Spirituality

Court: growing hallucinogenic mushrooms not illegal in New Mexico

Growing hallucinogenic mushrooms isn’t prohibited by a New Mexico law against manufacturing an illegal drug. That’s the legal conclusion of the state Court of Appeals, which has overturned the felony drug trafficking conviction of an Alamogordo man for growing psilocybin mushrooms in his home. Under state law, drug trafficking includes the manufacturing of illegal drugs.…

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Spirituality

How the amazonian tea ayahuasca affects mental health

Working with ayahuasca seems to enhance both self-awareness and the ability to detach from maladaptive thoughts and emotions in the day-to-day, potentially creating more space to respond to stressful situations or life events in healthier ways. So far, mechanisms of action have been identified in the domains of neuroscience, psychology, spirituality, and physical health, and…

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Politics

A hostile climate for people who use drugs hurts everyone

“For over a hundred years, people who use drugs have been driven into the shadows, into prisons, driven out of jobs, have been driven out of families, driven out of communities,” said Donald MacPherson, executive director of the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition. “It’s a big hole we’ve dug for ourselves.” “There hasn’t been a human…

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Anthropology

…Oregon isn’t decriminalizing heroin & cocaine — but it should

*Vancouver police block the north sidewalk of East Hastings Avenue during a benefit barbecue and concert for Vancouver’s safe injection site, Insite. Police prevented the concert from going ahead, as organizers were not granted permits by the city. …Oregon will join several other states that have already defelonized or decriminalized drug possession, including Maryland, California,…

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Spirituality

Do psychedelics make people more environmentally active?

A study published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology found that people who have taken psychedelics are more likely to engage in pro-environmental behaviours such as buying eco-friendly products, minimising air travel in order to reduce their carbon footprint, and adopting responsible water use practices. According to the study authors, psychedelics “contribute to people’s pro-environmental behaviour…

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Medicine/Healing

Are psychedelics the new medical marijuana?

“The major benefit seems to be that there’s an improved equilibrium of systems throughout the body, which is why it seems to affect so many different systems,” he said… but for addicts, vets, and people suffering from disorders who could find help in these drugs, the stakes are as high as their very survival. LSD…

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Modern Culture

Study: cannabis dispensaries deter crime

“Open dispensaries provide over $30,000 per year in social benefit in terms of larcenies prevented,” authors concluded. Researchers identified an immediate increase in criminal activity – particularly property crime, larceny, and auto break ins – in the areas where dispensary operations were forced to close as compared to crime rates in those neighborhoods where marijuana…

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