Weekly Psychedelic Links - December 2022

12.2.22

Cannabis

• Biden Signs Marijuana Research Bill, A Historic First For Federal Cannabis Reform (Marijuana Moment)

• Idaho Plans for Medical Cannabis Legalization on the Ballot in 2024 (High Times)

• Ohio Senate Votes To Remove Marijuana Paraphernalia Convictions From Criminal Records And Allow Broader Expungement (Marijuana Moment)

• Police in India Say Rats Ate More Than 1,100 Pounds of Confiscated Weed (High Times)

• Young Americans Are Twice As Likely To Smoke Marijuana Than Cigarettes, New Gallup Data Shows (Marijuana Moment)

• New Federal Job Applications Won’t Ask About Most Marijuana Use Unless It Was Within The Past 90 Days (Marijuana Moment)

• Many People with Bipolar Disorder Use Cannabis. It May Sometimes Help (Scientific American)

• University Researchers Exploring Cannabis As A Treatment For Covid-19 (Forbes)

• New York’s illicit weed products are weak and full of toxins, study finds (Leafly)

• Medical Marijuana Legalization Linked To Reduced Opioid Use By Cancer Patients, American Medical Association Study Finds (Marijuana Moment)

• Pennsylvania Starts Program Providing Financial Assistance to Low-Income Cannabis Patients (High Times)

• Wedding Guest Files Lawsuit Over Pot-Infused Reception Food (High Times)

• These States Almost Legalized Marijuana In 2022 (Marijuana Moment)

LSD

• Many Trips, Diminishing Returns: Cross-Tolerance Between LSD and DOI (Psychedelic Science Review)

• Former CEO Sues Company That Fired Him for Microdosing LSD in an Investor Meeting (Futurism)

Magic Mushrooms

• DEA Proposes Even Higher 2023 Production Quotas For Psychedelics Like MDMA And Psilocyn (Marijuana Moment)

• Non-profit Organization Marches on Canadian Capital To Fight for Therapeutic Mushrooms (High Times)

MDMA

• The man who took 40,000 ecstasy pills (The Face)

• Climate Lessons from Cambodia’s Illegal MDMA Market (TalkingDrugs)

Ayahuasca

• Why Ayahuasca Is Miley Cyrus' 'Favorite' Drug (And How It Supported Her Veganism) (Benzinga)

• After closing its doors in Canterbury, a church serving hallucinogenic tea vows to reopen elsewhere (NHPR)

• Ceremonial Ayahuasca in Amazonian Retreats: Mental Health and Epigenetic Outcomes From a Six-Month Naturalistic Study (Chacruna)

Synthetic Cannabinoids

• Prison “K2”: The Hidden Center of a Chaotic New Drug War (Filter)

Ketamine

• Laid-off workers can now get a free month of ketamine-assisted therapy services to help with their mental health (Fortune)

• Low-dose ketamine may reduce shivering following spinal anesthesia (Physicians Weekly)

• Ketamine for Depression Poses “Significant Risk to the Public” (Mad in America)

• Study shows how ketamine administration starkly changes neuronal activity patterns in the brain (News-Medical.net)

Miscellaneous

• Berkeley, California Officials Approve Psychedelics Decriminalization Resolution Amid Pushback From Reform Advocates (Marijuana Moment)

• Colombian And Mexican Presidents Announce International Effort To Reshape Drug Policy, Condemning ‘Failure’ Of Prohibition (Marijuana Moment)

• Colorado Governor To Appoint Psychedelics Advisory Panel After Voters Approve Legalization Ballot Measure (Marijuana Moment)

• Why the “Psychedelic Renaissance” is just Colonialism by Another Name (DoubleBlind)

• Could the Latest Science on Psychedelics Revolutionise the Way We Understand Our Minds? (Men's Health)

12.9.22

Cannabis

• Brittney Griner released from Russian detention in prisoner swap (Leafly)

• Legalization Amendment To Be Added to Missouri Constitution (High Times)

• New Jersey Marijuana Regulators Approve Rules For Public Cannabis Consumption Areas (Marijuana Moment)

• Colombian Senate Approves Marijuana Legalization Bill, Bringing Country Closer To Ending Prohibition (Marijuana Moment)

• Study: Cannabis Has ‘Uniquely Beneficial Effects’ on People With Bipolar Disorder (High Times)

• Pain relief from marijuana comes from a belief it helps, study finds (CNN)

• Delivery is in the works for New York’s new legal weed stores (Leafly)

• Children are ditching alcohol for marijuana, as 20-year national US study shows a 245% increase (EurekAlert!)

• Oregon recalls thousands of cannabis products over pesticide concerns (Marijuana Business Daily)

• Minnesota Files Lawsuit Against Several Companies for Illicit Edible Sales (High Times)

• As Congress Stalls On Marijuana Banking, New Report Details Public Safety Risk Of Cash-Intensive Dispensaries (Marijuana Moment)

• NORML Report Highlights Citywide Policies Depenalizing Marijuana Law Enforcement (NORML)

• Study: ‘Significant’ negative association between medical cannabis sales, alcohol (Marijuana Business Daily)

• Dispensaries’ Cashless ATM Transactions Get The Ax (High Times)

• Connecticut: Governor Announces Intent to Expunge 40,000+ Marijuana-Related Convictions (NORML)

• Biden’s Health Secretary Shares Marijuana Scheduling News At 4:20—Again (Marijuana Moment)

• Marijuana packaging rebrands can draw consumers, create cohesion, reflect values (Marijuana Business Daily)

• Trend Sees Brands Pairing Top-Shelf Weed, Fine Dining (High Times)

LSD

• Study on LSD microdosing uncovers neuropsychological mechanisms that could underlie anti-depressant effects (PsyPost)

Magic Mushrooms

• Portlanders Explain Why They’re Waiting in Line for Psychedelic Mushrooms (Willamette Week)

• Study suggests psilocybin increases mindfulness, especially when accompanied by mystical experiences (PsyPost)

• Amsterdam’s Last Shroom Lounge (DoubleBlind)

• Diamond Therapeutics completes Phase I clinical study of low-dose psilocybin in healthy human subjects (PR Newswire)

• Oregon store allegedly selling psychedelic mushrooms raided (The Seattle Times)

MDMA

• MDMA may be available for medical treatment "as soon as 2024" in US hospitals (Mixmag)

