8.5.22
Cannabis
Brittney Griner sentenced to 9 years in Russian prison for drug possession and smuggling (Leafly)
Another American Caught With Weed in Russia Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison (High Times)
Cannabis no more of a risk than tobacco and alcohol – study (Cannabis Health News)
Federal Marijuana Records Would Be Expunged Under New Bipartisan Congressional Bill (Marijuana Moment)
New Study Says Legalization Hasn’t Caused More Teens To Try Cannabis (Marijuana Moment)
Cannabis Cafes Emerge in Post-Legalization Thailand (High Times)
Study Shows Cannabis Users 55% Less Likely to Develop Common Liver Cancer (High Times)
Arkansas Marijuana Campaign Files Lawsuit To Put Legalization Measure On Ballot After State Board’s Rejection (Marijuana Moment)
US weed homegrowers produce 8x more than Colorado legal market, says new report (Leafly)
Feds Seek Contractor To Help Test Marijuana Compounds In People’s Breath (Marijuana Moment)
New 3D Structures of Cannabinoid Receptor Inform Safer Drug Design (Psychedelic Science Review)
New Report Recommends Tips for Successful Cannabis-Impaired Driving Campaigns (High Times)
Colleges In States That Legalize Marijuana See A Boost In Application Numbers, Study Finds (Marijuana Moment)
Brazilian Government’s Selective Blindness to Cannabis Evidence (TalkingDrugs)
Largest Federal Workers Union Calls For Ending Marijuana Tests For Most Government Employees In Legal States (Marijuana Moment)
LSD
Medidosing LSD: The Middle Way (Lucid News)
Magic Mushrooms
Psilocybin Microdosing Shows No Benefit to Creativity, Cognition, Perception in New Scientific Study (Willamette Week)
Oregon Psilocybin Rules Set To Be Finalized in December (High Times)
Lead Plaintiff in Canadian Right To Try Lawsuit Shares His Psilocybin Story (Lucid News)
The Rise of Casual Shrooms (VICE)
MDMA
It’s Festival Season! How Should We Group Dose MDMA? (Lucid News)
DMT
The Real Reason Cybin Bought Entheon’s DMT Clinical Trial (Psychedelic Spotlight)
Ayahuasca
Study to Analyze Ayahuasca for Refugee Trauma (DoubleBlind)
Aaron Rodgers Opens Up About Use of Psychedelics, Mental Health (Sports Illustrated)
Mescaline
Mescaline: A Neglected Tool for Psychotherapy (Sam Woolfe)
Peyote
The Peyote Plot: The Indigenous Fight to Conserve the Sacred Plant and the Spiritual Medicine it Contains (DoubleBlind)
Synthetic Cannabinoids
Drug testers warn of new synthetic cannabinoid being sold as MDMA (The New Zealand Herald)
Ketamine
Double-action mechanism found that makes ketamine less addictive (New Atlas)
How ketamine chic became the new heroin chic (Dazed)
Miscellaneous
Poll States 28% of Americans Have Tried At Least One Psychedelic Substance (High Times)
The Need for 100,000 Psychedelic Facilitators is Real (LA Weekly)
Morgan Stanley Publishes Optimistic Report on Psychedelics (Psychedelic Alpha)
California Bills To Legalize Psychedelics Possession, Allow Interstate Marijuana Commerce And More Teed Up For Key Hurdle Next Week (Marijuana Moment)
MindMed Board of Directors Approves Reverse Share Split (Psychedelic Alpha)
Majority Of Americans Support Psychedelics Research For Military Members, New Poll Finds As Bipartisan Reform Advances In Congress (Marijuana Moment)
8.12.22
Cannabis
Report: Spike in Marijuana Positives Fueling Truck Driver Shortage, Supply Chain Disruptions (NORML)
Ottawa on track to spend $200M per year on cannabis for veterans (CBC)
Wisconsin Governor Pardons Several for Cannabis Offenses (High Times)
Missouri will vote on marijuana legalization in November (Leafly)
Arkansas Supreme Court Orders State To Put Marijuana Legalization Initiative On Ballot, But Votes May Not Be Counted (Marijuana Moment)
Colorado Marijuana Shops Are 98 Percent Compliant With ID Checks To Prevent Underage Sales, State Regulators Say (Marijuana Moment)
Cannabis And Lower COVID Hospitalizations: Is There A Connection? Here’s What A New Study Found (The Fresh Toast)
