Weekly Psychedelic Links - September 2022

9.2.22

Cannabis

• Oklahoma Supreme Court Gives Marijuana Activists Temporary Win As They Fight For Legalization Ballot Placement (Marijuana Moment)

• Pharmaceutical Industry Suffers Billions In Losses After States Legalize Marijuana, New Study Finds (Marijuana Moment)

• Harvard Grad Student Dies in Bali From Police Brutality Over Cannabis Arrest (High Times)

• Poll: South Dakota Legalization Initiative in Danger of Failing (High Times)

• More Americans Now Smoke Marijuana Than Cigarettes, For The First Time Ever, Gallup Reports (Marijuana Moment)

• Largest ever independent study into cannabis use (BBC)

• Cannabis researchers say it’s high time to drop ‘lazy stoner’ stereotype (The Guardian)

• Pennsylvania: Governor Launches Effort to Issue Mass Pardons to Those with Low-Level Marijuana Convictions (NORML)

• Ghana's Legal Cannabis Hits a Constitutional Roadblock (TalkingDrugs)

• Joseph Schooling: Singapore Olympic star suspended for taking cannabis in Vietnam (BBC)

• Cannabis industry inches toward sustainability (Chemical and Engineering News)

• New Study Shows Evidence That Low-Dose THC Could Help Treat Veteran PTSD (High Times)

• U.S. Air Force And Space Force Reviewing ‘Common Sense’ Marijuana Drug Testing Policy Change For Recruits (Marijuana Moment)

• Qualitative Study Reveals Medical Students’ Attitudes Toward Medical Pot (High Times)

LSD

• LSD decreases binge-like drinking in a rodent model of alcoholism, but only temporarily (PsyPost)

• Is the Color of LSD an Indicator of Purity? (Lucid News)

MDMA

• Boy, 16, dies in suspected ecstasy-related incident at Leeds Festival (The Independent)

Novel Psychoactive Substances

• DEA Backs Off, Won’t Criminalize Two New Psychedelics (Psychedelic Spotlight)

Nitrous Oxide

• Why Some New York Stores Will Require You to Show ID to Buy Whipped Cream (Newsweek)

• Doctors warn of rise in nerve damage linked to nitrous oxide (The Guardian)

Ketamine

• This New, Legal Cannabis and Ketamine Therapy is Designed to Heal Trauma in the Body (DoubleBlind)

• They’re Pushing Cut-Rate Ketamine Therapy on TikTok (Rolling Stone)

• Yukon woman paid $7K for private ketamine treatment, only to learn that the Yukon gov't covers it (CBC)

Miscellaneous

• An Inside Look at the Lawsuit that could “Legalize Psychedelics in Canada” (Psychedelic Spotlight)

• MindMed Completes 1-for-15 Reverse Share Split (Psychedelic Alpha)

• Student Loan Forgiveness Limited By the War on Drugs (High Times)

• Aspen, Colorado Activists Pursue Psychedelics Decriminalization For 2023 Ballot As Voters Prepare To Decide On Statewide 2022 Legalization Measure (Marijuana Moment)

• Psychedelic Advocate Facing Charges Calls for Help, Law Reform in New York (High Times)

• Is the Psychedelic Therapy Bubble About to Burst? (WIRED)

• In the Wake of Decrim, Police Continue to Target Psychedelics (Lucid News)

• How Psychedelics Might Fuel a Paradigm Shift (DoubleBlind)

9.9.22

Cannabis

• California: Governor Signs Bill Prohibiting Doctors from Discriminating Against Medical Cannabis Patients (NORML)

• Nobody knows how widespread illegal cannabis grows are in California. So we mapped them (Los Angeles Times)

• UK Government Blocks Bermuda From Legalizing Marijuana On Same Day New Prime Minister Takes Office (Marijuana Moment)

• Afroman’s Ohio Residence Raided by Local Law Enforcement (High Times)

• Minnesota Arrests Black People For Marijuana At Much Higher Rates Than White People, State Data Shows (Marijuana Moment)

• New Poll Shows Overwhelming Support for Cannabis Banking Legislation (High Times)

• Companies Turn to THC Beverages as Next Growing Legal Cannabis Market (High Times)

LSD

• LSD-assisted therapy induces rapid and lasting reductions in anxiety and depression symptoms, according to new research (PsyPost)

Magic Mushrooms

• Placebo-controlled study suggests that the benefits of psilocybin microdosing can be explained by expectancy effects (PsyPost)

• Psilocybin Study To Investigate the Serotonin System in Autism (Technology Networks)

• Optimi Health Completes Largest Legal Natural Psilocybin Harvest in Canadian History (Psychedelic Alpha)

• 'Flesh of the Gods': The Trippy History of Magic Mushrooms (VICE)

MDMA

• MDMA Enhances Fear Extinction Learning: From Models to Mechanisms (Psychedelic Science Review)

• Police issue MDMA warning after man dies from suspected drug overdose (Radio New Zealand)

Ayahuasca

• Why Are Scientists Dosing Fish with Ayahuasca? (DoubleBlind)