• Wastewater data shows 286% increase in ecstasy use during pandemic (Healio)

• Abuse Potential: Considerations for Rescheduling MDMA and Psychedelics (Psychedelic Science Review)

DMT

• The Gestures of DMT Jesters (Sam Woolfe)

Ayahuasca

• A Canadian psychedelic drug company has created medical grade ayahuasca (Toronto Star)

• Modulatory Effects of Ayahuasca on Personality Structure in a Traditional Framework (Chacruna)

• Declaration of The 4th Brazilian Indigenous Ayahuasca Conference (Chacruna)

Ketamine

• Now Companies Can Buy Insurance To Cover Ketamine Therapy for Employees (Lucid News)

• Using Ketamine to Treat Anorexia (Psychology Today)

• Meta-Analysis of Intravenous vs Intranasal Ketamine (Psychiatric Times)

• Low-dose Ketamine Effective In Reducing The Incidence Of Shivering Following Spinal Anesthesia (Medical Dialogues)

Miscellaneous

• MAPS Found Liable in Wrongful Death Lawsuit (Lucid News)

• Most States Will Legalize Psychedelics By 2037, Analysis Published By American Medical Association Predicts (Marijuana Moment)

• When virtual reality meets psychedelic therapy (Mashable)

• How Will Our Value Systems Affect The Psychedelic Movement? (Maps of the Mind)

• We’re rushing the use of psychedelics as medicine, researchers say (New Scientist)

• Awakn Makes Its Case To Investors (Lucid News)

• Punk Ethos & Psychedelic Practice (Maps of the Mind)

12.16.22

Cannabis

• Recreational Weed Now Legal in Missouri (High Times)

• Connecticut: Adult-Use Cannabis Sales to Begin Next Month (NORML)

• New Hampshire GOP And Democratic House Leaders Team Up On Marijuana Legalization Bill For 2023 (Marijuana Moment)

• Here’s how New York’s legal weed delivery will work (Leafly)

• Teen Marijuana Use Remained Stable In 2022, Despite More States Legalizing And Lifting Of Pandemic Restrictions (Marijuana Moment)

• Kansas City: Officials Dismiss Hundreds of Marijuana Cases Following Statewide Legalization Vote (NORML)

• Kansas Lawmakers Plan To Introduce Medical Cannabis Legalization Bill (High Times)

• Prosecution collapses against execs caught up in CannTrust cannabis scandal (CBC)

• Texas Activists Turn In Signatures To Put Marijuana Decriminalization Back In Voters’ Hands After City Council Repeal (Marijuana Moment)

• Massachusetts To Add Lessons on Weed Impairment to Driver’s Ed (High Times)

• Nearly 2 Million Marijuana Convictions Have Been Pardoned Or Expunged In The U.S. In The Past Five Years, New Report Shows (Marijuana Moment)

• Australian Residents Could Save $850 Million Annually if Cannabis is Decriminalized (High Times)

• Marijuana Legalization Reduces Arrests Even In States That Already Decriminalized, American Medical Association Study Finds (Marijuana Moment)

LSD

• Up to 9% of LSD and psilocybin users report reoccurring effects after drug has worn off (PsyPost)

• Gut Feeling: Links Between LSD, Endocannabinoids, and the Microbiome (Psychedelic Science Review)

Magic Mushrooms

• Florida halts amanita muscaria sales at nation’s only brick-and-mortar retailer (Leafly)

• COMP360 psilocybin therapy shows potential in open-label study in type II bipolar disorder presented at ACNP (Psychedelic Alpha)

• Here’s why police are raiding psychedelic mushroom stores in major cities (Leafly)

• Rat Study Examines Psilocybin as Treatment for Autism Spectrum Disorder (High Times)

MDMA

• The History and Benefits of MDMA, the New Tool in Mental Health Again (Daily Kos)

DMT

• Experiencing a Changa Ceremony at an Oakland Plant Medicine Church (Lucid News)

Ayahuasca

• Aaron Rodgers says doing psychedelic drug ayahuasca helped him overcome his ‘fear of death’ (The Independent)

5-MeO-DMT

• UCL To Lead First-Ever Brain Imaging Study Among Psychedelic Retreat Participants (High Times)

• PsyBio Therapeutics Takes Initial Step to Help Protect the Sonoran Desert Toad as it Files Three New Provisional Patent Applications, Including Intellectual Property Protection for the Biosynthetic Production of 5-MeO-DMT (Psychedelic Alpha)

Peyote

• Inside the battle to save the sacred peyote ceremony: ‘We’re in dire straits’ (The Guardian)

Novel Psychoactive Substances

• Israeli Based Biotech Company Clearmind Completes IND-Enabling Studies for CMND-100 (Psychedelic Alpha)

Ketamine

• Ketamine plus therapy could help treat alcoholism, say researchers (The Guardian)

Miscellaneous

• Verdict in Lawsuit Assigns MAPS 25% Liability and $1M in Damages (Lucid News)

• New center takes multidisciplinary approach to the study of psychedelics (University of Michigan)

• It’s Not Just About Pot. Our Entire Drug Policy Needs an Overhaul. (The New York Times)

• The Effects of Sleep Deprivation on a Psychedelic Experience (Sam Woolfe)

• Would You Be Friends With Your Friends if You Didn’t Do Drugs Together? (VICE)

• Why is Gender-Affirming Care Needed in the Psychedelic Space? (Chacruna)

• How Many Likes Does it Take to be a Psychedelic Thought Leader? (Lucid News)

12.23.22

Cannabis

• First words from Brittney Griner: Thanks Biden, vows to help free others (Leafly)

• Federally Funded Study Finds Teen Use Rates Largely Unchanged by Legalization (NORML)

• Canada Destroys a Record Amount of Cannabis (High Times)

• District of Columbia: Council Members Advance Legislation to Expunge Tens of Thousands of Marijuana Convictions (NORML)

• Afroman Announces 2024 Run for President (High Times)

• Twitter Stops Suggesting People Who Search For ‘Marijuana’ May Need Drug Treatment (Marijuana Moment)

• Canada’s Cannabis Legalization Is Working Effectively, Annual Survey Suggests (Forbes)

• New Washington Bill Would Allow Interstate Marijuana Commerce (Marijuana Moment)

• New Report Analyzes Medical Pot Patients’ Consumption Habits (High Times)