Biden DOJ Says Medical Marijuana Patients Are Too ‘Dangerous To Trust’ In Motion To Dismiss Lawsuit On Gun Rights (Marijuana Moment)
Voters Across Wisconsin Will See Marijuana Questions On Their Ballots In November (Marijuana Moment)
‘Very good for tourists’: Thailand aims for high season with U-turn on cannabis (The Guardian)
The (Possibly) Best and Worst Countries To Get Caught With Pot (Benzinga)
New Florida Marijuana Legalization Initiative Filed For 2024 Ballot, With Backing Of State’s Largest Medical Cannabis Company (Marijuana Moment)
Can memory loss be good? How cannabis can help with PTSD (Leafly)
Arresting illicit weed sellers repeats our drug war mistakes (NJ.com)
LSD
Neuroscience research suggests LSD might enhance learning and memory by promoting brain plasticity (PsyPost)
Magic Mushrooms
Psilocybin therapy is prompting states to reconsider laws about magic mushrooms (USA Today)
Many Oregonians will have to vote again on psilocybin (Oregon Capital Chronicle)
Buried Treasure: How Does Psilocybin Reduce Compulsivity? (Psychedelic Science Review)
Can Psilocybin Treat Obesity? New Evidence, Future Directions (Psychedelic Science Review)
Inside the lab that's creating enough psilocybin for everyone on Earth (Wisconsin Public Radio)
Phase 2 clinical trial to examine efficacy of psilocybin for anorexia nervosa (Healio)
Coos County cities move to ban psilocybin for medical use in their communities (KCBY)
Optimi Health To Launch Therapeutic Psilocybin Product In Partnership With Patient Advocate Thomas Hartle (Psychedelic Alpha)
MDMA
Las Vegas Wastewater Study Finds Absolutely Bonkers Spike In MDMA Levels During EDC (BroBible)
Where Ecstasy Meets Power: The Unique Risks of MDMA Therapy (Sam Woolfe)
Ayahuasca
Packers’ Aaron Rodgers Won’t Be Disciplined for Using Psychedelic Drug (Sports Illustrated)
Aaron Rodgers’ former Packers QB coach reacts to psychedelic drug revelation (New York Post)
Novel Psychoactive Substances
Psilera’s New Compounds Show Potential for Significant Treatment Improvement in Depression and Neurodegenerative Disorders (Psychedelic Alpha)
Majority of 'Bath Salt' Deaths Concentrated in Just Two States (Medpage Today)
Woman likely drowned after taking hallucinogenic drugs, coroner finds (Stuff.co.nz)
Synthetic Cannabinoids
States That Legalize Marijuana See ‘Significant Reductions’ In Synthetic Cannabinoid Poisonings, Study Finds (Marijuana Moment)
A 'very unpleasant time' - new synthetic drug in NZ (Radio New Zealand)
Nitrous Oxide
Urgent warning to parents over teens inhaling nitrous oxide after canisters found across Dublin (The Irish Sun)
Ketamine
How The Brain Changes In People With Chronic PTSD Following Ketamine Treatment (Healing Maps)
Miscellaneous
VR is as good as psychedelics at helping people reach transcendence (Technology Review)
The DARE Program Is Back in Some School Districts — Here’s What to Know (Teen Vogue)
Compass Pathways Sued for Stealing Trade Secrets (Psychedelic Spotlight)
An initiative to decriminalize most plant-based psychedelics is likely to fall short on signatures (Colorado Public Radio)
Colombia’s New President Wants to End the Drug War. Can He Succeed? (Filter)
Bear high on hallucinogenic 'mad honey' rescued in Turkey (Irish Mirror)
How Do We End the ‘War on Drugs’? Perhaps Scandinavia Has the Answer.. (Volteface)
Psychedelics are having a moment and women could be the ones to benefit (MIT Technology Review)
Over the counter culture: Are psychedelics coming to the corner shop? (The Independent)
Psychedelics researchers and investors should focus on delivering therapy, not drugs (STAT)
Muslims on Drugs: Psychedelics, Queerness, and Identity in the Post-9/11 Era (DoubleBlind)
What Role does Philosophy Play in the Future of Psychedelics? (TalkingDrugs)
First Reddit Community-Led Scientific Study to Launch on Quantified Citizen (Yahoo!)