5-MeO-DMT

• As Use Of The World’s Most Potent Psychedelic Skyrockets, New Site F.I.V.E. Fills An Education Void (Forbes)

Peyote

• Conspiracy and Antisemitism in the Debate Over Peyote Decriminalization (Psychedelic Spotlight)

Novel Psychoactive Substances

• New Psychedelic Entactogens: Designer Drugs Produce Designer Effects (Psychedelic Science Review)

Nitrous Oxide

• Laughing gas: 'A 20-second high is not worth losing your life over' (BBC)

Ketamine

• Scientists Discover That a Surprising Factor Improved The Effects of Ketamine in Mice (ScienceAlert)

• Low-dose ketamine is safe and effective to treat children with ADNP syndrome, study suggests (News-Medical.net)

Miscellaneous

• San Francisco decriminalizes psychedelics (Leafly)

• Drug Executions in Iran Are Back on the Rise (TalkingDrugs)

• This Psychedelic Company is Leading the Way on Reciprocity and Holistic Approaches to Healing (DoubleBlind)

• WOC-led psychedelics conference champions gender equality with all-women speakers (Leafly)

9.16.22

Cannabis

• Killings, robberies, extortion. California can’t stop its booming illegal cannabis stores (Los Angeles Times)

• New Zealand Approves Domestic Medical Cannabis Products (High Times)

• World Anti-Doping Agency Set To Keep Marijuana On Banned Substance List, Saying U.S. Didn’t Back Its Removal (Marijuana Moment)

• Biden To Meet With Family of Brittney Griner (High Times)

• Study: CBD Oil Safe, Effective for Autism Patients (High Times)

• Missouri judge blocks attempt to kick legalization off ballot (Leafly)

• GOP Missouri Lawmaker Files Revised Marijuana Legalization Bill, Urging Special Session Action To Compete With Ballot Initiative (Marijuana Moment)

• Pregnant Women in Alabama Are Being Jailed For Smoking Pot (High Times)

• Oklahoma Prosecutors Are Targeting Pregnant Women For Using Medical Marijuana (Marijuana Moment)

• Thai Lawmakers Withdraw Bill to Regulate Cannabis (High Times)

• New Jersey Employers Can’t Punish Workers Based On A Marijuana Test Alone, State Officials Say (Marijuana Moment)

• Nevada Judge Orders State Board to Remove Cannabis from Schedule 1 (High Times)

• Analysis: Legal Cannabis Businesses Associated with Increased Home Values (NORML)

• Weed Legalization in Germany Hampered by EU Laws (High Times)

• What’s Next For Cannabis Mergers And Acquisitions? (Forbes)

• Oregon Officials to Deploy Decoys to Catch Underage Weed, Alcohol Sales (High Times)

• Small Marijuana Growers Could Sell Directly To Consumers Across State Lines Under New Congressional Bill (Marijuana Moment)

• Republican Congressmen Push for Environmental Impact Study on Cannabis (High Times)

• US Court of Appeals: Federal Scheduling of Cannabis “Irrational,” But Not Unconstitutional (NORML)

• In Hawaii, People Prefer Black Market Cannabis to State-Managed Facilities (High Times)

Magic Mushrooms

• Scientists have started to examine whether “magic” mushrooms can help in the fight against obesity (PsyPost)

• Oregon Overcomes Bureaucratic Delays to Therapist Training Program Approvals (Lucid News)

• The shroom edibles market proliferates underground (Leafly)

• Revive Therapeutics Provides Update on the Psilocybin Clinical Study for Methamphetamine Use Disorder and Oral Psilocybin Thin Film Strip Program (Psychedelic Alpha)

DMT

• Algernon Pharmaceuticals Receives Approval for Groundbreaking Phase 1 DMT Human Stroke Study (Psychedelic Alpha)

Ayahuasca

• Comedian Ron White Shares How Tripping On Ayahuasca In Costa Rica Turned His Life Around (BroBible)

5-MeO-DMT

• ‘I’m not a shaman – I just want to help people’: shoe designer Patrick Cox on his psychedelic toad awakening (The Guardian)

Peyote

• Native American Church of North America Advocates at Capitol Hill for Protections of Peyote (Native News Online)

Synthetic Cannabinoids

• Mindset Pharma Receives Scientific Advice from UK Regulator Facilitating Advancement of Phase 1 First-In-Human Clinical Trial Plan for Its Lead Clinical Candidate, MSP-1014 (Psychedelic Alpha)

Ketamine

• New study highlights ketamine’s promise for treatment-resistant depression (Popular Science)

• Dealers Are Giving Discounts on Cocaine and Ketamine in Honour of the Queen (VICE)

• Study Explores Effects of Experimenter Sex on Ketamine Response (Psychiatric Times)

PCP

• PCP (aka Angel Dust) May Actually Have Therapeutic Potential (DoubleBlind)

Datura

• Datura and the psychedelic Tao (Isham Cook)

Miscellaneous

• Atlanta is considering the decriminalization of magic mushrooms and other psychedelics (Leafly)

• Sexual Abuse in Psychedelic Therapy: Important Steps Being Taken to Support Survivors (DoubleBlind)

