At this moment in time, the momentum seems to be moving in ECfES’ favor, toward a society that sees potential in psychedelics as a healing modality. HERE “A good example of that is Kate Brown’s decision to sign HB 2355, a bill carried to the upper chamber by Sen. Jackie Winters, the longest-serving African-American woman in Oregon Senate…
The first state-level drug decriminalization bill Has been introduced by in Maryland, USA…where elected officials and a broad range of stakeholders [convened] on a forum on decriminalization. [H.B. 488 : Drug Use and Possession Penalty Changes], [H.B. 515 : Substance Use Treatment at Need in ERs and Hospitals], and [H.B. 519 : Safe Consumption Programs].…
The new figures aren’t surprising to opioid policy experts such as Leo Beletsky, an associate professor of law and health sciences at Northeastern University. “They indicate that, in many places around the U.S., the response continues to miss the mark.” Beletsky [said]. “These data are devastating, and further underscore the need for an all-hands-on-deck approach…
The active compound found in magic mushrooms is called psilocybin and was administered to a handful of smokers. The six-year study aimed to uncover the mechanism in the brain that makes it so difficult to kick the habit ‘Cigarette smoking is today a huge public health scourge and there are no effective reliable treatments,’ said…
Adele Lafrance, PhD, of Laurentian University, highlighted a study of 159 participants who reported on their past use of hallucinogens, level of spirituality and relationship with their emotions. Using hallucinogens was related to greater levels of spirituality, which led to improved emotional stability and fewer symptoms of anxiety, depression and disordered eating, the study found.…
All volunteers were screened and overseen by medical staff throughout the study.Improving understanding of the neurobiology of dying “may have implications for how we view this most inevitable and universal phenomenon, potentially promoting a greater familiarity with and healthy acceptance of it”, the authors added. Original Article (BBC):Effects of psychedelic DMT ‘similar to near-death experiences’Artwork…
More than 150 studies on ayahuasca now appear on PubMed, the federal database of peer-reviewed research. People generally know serotonin as a neurotransmitter that regulates emotions and serves as a mood stabilizer. Serotonin transporters are proteins that aid in the facilitation of serotonin throughout the nervous system, and what McKenna and his team discovered in…
Drug-war passions are fading … in that shifting social context, companies and public employers, including the military, might want to take a second look at whether pre-employment drug testing actually does the job it was designed to do. It’s possible, though far from certain, that hiring applicants who test positive for opioids is riskier than…
Another route to legality may shorten the wait for suffering patients, however: including the drugs in the “right to try” and Expanded Access programs. Psychedelics fit the criteria. People living with incurable conditions — cancers and neurodegenerative conditions, such as ALS — often experience anxieties, grief and depression associated with the progressive debility and impending…
The problem is now so prevalent the researchers suggest public officials declare it a “public health crisis.” (via NPR) Alcohol abuse has long been a problem in the United States, but recent studies have shown that it’s increasing among women and people of color. According to a 2017 study in JAMA Psychiatry, the number of people engaging in…
