Policy

Following an attempt to ban five novel psychedelic substances, the DEA has withdrawn its proposal so that scientists will have more time to research therapeutic benefits. This decision came on the heels of a public hearing a few weeks ago where advocates, researchers, and policy experts spoke out against the ban.

Looking to the future, legislation was introduced in the U.S. Senate to end federal cannabis prohibition, President Joe Biden’s administration is planning for the possibility of legal psychedelic therapy within the next two years, and Colorado voters will be voting this November about whether to legalize psychedelics in the state. In addition, San Francisco is working toward decriminalizing psychedelics in the future.

Industry

The world’s first ecstasy “shop” opened in the Netherlands, just outside of Amsterdam in the city of Utrecht. Named “De XTC Winkel” (“The Ecstasy Shop” in English), the temporary store will remain open until mid-September. Since MDMA is illegal in the Netherlands, no drugs will be on sale. Instead, the shop will provide an interactive experience of how a real ecstasy shop could work in a future where the drug is legal.

Research

Health Canada halted trials for MDMA-assisted psychotherapy to review potential patient safety issues and found that while some corrective measures were put in place, at least one of the trials has been allowed to continue. The safety review was in large part a reaction to coverage from publications like Psymposia, New York Magazine, and The Cut, which put a spotlight on serious issues in MAPS MDMA trials involving patient safety and the abuse of power dynamics by nefarious therapists and facilitators.

Harm Reduction

Back in February a batch of champagne was taken off the European market due to contamination with MDMA, and a second batch was recalled this month. The latest batch killed one person and poisoned 10 others. It’s unclear how MDMA-infused champagne is entering the market, but it’s worth mentioning that mixing ecstasy into alcohol and serving it to others without their knowledge is irresponsible and dangerous.

Miscellaneous

The psychedelic community lost one of its most influential elders this month. Ann Shulgin, wife of late Alexander “Sasha” Shulgin, passed away at the age of 91. Known for pioneering the therapeutic use of MDMA, 2C-B, and several other psychedelic compounds, Ann and Sasha co-authored two seminal books—PiHKAL: A Chemical Love Story and TiHKAL: The Continuation. She will be greatly missed. Rest in peace, Ann.

If you’re looking for some new psychedelic content to consume, look no further than Michael Pollan’s new four-part docuseries called How to Change Your Mind on Netflix. And if you know someone who would benefit from learning more about psychedelics, this is a great introductory crash course for them to check out.

Additional Top Stories

Your Genes May Determine How You React To Psychedelic Drugs (IFLScience)

Churches sue to use hallucinogenic tea in religious practice (UPI)

Largest-ever clinical study of ketamine therapy shows that at-home model can be a safe, effective treatment for anxiety and depression; 62% fewer patients report suicidal ideation after four sessions (PR Newswire)

That’s all for this month’s update. Remember to always test and weigh your drugs and until next time—keep thinking wilder.

Think Wilder is reader-supported. If you enjoyed this month’s update, please consider helping out by becoming a patron, making a one-time donation, or sharing this post with a friend. Thank you for your support.

Policy

Thailand legalized the cultivation and sale of cannabis after removing the plant from its banned narcotics list. As such, it has become the first nation to do so in Southeast Asia, which is well-known for having extremely strict drug laws. However, this move does not mean that Thailand has entirely legalized cannabis, as the government is still heavily discouraging personal use for non-medical reasons and officials have warned against smoking or vaping it in public.

Colorado’s governor signed a bill that will allow the state to legalize MDMA prescriptions if and when the federal government eventually allows its therapeutic use. This new legislation would legalize prescribing, dispensing, transporting, possessing, and using MDMA after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approves it as a prescription drug, which is expected as soon as next year.

Industry

A petition challenging two patents held by Compass Pathways was denied by the Patent Trial and Appeal board. Although the challenger (Freedom to Operate) presented evidence that synthetic psilocybin is not a new invention, and thus should not be patentable, the United States Patent and Trademark Office disagreed. Unfortunately there is no ability for Freedom to Operate to appeal this decision.

Research

Another placebo-controlled study found that LSD microdosing does not improve mood or cognitive ability. Although this doesn’t necessarily mean that microdosing is ineffective, it is more evidence that it may not be as life-changing as its proponents believe it to be.