• Oregon Voters Continue To Support Drug Decriminalization Law They Approved In 2020, New Poll Shows (Marijuana Moment)

• Psychedelics Were the Hot Topic at This Year’s World Economic Forum (Lucid News)

• Local Michigan Lawmakers Vote To Make September Psychedelics Awareness Month After Decriminalization Enacted (Marijuana Moment)

• A Channel for Magic: Ralph Hood’s Mysticism Scale and the Occult Roots of the Johns Hopkins Psychedelic Research Program (Psymposia)

• Psychedelic Twitter is Swarmed by Plug Bots (Psychedelic Spotlight)

• Finding Nuance in the Psychedelic Hype Bubble (Psychedelic Spotlight)

• Psilera Receives First Patent Allowance for Transdermal Patch Formulations (Psychedelic Alpha)

• Adverse Events in Psychedelic Clinical Trials are Underreported (Psychedelic Spotlight)

• Psychedelic South: The Quest to find Good Drugs in Alabama (Psychedelic Spotlight)

9.23.22

Cannabis

• Canada to review impact of cannabis legalization four years on (Reuters)

• Marijuana Is Staying On The Banned Substances List For International Athletes, World Anti-Doping Agency Announces (Marijuana Moment)

• California: Governor Signs Legislation Providing Employment Protections for Cannabis Consumers (NORML)

• NY finally approves medical homegrow (Leafly)

• Australian Cannabis Patients Turning to Prescriptions Over Illicit Market, Study Shows (High Times)

• New Yorkers with weed convictions will have priority in retail market, state says (Leafly)

• German Lawmakers Tour California Marijuana Businesses To Inform National Legalization Plans (Marijuana Moment)

• Las Vegas City Council Approves Cannabis Consumption Lounges (High Times)

• Leafly Report: ‘Opt-out’ towns are encouraging illegal marijuana sales (Leafly)

• University of Kentucky Opens New Cannabis Research Center (High Times)

• We spoke to the author of that new study on prenatal cannabis exposure (Leafly)

• Apple Lets Users Search For Marijuana And Pharmaceutical Interactions In Latest iPhone Health Update (Marijuana Moment)

• The Role of Cannabis in Treating Long COVID (High Times)

• Canada’s rich and complicated history of psychedelic research (Leafly)

• Oklahoma: Court Rules that Voters Can’t Decide on Legalization Ballot Measure This Year (NORML)

• Arkansas: High Court Approves Marijuana Legalization Measure for the November Ballot (NORML)

• Majority Of Maryland Voters Back Marijuana Legalization Referendum And Expungements, Poll Finds (Marijuana Moment)

• Two Out Of Three Missouri Voters ‘Certain To Vote Yes’ On Marijuana Legalization Ballot Initiative, Poll Finds (Marijuana Moment)

• Poll: Majority in Minnesota Want Legal Weed (High Times)

• Two In Three Pennsylvania Voters Support Marijuana Legalization, New Poll Shows Amid Key Political Races (Marijuana Moment)

LSD

• Miami clinic kicks off first national study of LSD, once a ‘public enemy,’ to treat anxiety (Miami Herald)

Magic Mushrooms

• The Viagra of the Himalayas—the World’s Most Expensive Fungus—Faces Serious Decline Due to Growing Demand (DoubleBlind)

• Liquid Culture vs. Spores (Reality Sandwich)

MDMA

• Disruption to Australian ecstasy market following COVID-19 restrictions, report finds (Medical Xpress)

• MindMed Collaborators Dose First Patient in Phase 1 Investigator-Initiated Trial of MDMA-Like Substances (Psychedelic Alpha)

DMT

• Researchers Studying Psychedelic Drug as Treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease (High Times)

Ayahuasca

• Packers Bust Out Ayahuasca TD Celebration Weeks After Aaron Rodgers Revealed Psychedelic Use (BroBible)

• Aaron Rodgers Defends Ayahuasca, Says He May Be 'Called' to Take the Psychedelic Again (People)

Peyote

• Native American Church Leaders Ask Congress For Funds To Support Peyote Cultivation And Preservation (Marijuana Moment)

• The Complicated Ethics of Legalizing Indigenous Psychedelic Substances (Ethos)

Iboga

• You Can Now Get Ibogaine-Based Addiction Treatment In A Hospital Setting In Brazil (Forbes)

Nitrous Oxide

• What Nitrous Oxide Showed The Father of American Psychology (Lucid News)

Ketamine

• Looking at Images of People Smiling at You Extends Antidepressant Effects of Ketamine (Neuroscience News)

DXM

• Please don't cook chicken in NyQuil, the FDA asks TikTok users (NPR)

• The FDA may have unintentionally made 'NyQuil Chicken' go viral on TikTok (Engadget)

Miscellaneous

• Math Over Myth: Psychedelic Stock HAVN Life Collapses (Psychedelic Spotlight)

• Psychedelics face corrupting influence of financial interests (UC News)

• Biden Administration Considers Psychedelic Therapies Task Force (Lucid News)