• Majority Of Texas Voters Back Marijuana Legalization, And Three In Four Support Decriminalization, Poll Finds (Marijuana Moment)

LSD

• How LSD evolved from CIA mind-control drug to counterculture emblem (Leafly)

Magic Mushrooms

• Quebec covers psilocybin therapy under medical insurance in historic first (Leafly)

• Oregon Psilocybin Entrepreneurs Navigate Business Requirements (Lucid News)

Ayahuasca

• Canadian Company Announces Ayahuasca Pills (Chacruna)

• Music and ayahuasca’s role in treating substance use disorders in men (UC Riverside)

Datura

• Weed responsible for hallucinogenic spinach recall identified as thornapple (The Guardian)

Miscellaneous

• New Bill Tries to Decriminalize Psychedelics in California—Again (DoubleBlind)

• The Myth of the Psychedelic Santa (Lucid News)

• U.K. Police Chiefs Call for Decriminalization of First-Time Drug Offenses (High Times)

• Israel-Based Clearmind Medicine Granted U.S. Patent for Psychedelic-Based Alcohol Substitute (Psychedelic Alpha)

• Placebo Problems: Boundary Works in the Psychedelic Science Renaissance (Chacruna)

12.30.22

Cannabis

• Record Number of Scientific Papers Published About Cannabis in 2022 (NORML)

• Washington, D.C. Passes Bill To Expand Medical Weed Sales (High Times)

• Google Ends Ban On Advertising Certain Hemp And CBD Products In Parts Of U.S. (Marijuana Moment)

• Clinical Trial Finds Cannabis Oil is Well-Tolerated, Effective Insomnia Treatment (High Times)

• Snoop Dogg’s Death Row Records To Launch Its Own Cannabis Brand (Forbes)

• California Gov. Gavin Newsom Pardons 10, Some Cannabis Convictions (High Times)

• A dying US cancer patient used cannabis to ease pain. His hospital called the police (The Guardian)

• South Dakota Activists File Measure That Could Put Marijuana Legalization On Ballot For Third Election In A Row (Marijuana Moment)

• Is legal weed doomed to be run by big business? (Vox)

• Texas Marijuana Activists Submit Enough Signatures To Challenge Local Decriminalization Repeal, While Another City’s Reform Faces Lawsuit (Marijuana Moment)

Magic Mushrooms

• A single dose of psilocybin improves depression in treatment-resistant patients, but with adverse effects (PsyPost)

• Psilocybin Therapy For Autism-Like Disorder Receives Approval For Phase 2a Clinical Trial (The Dales Report)

• Do Shrooms Go Bad? (DoubleBlind)

MDMA

• MDMA Is Getting Super Popular Among Rich, Young Indians (VICE)

• VA Report Says Psilocybin And MDMA Show Therapeutic ‘Promise’ For Veterans’ Mental Health Conditions (Marijuana Moment)

DMT

• Phase 2a study initiated to examine synthetic DMT for treatment-resistant depression (Healio)

Ayahuasca

• “Nobody Wants A Synthetic-Only Future”: Filament Health Is Formulating Natural Psilocybin And Standardizing Ayahuasca (Healing Maps)

Novel Psychoactive Substances

• Tripping Without The Trip: Non-Hallucinogenic Psychedelics (Benzinga)

Ketamine

• Much remains unknown about using ketamine to treat depression—and Colorado doesn't regulate it (The Denver Post)

Miscellaneous

• New York Lawmakers File Psychedelics Legalization Bill For 2023 (Marijuana Moment)

• Psychedelics Like Psilocybin Are Now Legal In Colorado With Governor’s Proclamation On Voter-Approved Ballot Measure (Marijuana Moment)

• The Multidimensional Worlds of Mariela de la Paz (DoubleBlind)

• Minnesota Medical Association Endorses Decriminalizing Drugs (Marijuana Moment)

• Psychedelic therapies are on the horizon, but who will administer the drugs? (NBC News)

• Psychedelic drugs may launch a new era in psychiatric treatment, brain scientists say (NPR)

• Psychedelics Are Surging—at the Expense of Indigenous Communities (The Daily Beast)

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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.

Weekly Psychedelic Links - April 2022

4.1.22

Cannabis

• New Hampshire House Approves State-Run Marijuana Legalization Bill And Rejects Psilocybin Decriminalization Measure (Marijuana Moment)

• Hopes fade in Kentucky for legalizing medical marijuana this year (Marijuana Business Daily)

• New Jersey Regulators Delay Launch of Recreational Pot Sales (High Times)

• Louisiana Lawmakers Approve Bill To Increase Marijuana Penalties For Children—But Not Adults (Marijuana Moment)

• South Dakota: Governor Noem Vetoes Marijuana Expungement Legislation (NORML)

• Alabama Senate Committee Approves Bill To Force Women Who Want Medical Marijuana To Show Negative Pregnancy Tests (Marijuana Moment)

• Medical marijuana bill in Tennessee falters (Marijuana Business Daily)

• Dutch Coffeeshops Doubt Quality and Success of Pending National Cannabis Trial (High Times)

• The Struggle for Cannabis Legalization in Bermuda (High Times)

• Missouri Lawmakers Approve GOP-Led Marijuana Legalization Bill In Committee (Marijuana Moment)

• Pennsylvania Lawmakers Advance Their Own Cannabis Banking Bill (High Times)

• How Legal Cannabis Could Revive Southern Economies (Rolling Stone)

• Weed Sprouts Across New Zealand Parliament Grounds Weeks After Occupation (High Times)

• CBD May Help Boost Cognitive Performance in Gamers (High Times)

• Study Finds Hemp Feed Can Reduce Stress in Cattle (High Times)

LSD

• Psychedelic drug LSD may be effective as anxiety treatment (Medical News Today)

Magic Mushrooms

• The Next Big Addiction Treatment (The New York Times)

• Psyched Wellness and the National Research Council of Canada Announce Preliminary Data from Studies of Neuroprotective Properties of AME-1 (Psilocybin Alpha)

• Can magic mushrooms be used to treat racial trauma? (The Guardian)

• Colorado Still Hammering Out Details for Decriminalizing Psilocybin (Green Market Report)

• 2 people who used 'magic' mushrooms then developed rare 'wood-lovers paralysis' describe losing control of their bodies: 'I couldn't even chew' (Business Insider)

