Welcome back to Think Wilder. A lot happened in the world of psychedelics this month, including the launch of a new psychedelic peer support app, innovations in wearable psychedelics, trials looking into using psychedelics to treat gambling addiction and eye disease, new psychedelic research centers, innovative drug checking technologies, and much more.
Here’s a video version of this month’s recap if you’d prefer to watch the update instead:
There’s a lot to get through this month, so without further ado, let’s jump into the news:
Policy
Wins
Louisiana’s cannabis decriminalization law went into effect on August 1st, putting an end to the possibility of jail time for possessing 14 grams or less of the plant. Anyone who exceeds the limit will face a fine of $100, regardless of whether they have any prior cannabis convictions.
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in North Carolina legalized its own medical marijuana market, although many details remain to be determined. This is the latest in a growing trend of Native Americans entering the cannabis industry, particularly in states that already have their own medical or recreational cannabis markets.
Future
A California bill to legalize the possession of psychedelics has been delayed until next year to hopefully strengthen its case and increase the chances that it will be approved. Several other states will have cannabis and psychedelic drug policy reforms on the ballot in 2022 as well.
Industry
Wearable psychedelics are being developed that are capable of dispensing small doses of drugs like ketamine and DMT to treat a variety of mental health and physical conditions. Some will give patients the ability to fine-tune their dose to control their experience, while other methods will automatically administer doses to the wearer, such as a transdermal psilocybin patch intended to cut down on potential negative side effects.
Beckley Psytech raised $80 million during its Series B financing round, proving once again that venture capital investors with deep pockets see potential in the nascent psychedelic industry.
When you think of treating mental health conditions, salvia divinorum might not come first to mind. But atai Life Sciences thinks the divine sage might have some potential, and the company launched a subsidiary called Revixia Life Sciences that will investigate the potential uses for salvinorin a, the primary active ingredient in the plant.
Research
Several enlightening psychedelic research studies were published this month. Among the biggest was a review that found people with psychedelic experiences under their belt have healthier habits on average. And another study found that mixing psychedelics and SSRIs is safe for the most part, although there are a few exceptions.
Psychedelic research studies often focus on common mental health conditions such as depression and PTSD, but new applications are being investigated all the time. Earlier this month month Awakn Life Sciences initiated a ketamine treatment study for gambling addiction and PharmaDrug formed a collaboration with the Terasaki Institute to study the use of DMT and other tryptamines to treat eye disease.
Just a few years ago there weren’t any research centers dedicated to psychedelic science, but new ones are making their way into the world all the time and two more were announced just this month. The Usona Institute broke ground on its Wisconsin-based Transdisciplinary Center for Research in Psychoactive Substances, which is slated to open in 2024. Down under in Melbourne, Australia, a first-of-its-kind psychedelic therapy research center is expected to begin work on developing psychedelic medicines later this year, and clinical studies will start in 2022.
Harm Reduction
The Fireside Project has been helping people process psychedelic experiences via its free peer support phone line since it launched in April, but this month the organization took things to the next level by releasing a psychedelic peer support app. Now psychonauts in need of support can find help on either the phone or via chat, which may be helpful for people who prefer one form of communication over another.
Drug checking is an essential practice for any responsible psychonaut, and new technologies are coming out that will ensure more innovative and accurate results than ever before. The popular harm reduction organization known as DanceSafe released a new ketamine test kit (called the Morris reagent) that was engineered to identify the difference between ketamine and common analogues like DCK and 2FDCK. And a startup called Miraculix took things one step further by creating rapid at-home test kits that can assess the potency of various psychoactive drugs, including MDMA, LSD, and psilocybin.
Denver led the way once again by launching America’s first psychedelic harm reduction training program for first responders. This is a big step because not only does this mean that the Mile High City’s police, firefighters, paramedics, hospital dispatchers, and mental health workers will be equipped with the knowledge needed to handle a psychedelic trip gone wrong, but it also sets the stage for future similar programs to spread to the rest of the country.
Miscellaneous
Almost a year after Ann Arbor’s city council voted to decriminalize psychedelics, lawmakers designated September as Entheogenic Plants and Fungi Awareness Month. What an encouraging sign to see psychedelics being understood and celebrated at a city-wide level!
Some companies are beginning to push the concept of at-home genetic testing to tell you whether you’re likely to have a bad trip, but an investigative report found that the results are unreliable. And on top of that, this type of testing can also put misleading and distressing ideas in your head too.
That’s all for this month’s update. Remember to always test and weigh your drugs and until next time—keep thinking wilder.
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