology Today)

• Uplifting a New Face & Voice of Cannabis: A Happy 4/20 with Safon Floyd of EstroHaze (Psychedelic Times)

LSD

• “Discover who you truly are.” Albert Hofmann’s Bicycle Day and A Critical Look at LSD (Psychedelic Times)

• Here's Why You Don't Mix LSD and Nuclear-Powered Aircraft Carriers (The National Interest)

• Is microdosing LSD a solution to the 'crisis of meaning' in modern life? (Montreal Gazette)

MAGIC MUSHROOMS

• Award Winning Filmmaker Brings Psilocybin Documentary To Denver Prior To Decriminalization Vote (Prime Time News)

• Research shows psilocybin — a Schedule I narcotic — to be of great help to patients with end-of-life problems (Anchorage Press)

MDMA

• "Japanese Walter White” Accused Of Teaching Students To Make Ecstasy (The Fix)

• Study Suggests MDMA Could Help People With PTSD, Autism (The Swaddle)

• War, Morality, and MDMA: A Conversation with an Anonymous Military Psychologist (Psychedelic Times)

• To Unravel PTSD, She Took MDMA. A Promising Therapy Offers Hope (KJZZ)

AYAHUASCA

• Do Ayahuasca Shamans See Microbial Worlds in Their Visions? (Kahpi)

• Police intervene in 'healing ceremony' after death: report (NL Times)

• Ayahuasca Spirits Are Special Because They Are Not Real (Kahpi)

• Ayahuasca: the alternative antidepressant (The Vermont Cynic)

5-MEO-DMT

• Psychedelic Toad Venom Relieves Depression, Anxiety And Stress, Studies Find (Marijuana Moment)

PEYOTE

• Stanislaw Ignacy Witkiewicz (Witkacy) on Taking Peyote (Reality Sandwich)

IBOGA

• The Future of Medical Ibogaine (Psychedelics Today)

• Serotonin transporter–ibogaine complexes illuminate mechanisms of inhibition and transport (Nature)

SYNTHETIC CANNABINOIDS

• Spice-related overdoses on the rise in Alabama - again; feds warn about ‘disturbing’ trend (AL.com)

NITROUS OXIDE

• Arctic Laughing Gas Emissions Could Accelerate Global Warming (EcoWatch)

• Hippy crack is no laughing matter (GQ)

KETAMINE

• Robust Evidence Supports Analgesic, Antihyperalgesic Properties of Ketamine (Clinical Pain Advisor)

• How ketamine can change the brain to fight depression (Medical News Today)

PCP

• Man accused of PCP-crazed shotgun killing of Chinese missionary pleads guilty in KC (The Kansas City Star)

• Driver was high on PCP in crash that split car in half, cops say (Lehigh Valley Live)

OPIATES/OPIOIDS

• The FDA Just Approved the First Generic Nasal Spray to Reverse Opioid Overdoses (TIME)

• After Leaving Thousands in Agony, the CDC Is Finally Clarifying Its Painkiller Restrictions (Tonic)

• Demystifying buprenorphine misuse: Has fear of diversion gotten in the way of addressing the opioid crisis? (Taylor and Francis)

• FDA clears Psychemedics hair test for fentanyl (Seeking Alpha)

• Do Electronic Health Record Prompts Increase Take‐Home Naloxone Administration for Emergency Department Patients After an Opioid Overdose? (Wiley Online Library)

• Fentanyl Speedballs Are the Latest Disturbing Trend in America's Opioid Crisis (VICE)

• Narcan is just the start of fighting the opioid overdose epidemic (The Philadelphia Inquirer)

• Heroin used to pass through South Africa en route to Europe. Now much of it stays, with devastating effects (Los Angeles Times)

• Vancouver pot king hopes to brew opium tea to help drug addicts (The Chronicle Herald)

• How the US military's opium war in Afghanistan was lost (BBC)

• New “Generic” Naloxone: Expect More Big-Pharma Sleight of Hand (Filter)

• Fentanyl killed a Penn physician’s son. Now she works to save other families from the same pain. (The Philadelphia Inquirer)

• Life after a life of addiction (Cincinnati Enquirer)

METHAMPHETAMINE

• Use of meth on the rise, officials say (The Indiana Gazette)

CAFFEINE

• Beverages containing caffeine more harmful to liver than alcohol? (The Asian Age)

• Unless we act now, scientists warn, that coffee so many of us love could become extinct (WCPO)

• Wholesale coffee is cheaper than it’s been in years. That’s not good news. (Vox)

• Experts Find Out How Many Cups of Coffee Are Needed to Enhance Your Workout (Inverse)

• Coca-Cola is making a big push into coffee (CNBC)

• Leading expert warns of dangers after man (34) dies from caffeine toxicity (Irish Independent)

