Politics

California [SB 519] advances again…

The Assembly Public Health Committee advanced the legislation, sponsored by Sen. Scott Wiener (D), in a 8-4 vote. This comes weeks after the Public Safety Committee approved the measure. While “social sharing” would have been allowed under the bill as introduced, those provisions were also reframed in the new committee amendment to provide for “facilitated…

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Modern Culture

..falling in love with psychedelics…

…the most important thing to remember about all drugs is that they offer both opportunities and risks.  What we really need… is new kinds of social norms that can guide the use of drugs without falling back on prohibitionist moralising… it appears the war on drugs is petering out… though that the view from the…

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Anthropology

Decriminalization of psychedelics bill met… legislature

…the legislation would also repeal provisions in the California criminal code that prohibit the cultivation and transportation of spores of mushrooms associated with the psychoactive ingredient. …note that police unions and their lobbyists opposed marijuana legalization vociferously, making several claims about how the legalization of the drug would lead to an increase in crime and…

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Politics

…California psychedelics bill…

“Since we passed this resolution in Oakland, California in June of 2019, the amount of people that are brewing their own mushrooms has expanded exponentially,” [says Carlos] Plazola “And people are sharing with no intention to sell.” “If suddenly we set limits that are very low, then we will see those people in danger of…

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Spirituality

Psychedelics and spirituality

…the emergence of what is known today as shamanism and psychedelic rituals and trips can be traced back to the expanded visionary ritual capacity expressed by… human ancestors. The past and present events have shown that the synergy between religion and psychedelics will remain unbroken even in generations to come. Psychedelics have survived various forms…

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Science

Just one dose of magic mushroom… regrows lost brain connections…

…triggered an immediate, long-lasting increase in neuronal connections after just a single dose. “We not only saw a 10 percent increase in the number of neuronal connections, but also they were on average about 10 percent larger, so the connections were stronger as well,” said neuroscientist Alex Kwan of Yale University. Original Article (Science Alert):Just one dose…

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Psychology

Cannabis use associated with increased decision making skills

A team of researchers in Europe recently conducted what they describe to be “one of the largest longitudinal European multicenter studies on the topic” of residual effects of cannabis use on neurocognition (decision making skills)… Decision making is not impaired when cannabis is used in moderation, and onset of use occurs after the age of 15. “We…

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Anthropology

Berlin [Germany] now has an LSD shop…

…he’d made enough money to open the physical shop. His nervous landlord insisted on several months’ rent upfront. Out front, there’s a sign saying “Wir Verkaufen LSD” (we sell LSD)… …a new package of supplies has arrived, and there’s a constant stream of customers… The majority say they take the drug for fun, although some…

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Psychology

Home grow…

In 2016, the… legal clash between the LPs and patient collectives ended in a victory for Canadian patients. Namely that the right of home grow in Canada was challenged in court. Patients (at least in Canada) won the day… That said, the same could not be said of Germany. Indeed, the same month that Canadian…

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