• Colorado Polls Show Conflicting Results On Psychedelics Ballot Measure That Voters Will Decide On In November (Marijuana Moment)

• Algernon Pharmaceuticals Announces Receipt of CDN $450K Cash Refund from Australian Research Program (Psychedelic Alpha)

• Baby Boomers (Re)Discover Psychedelics as Tools for Aging with Grace (DoubleBlind)

• Does Microdosing Impact Meditation? New Study From Beckley Foundation and Quantified Citizen Investigates (Newswire)

• Colombia’s President Tells UN That ‘Democracy Will Die’ If World Leaders Don’t End Drug War And Pursue Different Strategy (Marijuana Moment)

• The Undergrowth of Psychedelic Australia (Kahpi)

• Beyond Michael Pollan: Where to learn more about psychedelics. (Medium)

• Can Psychedelics Help Veterans with Chronic Pain? (Psychedelic Spotlight)

9.30.22

Cannabis

• Switzerland: Revision of Narcotics Act – Switzerland fully legalizes medicinal cannabis (Global Compliance News)

• Free medicinal cannabis to be donated to epileptic children in the UK (Sky News)

• Medical cannabis for doggies, kitties is fully legalized in California (Leafly)

• Medical Marijuana Helps Patients Reduce Use Of Addictive Opioid Painkillers, Study Finds (Marijuana Moment)

• Maltese Non-profit Cannabis May be The Way Forward (TalkingDrugs)

• Check in, smoke up and tune out: Cannabis-friendly vacation rentals are catching on (CNBC)

• Despite The Munchies, Marijuana Legalization Is Tied To Lower Obesity Rates, Stereotype-Busting Study Finds (Marijuana Moment)

• Investigators say more than 70% of cannabis growers use illegal water (Santa Barbara News-Press)

• Germany Versus The United States: Which Will Legalize Cannabis First (Forbes)

• As cannabis usage grows, so does the need for employers to revisit their workplace drug policies (The Philadelphia Inquirer)

• Could Cannabis and Psychedelic Drugs Make Breast Cancer Treatments More Effective? (PR Newswire)

• Federal Marijuana Prohibition Is Putting Patients At Risk Of Consuming Contaminated Products, Study Finds (Marijuana Moment)

• Supreme Court trial on homegrow ban reveals a bigger issue in federal cannabis legalization (Leafly)

• Medical Marijuana Patient Plans To Sue Feds For $3.5 Million Over ‘Discriminatory’ Cannabis Raid On Tribal Land (Marijuana Moment)

• Is Big Tobacco Pivoting to Big Cannabis? (High Times)

• Wisconsin Governor’s Push To Allow Ballot Initiatives Could Put Marijuana Legalization Before Voters (Marijuana Moment)

• Majority Of D.C. Voters Support Marijuana Legalization And Oppose Crackdown On Unregulated ‘Gifting’ Market, Poll Finds (Marijuana Moment)

• Missouri Marijuana Legalization Ballot Initiative Leads In New Poll, But With Less Than 50 Percent (Marijuana Moment)

LSD

• Effects of LSD and Psilocybin in Healthy Participants (Psychiatric Times)

Magic Mushrooms

• Connecticut to Offer Legal MDMA and Psilocybin Therapy as Early as Next Year (DoubleBlind)

• DEA Claims Doctors Requesting Psilocybin For Dying Patients Have Commercial Interests (Benzinga)

• Woman’s Breast Cancer Returned Immediately After Dropping Treatment With Cannabis, Shrooms (High Times)

• Psilocybin Shows Gender-Specific Effects on CNS Reactivity and Behavioral Responses (Gilmore Health News)

• Psyence Group Completes Export of Psilocybin Mushrooms to Portugal (Psychedelic Alpha)

MDMA

• MDMA in the UK Is Finally Pure Again (VICE)

Ayahuasca

• Aaron Rodgers fumbles the science on psychedelics. Drugs like ayahuasca can alter the brain—but how? (Salon)

Novel Psychoactive Substances

• 'A lot of MDMA that wasn't MDMA': The early results from inside Australia's first drug testing clinic (SBS)

• atai Life Sciences Announces Initiation of Phase 1 Trial for its MDMA Derivative, EMP-01 (Psychedelic Alpha)

• LSD-Like Molecules Counter Depression Without the Trip (UC San Francisco)

• BetterLife Files Comprehensive Patent for BETR-001 and Other LSD Derivatives (Psychedelic Alpha)

Synthetic Cannabinoids

• A new urine test could help curtail the use of the latest synthetic cannabinoids to enter the drug scene (Medical Xpress)

Ketamine

• Elijah McClain’s autopsy report changed to death by ketamine (Colorado Public Radio)

• Looking at smiling faces extends the antidepressant effects of ketamine (University of Pittsburgh)

Miscellaneous

• How Interdisciplinary Research Could Reveal Psychedelics’ Blind Spots (Microdose)

• New Theory Believes Psychedelics Could Benefit Long-Term Space Travelers (High Times)

• After rocky start, hopes up in Oregon drug decriminalization (ABC)

• Psychedelic drugs: how to tell good research from bad (The Conversation)