Harm Reduction

Festivalgoers in England have been warned that a combination of Brexit, Covid-19 lockdowns, and attempts by police to disrupt the supply chain have led to a dangerous increase in fake MDMA. Researchers found that roughly half of substances sold as the drug did not contain any of the advertised compound. Instead, purchasers were buying drugs containing cathinones, novel psychoactive substances, and/or caffeine. Be safe out there folks!

Miscellaneous

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has started running clinical trials to see if psychedelic-assisted therapy is effective at treating a variety of conditions that veterans of recent wars commonly experience. This marks the first time that psychedelic research has been conducted on members of the U.S. military on such a wide scale and hopefully it will yield positive results.

Additional Top Stories

DARE 2.0 is "Keepin' it Real" in US schools (Substance)

An Ayahuasca Retreat Claims to Sell 'Miracles.' Former Workers and Guests Say It's Unsafe and Abusive. (VICE)

Prescription cannabis products with more THC may ease chronic pain, at least a little, study finds (CNN)

Another Phoenix Church Sues DEA Over Religious Use of Ayahuasca (Phoenix New Times)

Malaysia Ends Mandatory Death Penalty for Nonviolent Drug Crimes (High Times)

That’s all for this month’s update. Remember to always test and weigh your drugs and until next time—keep thinking wilder.

Think Wilder is reader-supported. If you enjoyed this month’s update, please consider helping out by becoming a patron, making a one-time donation, or sharing this post with a friend. Thank you for your support.

7.1.22

Cannabis

Fentanyl-laced marijuana is a myth. It’s time to end the hype (Leafly)

Medical Weed Cards No Longer Required in Virginia Starting July 1 (High Times)

Hemp, CBD get permanent legal status in NC after 11th-hour rescue (MSN.com)

Scientists find THC in over 60% of CBD products they tested — and that may be a huge problem (ZME Science)

UN Report Dramatizes Uptick in Global Cannabis Use (High Times)

Louisiana Governor Signs Bill Providing Medical Marijuana Workplace Protections For State Employees (Marijuana Moment)

Maryland Court: Cops Can Stop, Question Someone Who Smells of Pot (High Times)

Nevada Cannabis Consumption Lounges Could Go Live By End Of 2022 (Marijuana Moment)

Edibles, beverages infused with cannabis ingredient THC become legal Friday in Minnesota (Star Tribune)

Inside The Process To Legalize Recreational Cannabis In Germany (Forbes)

California Bill to Require Cannabis Warnings About Mental Disorder Risks Advances (High Times)

Pennsylvania Lawmakers Advance Medical Marijuana DUI Protections And Cannabis Banking Reform Bills (Marijuana Moment)

Texas Supreme Court Bans Smokable Hemp Production, Sales (High Times)

Montana Lawsuit Challenges Marijuana Ban In State’s Third-Largest City (Marijuana Moment)

House Panel Approves Amendment to Protect State Legal Cannabis Programs (High Times)

Feds Fund Development Of Hemp-Based, 3D-Printed Materials To Build Affordable Housing (Marijuana Moment)

New Vermont Guidance Looks to Eliminate Plastic Waste From State’s Cannabis Industry (High Times)

Cannabis users are at greater risk for emergency and inpatient care: study (Fox News)

Magic Mushrooms

These Mormons Have Found a New Faith — in Magic Mushrooms (Rolling Stone)

New Jersey Senate President Files Psilocybin Legalization Bill That Includes Home Grow Option, Unlike Current Marijuana Law (Marijuana Moment)

Tryp Therapeutics Strengthens IP Portfolio with Provisional Patent Application for Binge Eating Disorder Treatment (Psychedelic Alpha)

Digging Up Druggable Targets: Psilocybin Efficacy in a Model of OCD (Psychedelic Science Review)

MDMA

First-of-its-kind MDMA group therapy trial set to commence (New Atlas)

Over One Hundred Years of MDMA Research (Drug Science)

Ayahuasca

How the Shipibo Came to Be the Most Common Group Serving Ayahuasca to Foreigners (DoubleBlind)