MDMA

• Footage of therapists spooning and pinning down patient in B.C. trial for MDMA therapy prompts review (CBC)

Ayahuasca

• Machine Gun Kelly Recounts Life-Changing Ayahuasca Trip on ‘Kimmel’ (Rolling Stone)

Iboga

• Ibogaine blocks some of the rewarding effects of alcohol in rodent model of addictive behavior (PsyPost)

Novel Psychoactive Substances

• Myriad New Drugs Complicate Legalization, as Well as Harm Reduction (Filter)

Ketamine

• Ketamine Eases Levodopa-induced Dyskinesia in Phase 2 Study (Parkinson's News Today)

Miscellaneous

• Georgia Lawmakers Approve Bill To Create Psychedelic Study Committee (Marijuana Moment)

• Michigan Activists Begin Signature Gathering For Psychedelics Legalization Ballot Initiative Following State Certification (Marijuana Moment)

• Positive Drug Tests for US Workers Reportedly Hit 20-Year High (Filter)

• New study explores relationship between psychedelics and consciousness (ScienceDaily)

• How to Microdose Drugs Based on What You’re Using (VICE)

4.8.22

Cannabis

• House Approves Federal Marijuana Legalization Bill For Second Time In History (Marijuana Moment)

• House of Representatives Passes Bill to Expand Cannabis Research (High Times)

• Adult-Use Cannabis Sales Launch In New Mexico (High Times)

• D.C. Lawmakers Reject Bill To Effectively Legalize Marijuana Sales For Adults And Crack Down On ‘Gifting’ Market (Marijuana Moment)

• Maryland will vote on legal cannabis in November (Leafly)

• Regulate cannabis like corn? US Farm Bill proposal raises eyebrows, hopes (Marijuana Business Daily)

• Thailand dreams of high-end cannabis tourism after marijuana is legalised (The Guardian)

• Medical marijuana patients targeted by sneaky new federal drug testing rule (Leafly)

• Judge Rules in Favor of Mother for Cannabis Use While Pregnant (High Times)

• Delaware Marijuana Legalization Effort Revived With Two-Track Approach Following House Defeat (Marijuana Moment)

• Canadian Airport Could Get Cannabis Dispensary (High Times)

• Marijuana Legalization Tied To Significant Decrease In Foster Care Placements, New Study Finds (Marijuana Moment)

• Georgia Medical Cannabis Bill Dies in State Senate (High Times)

• South Carolina Medical Marijuana Bill Approved In House Committee And Heads To Floor (Marijuana Moment)

• 5,000 British adults could take part in cannabis trial (The Times)

• Europe’s First Cannabis Wellness Spa Opens in Switzerland (High Times)

• Oklahoma Supreme Court Upholds Marijuana Legalization Ballot Initiative Following Legal Challenge By Competing Campaign (Marijuana Moment)

• Feeding Cows Hemp Helps Them Chill Out, Federally Funded Study Finds (Marijuana Moment)

• Hemp Paper Could Be the Future of Printing (High Times)

Magic Mushrooms

• These Natural Psilocybin Droplets Come in Exact Dosages and Don’t Upset Your Stomach (Lucid News)

• Oregon Psilocybin Rules ‘May Have a Negative Impact on Lower Income Individuals’ (Psychedelic Spotlight)

• People who used 'magic mushrooms' less likely to develop opioid use disorder, study finds (USA Today)

• New research sheds light on how psilocybin influences sleeping patterns (PsyPost)

• Oregon's proposed Psilocybin rules await public comments (KDRV)

• New species of psychedelic mushroom believed to live in Kakadu National Park (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

• Melmac Mushroom Strain: Effects, Potency & More (DoubleBlind)

• Terminally Ill Patients Fight for Access to Psilocybin Under Federal “Right to Try” Act (Lucid News)

• Mushrooms Have Their Own Language, New Study Suggests (Psychedelic Spotlight)

MDMA

• Colorado Lawmakers Approve MDMA Bill While Rejecting Broader Psychedelics Measure As Ballot Initiatives Loom (Marijuana Moment)

Ayahuasca

• Children Sacrificed by Incas Found With Cocaine, Ayahuasca in Their Bodies (Newsweek)

• Building peace with psychedelics: Here’s what happened when Palestinians and Israelis took ayahuasca together (Big Think)

• A Medicine Heritage of 160 Indigenous Peoples: The Origins of Ayahuasca Before Globalization (Chacruna)

5-MeO-DMT

• Beckley Psytech Announces Dosing of First Healthy Volunteers in Phase 1 Clinical Trial Assessing Safety and Pharmacokinetics of Second Innovative Formulation of 5-MeO-DMT (Psilocybin Alpha)

Novel Psychoactive Substances

• Field Trip Health Ltd. Granted US Patent Covering Novel Psychedelic Molecule FT-104 (Psilocybin Alpha)

• PharmaDrug Advances DMT-Analogue Program for Glaucoma with Production of Medical Device Designed to Provide Sustained Control of Elevated Intraocular Pressure (Yahoo!)

Synthetic Cannabinoids

• UK woman dies after eating a synthetic cannabis gummy (Newshub)

Ketamine

• Ketamine prescribed in P.E.I. for major depression inaccessible because of costs, patient says (SaltWire)

Miscellaneous

• Canada’s SAP Expansion Signals a Step Forward for Psychedelics (Psychedelics Today)

• Michigan Has Real Shot at First-in-the Nation Psychedelic Decrim Victory (Filter)

• LSD Capitalism Promises a Bad Trip for Us All (Jacobin)

• Trials starting soon at the University of Texas Center for Psychedelic Research and Therapy (KVUE)

• Funders at Johns Hopkins Shape The Future of Psychedelic Research (Lucid News)

• Just How Far Can Psychedelics Push The Boundaries of How We Assign Consciousness? (ScienceAlert)

• 6 questions investors should ask when evaluating psychedelic biotech companies (TechCrunch)

4.15.22

Cannabis

• Maryland Governor Lets Bill To Implement Marijuana Legalization Take Effect Without His Signature (Marijuana Moment)

• Virginia: Gov. Youngkin Moves to Re-criminalize Personal Possession of Marijuana (NORML)

• The Feds Will Return More Than $1 Million in Marijuana Money That California Cops Stole From Armored Cars (Reason)

• Psychologists have developed a new psychometric assessment of cannabis intoxication (PsyPost)