• Do You Even Trip, Bro? A Look At Psychedelic Masculinity, From Joe Rogan To Mike Tyson (Benzinga)

• I went to the only psychedelic dispensary in North America—here’s how they do it (The Manual)

• The Racism and Classism Hidden Behind “Moms who Microdose” (Psychedelic Spotlight)

• Whole-Body Effects of Psychedelics Part 3 – The Heart (Psychedelic Science Review)

• Majority Of Mainers Support Drug Decriminalization And Other Harm Reduction Policies, Poll Finds (Marijuana Moment)

• Why Tripping at Raves Can Be Just As Healing as Ceremony (DoubleBlind)

• Math Over Myth: MindMed’s Self Destructive Stock Mission (Psychedelic Spotlight)

• Men More Likely To Have Substance Abuse Disorder, Women More Likely To Overdose (High Times)

• Psychedelic Retreats Offer Healing Only for the Wealthy (Psychedelic Spotlight)

• Psychedelic therapy could reduce anxiety, distress among patients with cancer (Healio)

• The Narrowing of Psychedelic Discourse (Psychedelic Spotlight)

• Is Now a Good Time to Invest In Psychedelics Stocks? (The Motley Fool)

• The Messy Job of a Psychedelic Integration Coach (Psychedelic Spotlight)

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.

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 Month in Psychedelics - December 2020

In this month’s recap we’ll go over the latest psychedelic news from December 2020. There are updates on psychedelic policy reform, research, therapy, activism, and more.

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

There’s a lot to get through this month, so without further ado, let’s jump into the news:

U.S. House of Representatives Voted to Federally Legalize Marijuana

American cannabis lovers were handed a huge reason to celebrate this month when the House of Representatives approved a federal marijuana legalization bill. However, while this bill passed in the House, it is not expected to pass in the Senate, so it’ll probably be a little while longer before we can use cannabis without facing any legal penalties at the federal level. A few days after the House approved the legalization bill, it also passed a marijuana research bill, which was then approved one week later by the Senate.

In other drug policy reform news, the United Nations reclassified cannabis as a less dangerous drug (which could clear the way for an expansion of marijuana research and medical use), Mexico’s Supreme Court once again extended the deadline to legalize cannabis, Ireland unexpectedly decriminalized cannabis, and a new bill to decriminalize MDMA and other drugs was introduced in Australia.

New Hampshire Supreme Court ApproveD Religious Use of Magic Mushrooms

Following up on a court case from 2018, the New Hampshire Supreme Court unanimously ruled in favor of establishing a religious freedom to use psilocybin mushrooms in the state.


While this decision only applies to one specific case where a man in the Oklevueha Native American Church was charged with possession, it does set a legal precedent that could be used in other cases involving the religious use of psychedelics.

Pilot Trial for MDMA-Assisted Couples Therapy

A first-of-its-kind psychedelic research study took a look at the safety and efficacy of a new form of MDMA-assisted therapy for the treatment of PTSD.

Unlike previous studies that only focused on treating individuals suffering from PTSD, this study explored the potential of using MDMA couples therapy where one of the partners has a pre-existing PTSD diagnosis. The results were far from conclusive, as this was just a preliminary study, but the findings were encouraging. The psychedelic-assisted treatment option was found to be as effective or better than traditional psychotherapy alone.

Psychedelic Activist Sheri Eckert Passed Away

Unfortunately the psychedelic community lost one of its most beloved members as activist Sheri Eckert unexpectedly passed away.

Sheri was one of the founders of the Oregon Psilocybin Society, which helped pass legislation in November that legalized psilocybin therapy under Oregon state law. In addition to fighting for legal psilocybin therapy, she was also a practicing therapist herself.

Her husband is requesting that those who would like to show their condolences can donate to the charity that they co-founded together.

United Kingdom Will Trial DMT for Depression

When you think about the mind-blowing psychedelic drug dimethyltriptamine, you probably don’t think of it as a form of therapy but rather as a complete visual and experiential mindfuck. However, regulators in the United Kingdom approved a clinical trial that will explore using DMT to treat depression. The company behind the study, Small Pharma, is hoping to get started in January and the treatment model will be similar the the ones used in previous psilocybin therapy studies.

The theory is that since ayahuasca, which contains DMT, has been found to be effective at treating depression, that perhaps straight-up DMT will be even better because it wouldn’t require as much time to conduct the active sessions.

I have doubts about DMT being more effective at treating mental health issues like depression than psychedelics with a longer duration, like psilocybin mushrooms and ayahuasca, but it will be interesting nonetheless to see what comes of this study.

U.S. Marines Started Random LSD Testing

LSD was added to the list of drugs that are randomly tested for at North Carolina’s Camp Lejeune because of an increase in marines and sailors that have been using the drug.

Before now, marines were only screened for LSD use if there was probable cause, but after a series of drug-related incidents involving military personnel over the last few years, the second marine division at Camp Lejeune will now start including LSD in its random drug testing protocol.

Additional Top Stories

• A new non-psychedelic compound related to ibogaine may be effective at treating addiction and depression.