Peyote

Decriminalize Nature Targets Peyote: Drug Reform or Settler Colonialism? (Chacruna)

Big business could wipe out Mexico’s sacred psychedelic peyote cactus (openDemocracy)

Novel Psychoactive Substances

How Did A Minnesota Honor Roll Student Die As Her Parents Were Sleeping Upstairs? (Oxygen)

Synthetic Cannabinoids

A Loophole in Japan’s Weed Laws Is Getting Tens of Thousands High (VICE)

Miscellaneous

Colorado Activists Turn In Signatures To Put Psychedelics Legalization And Therapeutic Psilocybin Program On Ballot (Marijuana Moment)

War on drugs prolonged Colombia’s decades-long civil war, landmark report finds (The Guardian)

Is there a future for psychedelic treatment in Saudi Arabia? (Arab News)

Do Bad Psychedelic Patents Matter? (Lucid News)

4 Recommendations for Disability Inclusion in Psychedelic Therapy Research (Psychiatric Times)

7.8.22

Cannabis

WNBA Star Brittney Griner Pleads Guilty To Cannabis Charge As Russia Calls Out U.S. Hypocrisy In Maintaining Criminalization (Marijuana Moment)

Make no mistake, marijuana edibles are legal now in Minnesota (Leafly)

Washington, D.C. Mayor Signs Medical Cannabis Self-Certification Bill (High Times)

Pennsylvania Bill Gives Medical Cannabis Patients DUI Protection (High Times)

Oklahoma: Advocates Turn in Signatures to Place Adult-Use Legalization Measure on November Ballot (NORML)

Study Shows Flower Still Reigns Supreme in U.S., Canada as Consumer Favorite (High Times)

Arkansas Activists Set To Turn In Double The Signatures Needed To Put Marijuana Legalization On Ballot (Marijuana Moment)

Nebraska Medical Marijuana Activists Turn In Ballot Signatures After Campaign Suffers Legal Setback (Marijuana Moment)

Albania Prompted to Implement Medical Cannabis Reform After U.N. Criticism (High Times)

U.S. Army Wants To Make Sniper Uniforms Out Of Hemp (Marijuana Moment)

LSD

A man whose daily headaches felt like an ice pick in his eyes says he tried 12 treatments but only found relief after taking LSD (Insider)

Magic Mushrooms

New Study Shows Mood, Mental Health Improved by Microdosing Psilocybin (High Times)

Indiana Nurse Faces Ten Years in Prison for Microdosing Psilocybin Mushrooms (Psychedelic Spotlight)

Two Cancer Patients Battle to Make Psilocybin Accessible for Palliative Care (Scientific American)

Rural Oregon counties are lining up against psilocybin launch (OPB)

MDMA

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Pushes for Psychedelic Reform in Congress (DoubleBlind)

GOP Congressman’s Amendment Would Direct Military To Study Psilocybin And MDMA Benefits For Service Members (Marijuana Moment)

DMT

Algernon Pharmaceuticals Provides Update on Its Phase 1 DMT Stroke Study (Psychedelic Alpha)

Iboga

‘To Heal and to Care for’: Protecting Iboga and Indigenous Voices in the Face of Corporatisation (Volteface)

Novel Psychoactive Substances

DEA Announces Hearing On Proposed Ban Of Five Psychedelic Compounds Following Significant Pushback (Marijuana Moment)

Mindset Pharma Receives Allowance for Patent Application Covering its Short-Duration Novel Psychedelic Medications for The Treatment of Central Nervous System Disorders (Psychedelic Alpha)

Ketamine

PharmaTher Announces Positive Results from Study For Ketamine Microneedle Patch (Psychedelic Alpha)

Miscellaneous

The Never-Ending Psychedelic Trip of Michael Pollan (Rolling Stone)

Journey Colab scores $12M to move psychedelics-based addiction treatment into clinic (Fierce Biotech)

User perceptions of the benefits and harms of hallucinogenic drug use: A web-based questionnaire study (Drug Science)

Tripping the Reward Circuit: Psychedelics for Substance Use Disorders (Psychedelic Science Review)

Psychedelics Give a Glimpse of Enlightenment (Psychology Today)

