Science

The current state of research on ayahuasca

A systematic review of human studies assessing psychiatric symptoms, neuropsychological functioning, and neuroimaging. Acute AYA administration was well tolerated, increased introspection and positive mood, altered visual perceptions, activated frontal and paralimbic regions and decreased default mode network activity. It also improved planning and inhibitory control and impaired working memory, and showed anti-depressive and anti-addictive potentials.…

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Politics

The case for legalizing psychedelic drugs

It does mean that psychedelic drug use can be explained in evolutionary terms as a “hack” that enables transcendent states to be reached quickly. If this story is true, what are its implications? One is that psychedelic drug use is no different, in principle, to practices like chanting, fasting, praying and meditating that religions typically…

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Modern Culture

The dark side of ayahuasca

“It reminds me of how they sell cocaine and marijuana in Amsterdam,” one local said. “Here, it’s shamans and ayahuasca.” No one monitors the medicine men, their claims, or their credentials. With money rolling in and lodges popping up across Peru’s sprawling Amazon, a new breed of shaman has emerged – and not all of…

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Spirituality

United Methodist resolution regarding the war on drugs

To that end, we offer the following resolution as an appeal to end the so-called “War on Drugs.” Whereas: The public policy of prohibition of certain narcotics and psychoactive substances, sometimes called the “War on Drugs,” has failed to achieve the goal of eliminating, or even reducing, substance abuse and… Whereas: There have been a…

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Anthropology

Canada’s marijuana legalisation could directly affect the global war on drugs among many others

It’s Trudeau’s call now. The nationwide cannabis legalisation may be a good thing, but he also needs to convince other countries that it’s not just a Canadian thing. Canada’s legalisation of marijuana, for both recreational and medicinal purposes, will be a historical moment for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and such a thing will not go…

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