• Mexico reclaimed its sovereignty from the United States DEA.

• President Trump is reportedly considering granting clemency to Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the dark web marketplace known as Silk Road.

• America’s longest-serving cannabis prisoner was freed after being behind bars for 31 years.

• The NBA announced that it will not test its players for marijuana use next season.

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 - 4.3.20

Cannabis

• New York drops legalization from budget, likely ending 2020 push (Leafly)

• Lack of protective gear at cannabis labs could threaten weed supply (The London Free Press)

• Scientists Sue DEA Over Alleged ‘Secret’ Document That Delayed Marijuana Research Expansion (Marijuana Moment)

• Idaho Activists Suspend Campaign To Legalize Medical Marijuana Due To Coronavirus (Marijuana Moment)

• Boise startup reworks CBD and THC testing technology to test for COVID-19 in minutes (KTVB)

• Missouri Marijuana Legalization Campaign In Jeopardy Due To Coronavirus (Marijuana Moment)

• Cannabis users, shops suffer high anxiety after Massachusetts shuts down recreational sales (NBC News)

• FDA Warns Former NFL Player To Stop Claiming CBD Can Cure Coronavirus (Marijuana Moment)

• More Than 90% of Legal Marijuana Products Too Strong for Chronic Pain Relief (SciTechDaily)

• Virginia Groups Push Governor To Amend Marijuana Decriminalization Bill On His Desk (Marijuana Moment)

• Cannabis Scientists Are Chasing the Perfect High (The New York Times)

• Senate Housing Bill Would Prevent Evictions For State-Legal Marijuana Extraction (Marijuana Moment)

• Review Paper: Clinical Evidence Lacking in Support of CBD as an Anti-Viral Agent (NORML)

• Large international study finds cannabis use is linked to lower physical activity levels in adolescents (PsyPost)

• Cannabis license application deadline extended due to COVID-19 pandemic (WLS-TV)

• Study sheds light on common adverse reactions to cannabis (News Medical)

• How cannabis and humans evolved together (Leafly)

• Teen Weed Smokers May Have Trouble Falling Asleep as Adults, New Study Says (MERRY JANE)

• New Medicinal Cannabis Rules Launch in New Zealand (The Cannabis Exchange)

• Washington Governor Signs Bill To Diversify State’s Marijuana Industry (Marijuana Moment)

• Study indicates vaporized cannabis creates drug-seeking behavior (Brinkwire)

• Feds Funding Research On How Marijuana Consumers Are Impacted By Coronavirus (Marijuana Moment)

• Arbitrary & excessive: Marijuana trafficking sentences in Alabama (Southern Poverty Law Center)

LSD

• This New York City Pharma Startup Wants To Turn LSD Into An FDA-Approved Medicine For Anxiety Disorder (Forbes)

• MindMed Acquires Exclusive License to Eight Clinical Trials of LSD, Partners with World-Leading Psychedelic Research Laboratory at University Hospital Basel (Yahoo! Finance)

• From Aldous Huxley to the Beatles: how LSD has inspired art (The Guardian)

Magic Mushrooms

• Psilocybin Mindfulness Negatively Correlated with 5-HT2A Binding, Study Finds (Psychedelic Science Review)

• Champignon Brands To Acquire Psilocybin Research Firm Tassili Life Sciences (The Deep Dive)

• As Health-Conscious Consumers Seek Fresh Nutritional Avenues, Artisanal Mushrooms Step Into the Light (PR Newswire)

• Psilocybin Kitchen: The Basics of Cooking with Mushrooms (DoubleBlind)

• Understanding the Buzz About Magic Mushrooms (Psychology Today)

MDMA

• Does Sex on MDMA Ruin Sober Sex? (DoubleBlind)

• Europe becoming the new source of ecstasy pills (Bangkok Post)

Ayahuasca

• Drinking Ayahuasca Without DMT is Powerful and Traditional (Kahpi)

Peyote

• Why are some Native Americans fighting efforts to decriminalize peyote? (Los Angeles Times)

Iboga

• Clear Sky Recovery Featured in the Documentary Ibogaine: Cure for a Crisis (PRWeb)

• How psychedelic medicine is being used in the fight to end opioid addiction (EPM Magazine)

Ketamine

• How Safe Is Ketamine for Anxiety and Depression? (Women Fitness)

Miscellaneous

• Coronavirus Upends Marijuana, Psychedelics And Drug Reform Ballot Measures (Forbes)

• A New Breed of Drug Dealer Has Turned Buying Drugs into a Treasure Hunt (VICE)

• DC Activists Have A New Plan To Get Psychedelics Decriminalization On The Ballot Despite Coronavirus (Marijuana Moment)

• People with low psychological well-being more likely to report positive outcomes after psychedelic use (PsyPost)

• Coronavirus, Drugs, and the Future of Festivals (DanceSafe)

• Understanding Drug Potency and Its Importance in Psychedelic Research (Psychedelic Science Review)

• Ehave, Inc. Appoints Dr. Mark Braunstein as Chief Psychedelic Officer (Yahoo! Finance)

• Comparing Aeruginascin and Bufotenidine (Psychedelic Science Review)