• Poll: Majority of Americans Support Legalizing Marijuana, Expunging Past Convictions, and Allowing Banks to Work with Cannabis Businesses (NORML)

• Majority Of Europeans Support Marijuana Legalization, New International Poll Finds (Marijuana Moment)

• Mayor of Amsterdam Threatens To Ban Tourists From Coffeeshops (High Times)

• Spanish police take down 'Europe's biggest' cannabis farm (Reuters)

• NYC Mayor Wants To ‘Explore’ Putting Marijuana Greenhouses On Rooftops Of Public Housing Buildings (Marijuana Moment)

• Virginia: Governor Youngkin Signs Legislation to Improve Medical Cannabis Program (NORML)

• Illinois Bill To Close Marijuana Expungement ‘Loophole’ Heads To Governor, While Workplace Protection Measure Stalls (Marijuana Moment)

• Several GOP Senators Oppose Legalizing Pot Following MORE Act Vote (High Times)

• North Dakota Activists File New Marijuana Legalization Initiative For 2022 Ballot (Marijuana Moment)

• The first New Jersey recreational dispensaries will open April 21 (Leafly)

• South Dakota Marijuana Activists Issue ‘Yellow Alert’ For Signature Drive To Put Legalization On Ballot As Deadline Nears (Marijuana Moment)

• How are Cannabis Cultural and Harm Reduction Practices Created? (TalkingDrugs)

• Seven In Ten North Carolina Voters Back Medical Marijuana Legalization As Senate Reform Bill Remains Stalled (Marijuana Moment)

• Six In Ten Louisiana Voters Support Marijuana Legalization, New Poll Finds (Marijuana Moment)

LSD

• Freedom to Operate Releases Study to Protect the Development of LSD-based Therapies from Unfounded Patent Claims (PR Newswire)

• Why Investors Should Care About MindMed’s LSD Trial for Anxiety (Psychedelic Spotlight)

Magic Mushrooms

• Psilocybin Spurs Brain Activity in Patients With Depression, Small Study Shows (The New York Times)

• How credible is psilocybin-assisted therapy? Study suggests people are cautious about psychedelic treatment for depression (PsyPost)

• Oklahoma Senators Approve Psilocybin Research Bill But Delete Decriminalization Provision Passed By House (Marijuana Moment)

• Protestors Target the DEA in Support of Psilocybin for Terminally Ill Patients (Lucid News)

• On Entheogenic Practitioner Duties and Privileges under Oregon’s 109 Program (Dr. Bronner's)

• Oregon’s psilocybin program stands on thousands of years of indigenous experience (Herald and News)

• Mommies Who Mushroom (Harper's Bazaar)

MDMA

• Health Canada announces review of all MDMA trials, as complaint alleges major flaws and safety issues (CBC)

Ayahuasca

• ‘We expect to win.’ Ayahuasca churches vow to remain as court case largely dismissed. (Religion News Service)

• This golfer drank urine, did hallucinogens and ate 800 grapes a day to fight disease (New York Post)

5-MeO-DMT

• Could the Sonoran Desert Toad Cure Narcissism? (Psychedelics Today)

• I’m a 1-percenter who found purpose in life tripping on toad venom: What it’s like (New York Post)

Iboga

• Why Ibogaine Is a Promising Treatment for Addiction (Lucid News)

Novel Psychoactive Substances

• Researchers May Have Created LSD-Analogs that Treat Depression Without the Trip (Lucid News)

• Cybin Announces Positive CYB004 Data Demonstrating Significant Advantages Over Intravenous and Inhaled DMT (Psilocybin Alpha)

• 9 years after an acid trip, I still have anxiety-inducing visual distortions that only stop when I sleep (Insider)

Ketamine

• Ketamine and the Treatment of Mental Health Conditions (Psychology Today)

Miscellaneous

• Psychedelic Stocks Are Having A Really Bad Trip (The Washington Post)

• Numinus Acquiring Novamind in First Major Psychedelics Merger (Psychedelic Spotlight)

• Survey Suggests Psychedelics are Linked to Neo-Shamanistic Beliefs (Lucid News)

• Do Psychedelics Need Psychiatrists? (NEO.LIFE)

• Can the Clever Use of Old Legal Strategies Thwart Psychedelic Monopolies? (VICE)

• Study maps psychedelic-induced changes in consciousness to specific regions of the brain (PsyPost)

• Maryland Bill To Fund Psychedelics Research And Access For Veterans Goes To Governor’s Desk (Marijuana Moment)

• Decriminalize Nature Feels Growing Pains as Local Groups Clash with Board (Lucid News)

• Missouri Bill Would Allow Therapeutic Psychedelic Use (High Times)

• What it’s like tripping on mad honey, the hallucinogen that (maybe) is an aphrodisiac (Salon)

• When Will The Media Take Drug Deaths Seriously? (Volteface)

• Why Psychedelics Could Soon Replace Antidepressants (PR Newswire)

4.22.22

Cannabis

• Switzerland aims for summer start of recreational cannabis trial program (Marijuana Business Daily)

• Marijuana Legalization Tied To ‘Significant Reductions’ In Prescription Drug Use, Researchers Find (Marijuana Moment)

• Belize Close to Legalization, Evangelicals Want Anti-Reform Referendum (High Times)

• Early Lines and Free Doughnuts: Legal Marijuana Sales Begin in New Jersey (The New York Times)

• DEA Says Illegal Marijuana Trafficking From Mexico Is Declining Amid State Legalization Movement (Marijuana Moment)

• Another U.S. Senate Candidate Tokes in Campaign Ad in Indiana (High Times)

• Cannabis: How It Affects Our Cognition And Psychology – New Research (IFLScience)

• Florida bride and caterer charged with lacing wedding food with cannabis (CNN)

• What Impact Will the French Elections Have on Cannabis Reform? (High Times)

• Recreational marijuana consumption lounge opens in New Mexico (Marijuana Business Daily)

• Delaware Lawmakers Revive Pot Legalization Effort (High Times)

• Ohio Lawmakers File New Marijuana Legalization Bill On 4/20 That Mirrors Ballot Initiative Activists Are Pursuing (Marijuana Moment)

• US lawmakers are warming up to the cannabis industry (CNN)

• How 4/20 Became the Biggest Day in the Stoner Calendar (VICE)

