Spirituality

Psychedelics, personality and political perspectives

Further work is needed to investigate the nature of the relationship between the peak psychedelic experience and openness to new experiences, egalitarian political views, and concern for the environment. Multivariate linear regression analysis indicated that lifetime psychedelic use (but not lifetime cocaine use or weekly alcohol consumption) positively predicted … openness and nature relatedness, and…

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Spirituality

Our endless drug war

In earlier times it appeared as a “war” on alcohol, which supposedly was terminated in 1933. It [war on “drugs”] then returned in full force, which an insecure President Nixon used to try to escape the harsh glare of Watergate. Despite its somewhat benign appearance, it basically serves to keep our prisons, our police departments…

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Modern Culture

Mexico legalizes medical marijuana

A decree issued by Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto today [June 19th, 2017] confirmed that Mexico has legalized cannabis for medicinal use. Peña Nieto was once a vehement opponent of cannabis legalization, but has since called for a re-examination of global drug policy after a nationwide public debate on legalization in early 2016. “The ruling…

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Psychology

Canadian study shows psychedelic drugs like ecstasy reduce suicide risks, with meth increases risk

Stanford researchers Drs. Rob Malenka and Boris Heifets believe that MDMA has more potential for teaching neuroscientists about empathy than any other compound. A Canadian study claims that psychedelic drugs like ecstasy may decrease suicidal thoughts and reduce suicide risk. The specific study analyzed data pertaining to 800 female sex workers over the course of…

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Medicine/Healing

Will new laws punish pain patients?

The American Kratom Association (AKA) sent an action alert to members warning that a bill introduced by Sen. Chuck Grassley and Sen. Dianne Feinstein could be a “backdoor way” of banning kratom — an herbal supplement that millions of people use as an alternative to opioid painkillers. ​ But reform advocates are worried that the…

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Spirituality

Assessing the psychedelic “after-glow” in ayahuasca users…

Post-acutely, ayahuasca potentiates mindfulness capacities in volunteers, and induces rapid and sustained antidepressant effects in treatment-resistant patients. Here we investigated in an open-label uncontrolled study in sixteen healthy volunteers ayahuasca-induced post-acute neurometabolic and connectivity modifications, and their association with mindfulness measures. ​ Original Article (Pubmed):Assessing the psychedelic “after-glow” in ayahuasca users​Artwork Fair Use: Jacob Botter

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