• SC could ban kids from buying caffeine-packed energy drinks, but not this year (Charleston Post Courier)

• Is Kombucha Environmentally Friendly? Here’s The Real Tea (Bustle)

• Dear Pharmacist: Caffeine is a natural option for ADHD (The Gainesville Sun)

• The One Thing I Gave Up That Made A Massive Difference In My Anxiety (mindbodygreen)

• 9 Benefits Of Matcha Tea That Will Make You Want To Drink It Every Day (Woman's Health)

TOBACCO

• Walgreens, Rite Aid to Raise Tobacco Buying Age to 21 and Older (The Wall Street Journal)

• Vermont House Gives Final Approval To Tobacco 21 Bill (WAMC)

• 21 and older: Proposal to raise tobacco-buying age nationwide drawing mixed feelings (WEAR)

• New Evidence of Smoking Disparities Underlines That Tobacco Harm Reduction Is Social Justice (Filter)

• ‘Tobacco 21’ Proposal Draws Debate In Florida (WLRN)

• Vaping teens exposed to as much nicotine as tobacco smokers but don't know it (NBC News)

ALCOHOL

• Why faking positive emotions at work can lead to heavier alcohol consumption (Quartz)

• Illinois Senate approves statewide rule for alcohol delivery (WQAD)

• 5 Reasons You're Depressed After Drinking too Much Alcohol (Mens Health)

• Anne Hathaway doubles down on giving up alcohol until her son is 18, but says she'll spend the 'back half of my life completely sloshed' (INSIDER)

NOOTROPICS

• An Experiment With Smart Drugs – What I Learned From Modafinil (The Quint)

KRATOM

• Kratom Craze: After wife’s death, Franklin County man seeks ban on popular substance (KMOV)

• What is kratom? ‘Controversial’ herbal supplement leads to overdoses in the U.S. (Global News)

• Kratom: Castle Rock Deciding What to Do About Controversial Substance (Westword)

• When pregnant women take kratom, their babies may suffer (Medical Xpress)

MISCELLANEOUS

• Another dark web marketplace bites the dust --Wall Street Market (ZDNet)

• Joe Biden’s long record supporting the war on drugs and mass incarceration, explained (Vox)

• Survey of subjective "God encounter experiences": Comparisons among naturally occurring experiences and those occasioned by the classic psychedelics psilocybin, LSD, ayahuasca, or DMT (PLOS)

• Imperial launches world’s first Centre for Psychedelics Research (Imperial College London)

• Psychedelics as a treatment for disorders of consciousness (Neuroscience of Consciousness)

• How a drug gang devastated our helpless family (The Guardian)

• America’s Only Publicly Traded Addiction Treatment Chain Makes Millions Off Patients. What Could Go Wrong? (Mother Jones)

• Trump Justice Department Goes After Overdose Prevention Sites as ‘Crack Houses’ (The Daily Beast)

• Psychedelic therapy: The patients paying $2k to get high with their doctor (news.com.au)

• B.C.’s chief health officer calls for decriminalization of illicit drugs (The Globe and Mail)

• British Police Are Raising Their Voices Against the Drug War (Filter)

• Confronting Sexual Misconduct in the Psychedelic Community: An Interview with Daniel Pinchbeck (Chacruna)

• Trump has been... good?... for psychedelic drugs???... (The Outline)

• What Politicians Daring Each Other to Be Drug Tested Reveals (Filter)

• Building a Psychedelic Community During the War on Drugs (Chacruna)

• Psychedelics to treat mental illness? Australian researchers are giving it a go (The Conversation)

• Psychedelics as a Path to Social Learning (The Wall Street Journal)

• Shades of Sobriety: Life Shows That Recovery Needn’t Mean Abstinence (Filter)

• The Five Phases of Psychedelic Initiation (Chacruna)

• How drug decriminalization could help stem an epidemic of drug overdoses (The Globe and Mail)

• Trump Praises China for Killing Drug Traffickers (Reason)

• Young People of Color As Leaders in The Movement To End the War on Drugs (Psymposia)

• Prison For Forced Addiction Treatment? A Parent's 'Last Resort' Has Consequences (NPR)

• The Psychedelic State of South Texas (Texas Monthly)

• Drug Use in Music Festivals Across the United States (One EDM)

• Your Guide to Microdosing for Anxiety and Depression (Allure)

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Disclaimer: "This Week in Psychoactives" does not censor or analyze the news links presented here. The purpose of this column is solely to catalogue how psychedelics are presented by the mass media, which includes everything from the latest scientific research to misinformation.

Image by Psychedelic Astronaut.

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On the Monday following each edition of “This Week in Psychoactives,” I post a “Last Week in Psychoactives” video recap to my YouTube channel. After that is done, I retroactively add the video to the corresponding blog post. Here is this week’s video recap:

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