• New Hampshire Senate Committee Rejects Cannabis Legalization Bill (High Times)

• Florida Official Sues Biden Administration Over Gun Rights For Medical Marijuana Patients On 4/20 (Marijuana Moment)

• Survey Shows Cannabis Use on the Upswing (High Times)

LSD

• MindMed Collaborator Dr. Matthias Liechti to Present Topline Clinical Trial Results for LSD in Anxiety Disorders at PSYCH Symposium (Psilocybin Alpha)

Magic Mushrooms

• Maine Senate Approves Medical Psilocybin Bill, But House Refusal Kills Measure For The Year (Marijuana Moment)

• Psilocybin Could be a Therapeutic Breakthrough For Addiction (TIME)

• How psychedelic mushrooms helped pro surfer Koa Smith overcome depression and trauma: ‘I never slipped back’ (The Independent)

• Treating depression with psychedelics: red flags and FAQ (Eiko Fried)

• Filament Health Is Issued Patent By United States Patent And Trademark Office (Psilocybin Alpha)

MDMA

• Colorado House Passes Bill To Legalize MDMA After Federal Approval, Sending It To The Senate (Marijuana Moment)

• Understanding the Effects of MDMA on Bipolar Disorder (Healthline)

Iboga

• How Safe is Ibogaine? (Lucid News)

Novel Psychoactive Substances

• Cybin Announces Publication of International PCT Patent Application for Inhalation Delivery of Multiple Psychedelic Molecules (Psilocybin Alpha)

• Mindset Pharma Strengthens IP Portfolio with Another New Provisional Patent Application Covering its Next-Generation DMT and 5-MeO-DMT Drug Candidate Compounds (Psilocybin Alpha)

Ketamine

• Psychedelic companies are betting big on ketamine as the next Prozac (Fast Company)

Miscellaneous

• A psychedelic therapist allegedly took millions from a Holocaust survivor, highlighting worries about elders taking hallucinogens (STAT News)

• Study suggests belief-changing psychedelic experiences tend to increase the attribution of consciousness to other beings (PsyPost)

• Drug War Industries Face Obsolescence (Drug WarRant)

• Exclusive Data Shows Canadian Cops Target More Black and Indigenous Folks for Drug Arrests (VICE)

• Massachusetts Psychedelics Activists Plan To Put Decriminalization On Local Ballot And Force Lawmakers To File State Bills (Marijuana Moment)

• What’s the Best Psychedelic Therapy Protocol? It’s Debatable. (Lucid News)

• Honduras Shows How Drug Policy is Also Climate Policy (TalkingDrugs)

• GoDaddy Billionaire Bob Parsons Believes Psychedelics Can Heal Trauma—And He’s Putting His Money (And Brain) On The Line (Forbes)

• Pioneering Clergy of Diverse Religions Embrace Psychedelics (Lucid News)

• The Emergent Field of Psychedelic Chaplaincy (Chacruna)

• Kevin O’Leary Predicts These 3 Psychedelic Companies Will Merge, But Should They? (Psychedelic Spotlight)

• Are psychedelics the answer to solving the mental health crisis? (Euronews)

4.29.22

Cannabis

• Biden Finally Grants Relief To People With Federal Marijuana And Drug Convictions After More Than A Year In Office (Marijuana Moment)

• In Mexico, this city ordered its cops to let everyone smoke weed—and not just on 4/20 (Leafly)

• Maine: Various Marijuana Bills Become Law Absent Gov. Mills’ Signature (NORML)

• Florida bride, caterer charged after wedding guests drugged with cannabis at reception (Global News)

• Medical Cannabis Bill in Wisconsin Likely Already Dead (High Times)

• Virginia: Senate Kills Governor’s Recriminalization Amendment, Bill Addressing Synthetically Derived Marijuana Products (NORML)

• Mayhem Erupts at Melbourne Cannabis Rally as Police Haul Off Patients (High Times)

• New Hampshire Senate Defeats House-Passed Marijuana Home Grow Legalization Bill (Marijuana Moment)

• Study Shows Drivers in Legal States Less Likely to Drive While High (High Times)

• Austin, Texas Voters Can Officially Start Voting On Local Marijuana Decriminalization Ballot Initiative (Marijuana Moment)

• Positive Drug Tests for Pot Hit All-Time High (High Times)

• Seven In Ten Americans Back Marijuana Legalization, With Majorities Embracing Pro-Reform Politicians, Two New Polls Find (Marijuana Moment)

• Is Cannabis Legalization Moving Forward in Taiwan? (High Times)

• Texas Activists Say They Have Enough Signatures To Put Marijuana Decriminalization On Another Local Ballot (Marijuana Moment)

• Kentucky Governor Approves Cannabis Research Facility (High Times)

• Could Elon Musk’s Twitter end the cannabis social media ban? (Leafly)

• Washington Lawmakers Delete the Word ‘Marijuana’ from State Statutes (High Times)

• North Dakota Officials Approve Marijuana Legalization Ballot Language, Clearing Campaign For Signature Gathering (Marijuana Moment)

• President’s Son Suggests Cannabis Legalization in Nicaragua (High Times)

• Weed could be grown in space – and it might be the best cannabis yet (New York Post)

• Kentucky Governor Announces Medical Cannabis Plan (High Times)

• NY weighs giving pizza joints, other eateries OK to sell cannabis-infused food (New York Post)

• Italian City of Bologna Supports Recreational Cannabis Reform (High Times)

• Now that cannabis is legal, do I have to hire potheads? (New York Post)

• The Battle for Cannabis Legalization Is On in Honduras (High Times)

• Australia Poll Finds 50% in Favor of Recreational Pot Reform (High Times)

LSD

• MindMed Collaborator Dr. Matthias Liechti to Present Topline Clinical Trial Results for LSD in Anxiety Disorders at PSYCH Symposium (Psychedelic Alpha)

• The dark side of the acid counterculture movement (Far Out)

Magic Mushrooms

• This Ottawa store is selling magic mushrooms to protest 'unjust' laws (CBC)

• The Mission to Make Psilocybin Available to UK Cancer Patients (Filter)

• People who hear about psilocybin-assisted therapy think it’s important to have a guide who has used psilocybin (PsyPost)

• Hyphae Labs Expands Harm Reduction to Consider Psilocybin (Lucid News)