Red Wall Voters Want Drug Law Reform – New Polling Shows (Volteface)
Psychedelic Clinical Trials and the Michael Pollan Effect (Psychedelic Spotlight)
Young Psychedelic Philanthropist Blazes Path for the Psychedelic Future (Lucid News)
Rediscovering Our Ancestral Roots of Exploration (Chacruna)
What Happens when Psychedelics Meets Video Games? (Lucid News)
8.19.22
Cannabis
Brittney Griner Appeals Conviction in Russian Drug Case (High Times)
North Dakota will vote on cannabis legalization in November (Leafly)
Arkansas court orders recreational cannabis amendment put back on ballot (Marijuana Business Daily)
Pot-smoking tourists not welcome in Thailand, says health minister (Reuters)
South Dakota Reservation Bans Alcohol, Allows Cannabis (High Times)
Analysis: Racial Disparities in Marijuana Possession Arrests Becoming More Pronounced in Prohibition States (NORML)
‘Clean weed’ is about to be everywhere in California. Here’s what you need to know (Los Angeles Times)
Ohio Voters In Seven More Cities Will Decide On Marijuana Decriminalization At The Ballot This November (Marijuana Moment)
Idaho Activists Launch Medical Marijuana Ballot Push For 2024 (Marijuana Moment)
Alberta cannabis sales slow to grow as online identity verification deters consumers, say retailers (CBC)
Gallup: Those with First-Hand Experience with Cannabis Likely to Perceive It Positively (NORML)
Majority Of Texas Voters Support Marijuana Legalization, Poll Finds (Marijuana Moment)
Most Wisconsin Voters—Including Republicans—Support Legalizing Marijuana, Poll Shows (Marijuana Moment)
Magic Mushrooms
Is Oregon Ready for the Coming Psilocybin-Fueled Mushroom Tourism Boom? (Portland Monthly)
Optimi Health Unveils Canada’s First Natural Therapeutic Psilocybin Product For Approved Patients (Psychedelic Alpha)
MDMA
Warnings over dangerously high-strength MDMA pills found at Boardmasters (Mixmag)
DMT
Small Pharma Receives Approval for DMT-Assisted Psychotherapy and SSRI Drug Interaction Study (Psychedelic Alpha)
Ayahuasca
The Misfortune of “Right Wing” Psychedelia” in Brazil (Chacruna)
Anonymous Letter to Conservative Masters of the UDV (Chacruna)
Novel Psychoactive Substances
MindMed Shelves 18-MC for Opioid Use Disorder and Further Cuts Pipeline (Psychedelic Spotlight)
Nitrous Oxide
Atlanta neighbors frustrated by nitrous oxide use outside Widespread Panic show (KMIZ)
Ketamine
We Asked the Experts: What Exactly is in Ketamine? (TalkingDrugs)
Miscellaneous
Video of a forester who found a drunken bear gorged on hallucinogenic honey became a hit on the Internet (The Saxon)
California Psychedelics Legalization Bill Gutted by Key Committee (DoubleBlind)
Psychedelics as a sacrament? Lawsuit says drugs are a religious right. (The Washington Post)
Integration of psychedelic experiences linked to self-actualization via improvements in personal development and self-insight (PsyPost)
Two In Five Americans Say They’ve Changed Their Mind On Drug Policy, With Most Becoming “More Liberal,” Poll Finds (Marijuana Moment)
8.26.22
Cannabis
Federal Trade Commission issues refunds to CBD buyers, here’s why (Leafly)
Nebraska Officials Will Take A Second Look At Signatures For Rejected Medical Marijuana Ballot Measures (Marijuana Moment)
New medical marijuana campaign launches in Idaho for 2024 ballot (Marijuana Business Daily)
Study Shows 20% Increase in Frequency of Cannabis Consumption in Recreational States (High Times)