• Ease rules on research into psychedelic drugs, urges David Nutt (The Guardian)

• An Insight into Drug Testing Facilities in the Netherlands (Volteface)

• The Structure and Function of the Serotonin 5-HT2B Receptor (Psychedelic Science Review)

• Ex-Cheerleader Jackee Stang Just Launched the ‘Goop of Psychedelics’ (The Daily Beast)

• Can psychedelic therapy reduce the mental health impacts of the coronavirus pandemic? (The Sacramento Bee)

• Revisiting the potential of using psychedelic drugs in psychiatry (Medical Xpress)

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 - 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 Week in Psychoactives - 2.22.19

CANNABIS

• Tough cannabis policies do not deter young people – study (The Guardian)

• Marijuana Companies Urged Governor To Ban Cannabis Home Cultivation, Document Shows (Marijuana Moment)

• Popular book on marijuana's apparent dangers is pure alarmism, experts say (The Guardian)

• Legalization Coming ‘Within Weeks,’ New Jersey Advocates Say (Leafly)

• Vermont Bill To Legalize Marijuana Sales Approved By Key Committee (Marijuana Moment)

• Thanks to New York City Health Officials, New Yorkers Can No Longer Get CBD in Their Coffee (Reason)

• West Virginia House Passes Medical Marijuana Banking Bill (Marijuana Moment)

• Medicinal cannabis: Why has it taken so long to get to patients? (BBC)

• Scientists Actually Did A Study To Confirm That Marijuana Causes The Munchies (Marijuana Moment)

• Denver's second cannabis lounge opens in the Green Mile, making history (Rooster Magazine)

• Marijuana Decriminalization Narrowly Rejected By North Dakota Lawmakers (Marijuana Moment)

• Wisconsin Could Decriminalize Cannabis, Legalize Medical Use (Leafly)

• Worldwide Marijuana Conferences Confirm The Business Of Weed Is Officially Legit (Forbes)

• Liberal Democrats Overwhelmingly Support Marijuana Legalization, Survey Data Reveals (Marijuana Moment)

• Study Shows That Bees Like Hemp, And That’s Great News For The Environment (Marijuana Moment)

• Mothers Demand Baltimore Police End Marijuana Arrests And Instead Focus On Murders (Marijuana Moment)

• Survey Says: Price, Quality, and Access Are Key for Canadian Consumers (Leafly)

• Marijuana Legalization Bill Approved By Key New Hampshire House Committee (Marijuana Moment)

• Florida Senate panel takes another step toward lifting ban on smokable medical marijuana (South Florida Sun Sentinel)

• Virginia Law Would Protect Students Who Use CBD and THC-A Oils (Leafly)

• Marijuana Businesses Plea For Congress To Provide Banking Access (Marijuana Moment)

• End the cannabis banking problem (The Hill)

• Cannabis on Campus: A Deep Dive Inside Higher Education Pot Policy in Medical Marijuana States (Civilized)

• Proposed packaging regulations for cannabis edibles decried as excessive, wasteful (The GrowthOp)

• Where Presidential Candidate Bernie Sanders Stands On Marijuana (Marijuana Moment)

• Alaska cannabis industry cites uncertainty with new governor (The Seattle Times)

• France's Softening Stance On Cannabis Opens Up Huge Economic Potential (Forbes)

• CBD Is Now Regulated and That May Be a Good Thing (Pain News Network)

• Lawmakers Push FDA To Allow CBD-Infused Food Products (Marijuana Moment)

• Medical marijuana is on the rise in Australia, but we still don't know a lot about how it works (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

LSD

• We Finally Have Evidence on Whether Microdosing LSD Can Help With Your Work (ScienceAlert)

• 4th USS Ronald Reagan Nuclear Electrician Pleads Guilty to LSD Posession (The Daily Beast)

• Tapping the Potential of LSD (Jewish Journal)

MAGIC MUSHROOMS

• Psychedelic mushrooms just put Denver at the center of the national drug debate — again (The Denver Post)

MDMA

• Victorian MP Admits To Taking Drugs She Believed Were MDMA (Ten Daily)

• The dangers of taking MDMA when you’re on antidepressants (Metro)

• Decades ago, ecstasy — yes, MDMA — was used in marriage counseling (Big Think)

• MDMA Could Revolutionize Care for Trauma, a Social Worker’s Perspective (Psychedelic Support)

DMT

• From the Vasty Deep: The Reality of DMT Entities and Other Spirits (Psychedelic Times)

AYAHUASCA

• Plant Hallucinogen Holds Hope for Diabetes Therapy (Infosurhoy)

PEYOTE

• Tribal Law Exempts Peyote for Native American Church Members (Lakota Country Times)

IBOGA

• New Roots Ibogaine Addiction Treatment Clinic brings Ibogaine to California (Digital Journal)

NOVEL PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCES

• Louella Michie trial: Drug that killed woman at Bestival 'makes trees look like demons and giant dinosaur creatures', court hears (The Independent)

SYNTHETIC CANNABINOIDS

• K2, a potent synthetic drug, is on the rise in Philly, challenging police and outreach workers (The Philadelphia Inquirer)