• Do magic mushrooms have ‘strains’ like cannabis? (Leafly)

• One Psychedelic Ride: Brooklynites Bike for the Decriminalization of Magic Mushrooms (BK Reader)

• Can a Religious Exemption Boost Legal Psilocybin Access in Oregon? (Filter)

• Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy Has Potential for Treatment of Binge Eating Disorder (Pharmacy Times)

MDMA

• Colorado Bill To Legalize MDMA Prescriptions Heads To Governor Following Senate Passage (Marijuana Moment)

• MAPS Navigates Multiple Scandals: Why Health Canada Is Reviewing MDMA Trials (Psychedelic Spotlight)

DMT

• How One Man Tried to Build a DMT-Based Cult on Reddit and Lost Everything (VICE)

Ayahuasca

• The surprising reason Inca children were drugged before human sacrifice (Big Think)

Peyote

• Decrim Movement Split Over Peyote, Possession Limits, and Tactics (Lucid News)

Iboga

• Could Ibogaine Help Address the Opioid Crisis? (Lucid News)

Novel Psychoactive Substances

• Mindset Pharma Strengthens IP Portfolio with Another New Provisional Patent Application Covering its Next-Generation DMT and 5-MeO-DMT Drug Candidate Compounds (Psychedelic Alpha)

Ketamine

• Psychedelic spirituality: Ketamine and the future of mental health (KCRW)

• 'They were going to cut my throat': Sharon Osbourne slams cancel culture and admits she underwent ketamine therapy after fiery on-air debate led to TV suspension and death threats (Daily Mail)

Miscellaneous

• A New Database Seeks to Prevent “Bad” Psychedelic Patents (Lucid News)

• Push To Decriminalize Drugs In Washington State Survives Early Challenge (Marijuana Moment)

• Biden’s Drug Strategy Mixes Harm Reduction With Harm Production (Filter)

• The Advantages of Psychedelic Prohibition (DoubleBlind)

• Drug Decriminalization Inches Closer in Saskatoon, Canada (Filter)

• Urban Outfitters Is “Mainstreaming Psychedelics” Because They’re Selling Psychedelic Water That’s Not Actually Psychedelic (DoubleBlind)

• First Annual California Psychedelic Conference Highlights Influential People (High Times)

• Are ‘Pseudodelics’ The Future For Mental Health? (Volteface)

• How To Open Your Wallet: The Hyped and Distorted Claims of Online Psychedelic Marketing (Psymposia)

• Avoiding the Power Trip (Medium)

• Understanding 3 Risks of Investing in Psychedelic Stocks (Psychedelic Spotlight)

• Indigenous Reciprocity Initiative of the Americas: A Respectful Path Forward for the Psychedelic Movement (Chacruna)

• The Trials and Tribulations of Psychedelic Research (Microdose)

• Psychedelic Navigation across the Seas (Tam Integration)

• Psychedelics Meets the Theory of Everything (Lucid News)

• Is Nanotechnology The New Path For Psychedelics? (Green Market Report)

• Why psychedelics like psilocybin from magic mushrooms and LSD are seeing a surge in medical interest, in treatments for depression, addiction and more (South China Morning Post)

• Are psychedelics undergoing a spiritual and therapeutic awakening? (KCRW)

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: "Weekly Psychedelic Links" 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 - March 2022

A lot happened in the world of psychedelics in February. A Central American country legalized medical marijuana, another Michigan city decriminalized psychedelics, some ups and downs involving MDMA therapy research, a new U.S. drug-checking mail program, and a caution about natural forms of 5-MeO-DMT.

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

Policy

Wins

Costa Rica became the latest country in Central America to legalize medical marijuana after President Carlos Alvarado signed the bill into law. Earlier this year he vetoed the bill due to a lack of limits on individual cultivation and consumption, but after lawmakers made those revisions he approved it.

Another Michigan city decriminalized psychedelics and activists are now pursuing a statewide policy change. Hazel Park is the third city in the state to decriminalize psychedelics after Ann Arbor and Detroit.

Research

Published Studies

There was a lot of news involving MDMA therapy, including a follow-up from a Phase 3 clinical trial of MDMA therapy for PTSD that found the drug to be safe and effective. Another study found that the treatment significantly reduced eating disorder symptoms. And a separate analysis suggested that MDMA therapy for PTSD could save the healthcare system millions of dollars.

But not everything involving MDMA therapy research was positive. A disturbing video was released showing sexual abuse and scenes of traumatic events that took place during an official MAPS trial. This has come on the heels of Cover Story, a podcast dedicated to this very topic. It remains to be seen if the criticisms involving improprieties that occurred during clinical research will have any impact on whether MDMA therapy is legalized by the FDA or not.

Harm Reduction

Although its still in its early stages and not available to the public yet, the U.S. now has a free, rapid drug-checking mail program. I look forward to the day when anyone who wants to test a drug sample has access to do just that. After all, testing your drugs is one of the first things you should do before consuming them! (The other is weighing them, because eyeballing a dose is a sure-fire way to eventually have a really bad time.)

Miscellaneous

With the recent increase in demand for 5-MeO-DMT, the Sonoran desert toad that produces this psychedelic compound is in danger. Many people believe that using a synthetic version of the drug is preferable to extracting it from these toads, especially considering the fact that their population is under serious stress. If you are considering working with 5-MeO-DMT it would be a good idea to familiarize yourself with this phenomenon so you can make an intelligent decision about which route to take.