FBI Says CBD Use Is An ‘Automatic Disqualifier’ For Employment Despite Federal Hemp Legalization (Marijuana Moment)
Oklahoma’s legalization initiative at risk due to state delay (Leafly)
The casualties of California legalizing pot: Growers who went legal (The Washington Post)
U.S. Forest Service Reminds Workers Of Federal Marijuana Ban And Warns Against CBD Use (Marijuana Moment)
Dennis Rodman Proposes To Negotiate Russia Brittney Griner Release (High Times)
Why The Legal Cannabis Industry Needs The Black Market (Forbes)
Legalization Opponents Sue To Block Initiative From Missouri Ballot (High Times)
Cannabis for Chronic Pain Linked to Slightly Increased Risk of Arrhythmia (Healthline)
LSD
First Patient Dosed in Trial of LSD for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (Psychiatric Times)
Magic Mushrooms
Psilocybin May Help Treat Alcohol Addiction, Study Shows (TIME)
Three Out Of Four Oregon Counties Will Vote On Banning Or Postponing Psilocybin Services This November (Marijuana Moment)
Inside Paul Stamets’ Massive Microdosing Study (DoubleBlind)
Ayahuasca
Mormon Bishop And Former GOP Utah Rep. Champions Ayahuasca After Faith-Affirming Psychedelic Experience (Marijuana Moment)
5-MeO-DMT
Trip Advisors: Group Promotes 5-MeO-DMT Harm Reduction By Exposing Shamanic Hustlers (Forbes)
Novel Psychoactive Substances
The DEA is Attempting to Ban Two New Psychedelic Drugs (Psychedelic Spotlight)
Clearmind Medicine Announces Additional Positive Pre-Clinical Results for its Cocaine Addiction Treatment (Psychedelic Alpha)
BetterLife Lead Drug (BETR-001) Promotes Structural Neural Plasticity with Possible Nootropic Effects Similar to That of LSD Without Hallucinogenic Side Effects (Psychedelic Alpha)
Nitrous Oxide
Laughing Gas During Labor Is Becoming More Popular Among Women in the United States (People)
Ketamine
Ketamine’s upgrade to an employee benefit in US may hasten the legitimacy of psychedelics in SA (BizNews)
DXM
FDA Approves First, Only NMDA Receptor Antagonist for Major Depressive Disorder (Pharmacy Times)
Miscellaneous
Psychedelic Stocks: MindMed and atai Slash their Pipelines, Mydecine Collapses (Psychedelic Spotlight)
Psychedelics Use Increasing Among Adults, But Decreasing For Teens, New Federally Funded Studies Find (Marijuana Moment)
Psychedelic-occasioned mystical experiences linked to increased pro-environmental behaviors (PsyPost)
How near-death experiences and psychedelics alter attitudes about death (EurekAlert!)
Does Microdosing Actually Work? The Science Is Still Conflicted (VICE)
Issues of Patient Safety and Ethical Violations in Psychedelic Therapy (Psychedelic Science Review)
As Plant-Medicine Churches Grow, Legal Questions Linger (Lucid News)
This Psychedelic Theater Troupe Has Been Quietly Changing the World for Decades (DoubleBlind)
Do Psychedelic Trips Actually Start In The Gut Instead Of The Brain? (Healing Maps)
The Psychedelic Community Takes Itself Too Seriously (Psychedelic Alpha)
Ethics in Psychedelic Therapy: The Promises and Pitfalls of Increased Suggestibility (Sam Woolfe)
Do You Even Trip, Bro? On Psychedelic Masculinity (Psychedelic Spotlight)
How Long Can the Psychedelic Renaissance Last? (Psychedelic Spotlight)
The Legal Risks of Psychedelic Therapy and Coaching (EntheoNation)
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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.