NITROUS OXIDE

• Autopsy confirms OU student died of asphyxiation due to nitrous-oxide (The Athens News)

• The laughing gas parties of the 1700s — and how they sparked a medical breakthrough (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

• Boca Raton Regional Hospital offers nitrous oxide during childbirth (WFLX)

• Another Austin hospital offering laughing gas to help moms manage pain during labor (KVUE)

• Warnings issued over nitrous oxide 'drug abuse' after evidence of increasing use across Bromsgrove District (Bromsgrove Standard)

KETAMINE

• FDA Panel Endorses Johnson & Johnson Ketamine Nasal Spray For Treatment-Resistant Depression (KSRO)

OPIATES/OPIOIDS

• Purdue’s Sackler embraced plan to conceal OxyContin’s strength from doctors, sealed deposition shows (STAT)

• For first time in Mass., male inmate will get methadone (The Boston Globe)

• 'Heroin buyers club' vision unveiled for legal heroin sales in B.C. (CBC)

• Intranasal naloxone now available in Australia (Australian Journal of Pharmacy)

• Blaming pharma alone for opioid crisis is shortsighted | Opinion (The Philadelphia Inquirer)

• Naloxone proposal for London facilities fails committee vote, decision left to council (Global News)

• Bill Filed in Maryland to Create Safe Opioid Injection Sites (WBOC)

• Sandoz Inc. launches authorized generic version of buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual film (PR Newswire)

• FDA may recommend overdose reversal drug alongside opioid prescriptions (CNN)

• Trump “Most Excited” About China Executing People for Selling Fentanyl (Talking Drugs)

• A Tale of Two Cities in the Grips of the Opioid Crisis (The Nation)

• Indiana nonprofit will offer free naloxone, training in Muncie (Muncie Star Press)

COCAINE

• The Rumours Are True: Sydney Really Is The Cocaine Capital Of Australia (Junkee)

METHAMPHETAMINE

• Mexican Meth Fuels an American Crisis (The Wall Street Journal)

• Meth's quiet resurgence (Columbia Missourian)

ALCOHOL

• Drinking contexts associated with early onset of alcohol intoxication among adolescents (ScienceDaily)

• Daniel Radcliffe says he used alcohol to cope with immense 'Harry Potter' fame (Fox News)

• Cannabis May Pose a 'Long-Term Risk' to the Alcohol Industry (Fortune)

• These 52 celebrities don't drink alcohol (Midland Reporter-Telegram)

• Alcohol is getting expensive - and other reasons why you should drink less (Health24)

ABSINTHE

• Spoiler: Absinthe isn't trippy (PGH City Paper)

NOOTROPICS

• The Best Nootropics for Productivity, Focus, and Cognitive Performance (Better Humans)

KRATOM

• Poison Control Calls for Kratom Rose Sharply, but the Caveats Are Crucial (Inverse)

• Backlash continues following Kratom ban (WCBI)

• Kratom Imported by Denver Company Seized by the Feds (Westword)

• Kratom: A Nationwide Ban Will Be Deadly (71 Republic)

• Benefits of Buying Kratom Powder Online vs Capsule Form (WORLDHAB)

• Is Kratom a Performance Enhancer or a Lethal Opioid? (Outside Magazine)

• Health Benefits of Kratom Powder and Why You Should Buy It (Kerala News 24/7)

• What to know about kratom capsules and how to stay best informed (Augusta Free Press)

KHAT

• Researchers find ties between Africa’s khat use and liver disease (Africa Times)

• Somali traders say no to Kenyan khat (CGTN)

MISCELLANEOUS

• The Supreme Court Just Struck a Huge, Unanimous Blow Against Policing for Profit (Slate)

• El Chapo's Lawyers Are Pushing for a New Trial After Report Jurors Read News Stories About Him (TIME)

• El Chapo Highlighted Mexican Corruption, but Drug Money Also Lubricates U.S. Border (The New York Times)

• Phony Houston Drug Warrant Prompts FBI Investigation and Review of 1,400 Cases (Reason)

• Decades before the pill testing debate these little bins caused an uproar (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

• How I Started South Carolina’s Only Formal Syringe Exchange (Filter)

• How to Think about Weird Psychedelic Beings (Kahpi)

• Study of Microdosing Psychedelics Finds Mixed Bag of Effects (PsychCentral)

• MAPS Canada charts the way for psychedelic therapy (The McGill Tribune)

• New Zealand university students offered free drug-testing in 'harm-prevention' first (The Guardian)

• Australia drug use: Meth and cocaine up, MDMA and heroin down (Infosurhoy)

• Democratic 2020 Candidates on Cannabis and Other Drug Policy (Talking Drugs)

• The Harvard Science of Psychedelics Club (The Harvard Independent)

• Kitty Flipping, Nexus Flipping and other dangerous drug mixtures (Rave Jungle)

• COLUMN: New medical research shows benefits of psychedelic drugs (Daily Toreador)

• What IF psychedelics can heal? (Purdue University)
  

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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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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 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.