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 - 3.25.22

Cannabis

• Federal Marijuana Legalization Bill Officially Scheduled For House Floor Vote Next Week (Marijuana Moment)

• Rwanda Begins Cannabis Production (High Times)

• New Hampshire Lawmakers Approve State-Run Marijuana Legalization Bill With Amendments, Sending It Back To House Floor (Marijuana Moment)

• South Dakota: Governor Signs Legislation Preserving Patients’ Home Cultivation Rights (NORML)

• U.S. Senate Unanimously Approves Marijuana Reform Bill On Same Day That House Schedules Legalization Vote (Marijuana Moment)

• New York’s Cayuga Nation To Sell Recreational Cannabis (High Times)

• What Do Joe Biden’s Cannabis Policy And Seinfeld Have In Common? Nothing. Literally. (Forbes)

• After Surge Of Deadly Robberies At Marijuana Shops In Washington State, Officials Push For Federal Banking Reform (Marijuana Moment)

• Study raises questions about risks of using medical marijuana for mood and anxiety disorders (CNN)

• Group Launches Petition to Bring Recreational Pot to Colorado Springs (High Times)

• Can cannabis ward off nightmares? Here’s what we know about how weed affects dreams (GreenState)

LSD

• The Secret Black History of LSD (The Nation)

Magic Mushrooms

• Hawaii Senators Amend Psilocybin Study Resolution To Make Access Contingent On Federal Approval (Marijuana Moment)

• Psilocybin Is Effective in Reducing Weight Gain, New Study Shows (Psychedelic Spotlight)

• Missouri looks to legalize shrooms (KMOV)

• Stargazer Mushroom Strain: Cultivation, Effects, & More (DoubleBlind)

• Beyond Psilocybin: These Mushrooms May Offer Brain-Boosting Compounds, Too (Discover)

• Optimi Health Begins Cultivation Of Natural Psilocybin For Use In Clinical Trials (GlobeNewswire)

MDMA

• MDMA Therapy for PTSD Looks Safe and Effective in New Trial Data (Gizmodo)

• MDMA assisted therapy significantly reduces eating disorder symptoms (leafie)

• You Won’t Feel High After Watching This Video (The Cut)

5-MeO-DMT

• Demand for This Toad’s Psychedelic Toxin Is Booming. Some Warn That’s Bad for the Toad. (The New York Times)

Ketamine

• Inside London's first psychedelic psychotherapy clinic (London Evening Standard)

• Ketamine Study Suggests the Psychedelic Could Treat Parkinson’s Disease (Psychedelic Spotlight)

• Can Ketamine Be Used to Treat Addictions? (Psychology Today)

• At-home ketamine therapy — are you ready? (Freethink)

Miscellaneous

• The US Gets Its First Free, Rapid Drug-Checking Mail Program (Filter)

• Utah Governor Signs Bill To Study Use Of Psychedelics For Mental Health Therapy (Marijuana Moment)

• Another Michigan City Approves Psychedelics Decriminalization As Activists Pursue Statewide Ballot Measure (Marijuana Moment)

• The Brave New World of Legalized Psychedelics Is Already Here (The Nation)

• Another Psychedelics Company Is Crashing (Psychedelic Spotlight)

• Connecticut Lawmakers Advance Psychedelics Therapy Bill (High Times)

• Three Bills Seek to Shift Psychedelics Policy in New York State (Lucid News)

• COMPASS Pathways and partners launch The Centre for Mental Health Research and Innovation, in the UK (Psilocybin Alpha)

• Can Psychedelic Masculinity Stop War? (Lucid News)

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 Month in Psychedelics - February 2022

A lot happened in the world of psychedelics in February. A southern U.S. state legalized medical marijuana, scientists created a new way to make 5-MeO-DMT, a follow-up study found psilocybin therapy was an effective treatment for major depression for one year, zebrafish microdosed LSD, and the NFL invested $1 million into cannabinoids.

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

Policy

Wins

Southern states have been among the last to warm up to cannabis policy reforms, but Mississippi legalized medical marijuana for people with qualifying debilitating conditions like cancer or sickle cell disease. The law went into effect but it may still be several months before dispensaries will open.

Future

Following last month’s news about the DEA trying to criminalize five more psychedelics, a judge granted a hearing for opposition to the proposal. It will take place in May.

Industry

The recent explosion of interest surrounding 5-MeO-DMT has put a strain on the population of Sonoran Desert toads, which has been under threat of being wiped out because of their highly sought-after psychedelic venom. However, scientists may have found a solution to help conserve the species—a new way to farm 5-MeO-DMT that doesn’t involve milking toads. To make matters even better, the company behind this discovery plans to operate in the spirit of open science by supplying other companies with free samples of the substance as long as they make a commitment to open science.

Sustainable iboga is hard to find in the West, but Gabon has taken the first step toward setting up a legal distribution channel for the plant. In this model, participating villages will work alongside Gabon’s Ministry of Forests, a North American iboga therapy center operator, and the NGO Blessings of the Forest.

Money changed hands from the profit sector to a non-profit company this month as MAPS became the beneficiary of a handsome $500k donation from atai Life Sciences’ philanthropy arm, atai Impact.

Research

Published Studies

Ravers and festival-goers often refer to experiencing the dreaded “comedown” after taking MDMA, but a new study indicated that the drug itself doesn’t actually cause comedowns. Instead, factors such as the unknown purity of illicit substances, lack of rest, and becoming dehydrated can contribute to whether they occur or not.

The jury’s still out when it comes to whether microdosing is effective or just a placebo, but another trial found no evidence that microdosing LSD does anything. However, a different study found that giving microdoses of LSD to zebrafish may indicate its potential benefits for humans. As always, we need more research. But especially in the case of microdosing.

New research trials looking at using psychedelics to treat depression reported positive results. One follow-up study found that psilocybin therapy relieved major depressive disorder symptoms for up to one year in most patients. Two studies found that ketamine is capable of alleviating depression and quieting suicidal thoughts. And the first-ever clinical trial of DMT for major depressive disorder showed promise.

Cannabis is often blamed for causing people to become lazy and sit around on the couch wasting the day away. But over the last few years, many studies have found the exact opposite. Another one was added to the pile this month, as it found that consuming cannabis does not result in “amotivational syndrome.”

Future Studies

Concussions have been a big topic in the sports world for the last few years. A lot of effort is going into researching what can be done to recover from head injuries, and the NFL made big moves by investing $1 million into cannabinoid research. Two medical teams will investigate how cannabinoids affect pain management and neuroprotection.

Miscellaneous

You may recall that last year a U.S. sprinter named Sha’Carri Richardson was suspended from competing in the 2021 Summer Olympics due to a positive cannabis test. That was bad enough on its own, but this month Richardson suggested there may be a racist double standard at play after the Olympics allowed a Russian skater to compete in the 2022 Winter Olympics even after failing a drug test—for a performance enhancing drug, no less! There are some differences between the two cases, but it does seem a bit questionable, to say the least.

And last up for this recap is a reminder that although psychedelics have the potential of uncovering the truth sometimes, the insights that they give you aren’t always true. It’s tempting to fall into the mental trap of believing that everything you experience while tripping is correct, but if you or someone you know has been feeling that way lately then be sure to check out the linked article above.

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.