Politics

Lawsuit says Oregon’s psilocybin law illegally discriminates against homebound patients who can’t travel to psilocybin service centers

July 7, 2024By

“Defendant OHA’s (Oregon Health Authority’s) refusal to allow accommodations has placed disabled and terminally ill individuals where they would only be able to access needed services by turning to underground sources,” it continues. “For many terminally ill individuals, this means that they will die without having access to psilocybin services that would have substantially benefited…

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Science

Magic mushrooms may have shaped our consciousness

July 6, 2024By

No toxic or lethal Psilocybe species are known. Evidence indicates that early hominids – our extinct ancestors – had been picking and eating “magic mushrooms” up to six million years ago. The practice likely influenced the development of human cognition and awareness, according to a recent review examining psilocybin’s effect on human consciousness… published in June 2024… recent studies have shown…

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Science

Microdosing and tripping on mushrooms is on the rise in U.S.

June 29, 2024By

That study tracked internet search history on microdosing – a proxy for public interest – finding about a 1,250% increase since 2015. And searches for psilocybin started to outpace LSD in 2019… this type of data analysis has proven to be a reliable indicator for other drugs their lab has studied – including with novel…

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Science

Older people who use psychedelics show fascinating brain functions

June 25, 2024By

A recent survey of 3,294 US adults, aged between 42 and 92, has found that… compared to those who did not use psychedelics, those who did scored higher on tests… which assessed inductive reasoning, verbal fluency, working memory, processing speed, attention switching, and inhibitory control. Psilocybin, LSD, MDMA, and other psychedelics appear to stimulate new connections between…

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Science

F.D.A. warns against ‘microdosing’ mushroom chocolate bars

June 24, 2024By

Some bars branded as “mushroom” edibles may contain psilacetin, sometimes called c, a compound that produces similar effects to psilocybin, said Dr. Mason Marks, a law professor at Harvard University and Florida State University who specializes in psychedelic regulation.  At least 26 people in 16 states have fallen ill after eating Diamond Shruumz-brand Microdosing Chocolate Bars and…

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Psychology

What psychedelia can learn from Clusterbusters

June 21, 2024By

…if someone is desperate and suicidal, of course they should be able to try psychedelics, as quickly and safely as possible. The healthcare system is broken, the FDA approval system is slow and very expensive…and people can sometimes heal themselves outside of the medical system.  Clusterbusters is a really interesting example of a peer support group which…

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Politics

American Medical Association (AMA) endorses drug decriminalization

June 15, 2024By

AMA delegates voted in favor of the decriminalization proposal, 345-171 [on Wednesday, June 12, 2024]. The body is calling for the “elimination of criminal penalties for drug possession for personal use as part of a larger set of related public health and legal reforms designed to improve carefully selected outcomes.” …the board did recommend adopting…

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Biography/Memoir

Lykos… moved to patent MDMA in late 2022, filing reveals

June 15, 2024By

…another big ‘if’ is whether the company will even obtain FDA approval for its MDMA-assisted therapy at all… Specifically, Lykos’ patent application claims a composition comprising a salt or solvate of MDMA along with one or more excipients, where the average particle size in the composition is, at its broadest, between 50 and 400 microns,…

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Science

Youth marijuana use in Colorado continues to decline since legalization took effect…

June 14, 2024By

“There have been no substantial increases at all,” said Marsha Lopez, chief of the National Institute on Drug Abuse’s (NIDA) epidemiological research branch. “In fact, they have not reported an increase in perceived availability either, which is kind of interesting.” Another earlier analysis from CDC found that rates of current and lifetime cannabis use among high…

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Science

Psychological effects of psychedelics in adolescents

June 14, 2024By

…if new research is any indication of the efficacy of psychedelics for teens, parents may no longer have to rely on anecdotes and their instincts to help them decide whether the compounds are the right choice for their child’s treatment… parent-led inquiries on psychedelics have steadily increased over the past few years… …however… challenges are…

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