7.15.22

Cannabis

Feds Must Defend Historical Rationale Of Banning Guns For Medical Marijuana Patients, Revised Lawsuit Argues After SCOTUS Ruling (Marijuana Moment)

‘Green way of life’: Thailand sees cannabis boom after law change (Al Jazeera)

Washington DC just legalized weed for all adults—but it’s locals only (Leafly)

Oklahoma, North Dakota, Arkansas, and Nebraska submit signatures to put cannabis on November ballot (Leafly)

Study Shows Decrease in Heavy Truck Crash Rates Since Cannabis Legalization (High Times)

NYPD Will Keep Testing Officers For Marijuana, Reversing Course Hours After Announcing Policy Change Mandated By City (Marijuana Moment)

Cannabis Laws in France Have Disproportionately Affected Muslims (High Times)

New York Firefighters Won’t Be Tested For Marijuana, Department Says Following NYPD Leak (Marijuana Moment)

Argentine Supreme Court Endorses Medical Cannabis Home Grow (High Times)

Pennsylvania Governor Signs Marijuana Banking And Insurance Reform Bill Into Law (Marijuana Moment)

Portland Weed Demand Hits Three-Year Low (High Times)

Pennsylvania Police Arrested Over 13,000 People for Marijuana Possession in 2021 (NORML)

The Fight for Medical Cannabis in Indonesia (High Times)

Weed, Like Change, Nourishes The Soil To Regenerate The Cannabis Industry (Forbes)

LSD

Why David Bowie wasn’t a fan of LSD (Far Out)

Magic Mushrooms

DEA May Find Itself In Federal Court Again Over Refusal To Provide Psilocybin Access To Terminally Ill Patients (Marijuana Moment)

Oregon therapeutic psilocybin program sparks some confusion (OPB)

MDMA

World's first ecstasy 'shop' set to trial in the Netherlands (Mixmag)

Luxury Champagne Recalled Again Over Ecstacy Contamination (Newsweek)

MDMA: Rolling from Counterculture to the Clinic Counter (Psychedelic Science Review)

Ayahuasca

Study suggests ayahuasca users tend to eat healthier, get more exercise, and experience physical and mental health benefits (PsyPost)

Ketamine

PharmaTher Announces Notice of Allowance for U.S. Patent Covering Ketamine for the Potential Treatment of Parkinson’s Disease and Motor Disorders (Psychedelic Alpha)

Miscellaneous

Ann Shulgin, Forerunner of Today's Psychedelic Re-Emergence, Dies at 91 (Transform Press)

House Approves Marijuana And Psychedelics Amendments As Part Of Must-Pass Defense Bill (Marijuana Moment)

What Ethnographers Have Learned from People Who Use Drugs (Undark)

Inside the Chemistry Lab Where the MDMA Godfather Synthesized Novel Psychedelics (DoubleBlind)

The Tory Leadership Candidates on Drugs (Volteface)

Filament Health Issued Third Patent By United States Patent and Trademark Office (Psychedelic Alpha)

Doctors Urge Access to Psychedelic Therapies in New Mexico (TIME)

Can Psychedelics Treat Inflammation and Eye Disease? Eleusis Thinks So. (Lucid News)

Villain Or Victim? Understanding The Role of Women In The Latin American Drug Trade (TalkingDrugs)

San Francisco’s New DA Vows to Ramp Up City’s Drug War (Filter)

The Battle for Psychedelic Patents (Psychedelic Spotlight)

How To Become a Psychedelic Therapist (DoubleBlind)

5 Countries Where Psychedelics are Legal (Psychedelic Spotlight)

7.22.22

Cannabis

Senate Leadership Introduces Legislation to End Federal Marijuana Prohibition (NORML)

District of Columbia: Mayor Signs Legislation Prohibiting Most Employers from Discriminating Against Cannabis Consumers (NORML)

Legal cannabis is producing more plastic waste than pot (Leafly)

Colorado Company To Research Cannabis As A Treatment For Parkinson’s Disease (Forbes)

Biden Says He’s ‘Working On’ Bill To Release Cannabis Inmates (High Times)

Germany, Luxembourg, Malta And The Netherlands Discuss Marijuana Legalization At Historic Joint Meeting (Marijuana Moment)

Colorado Springs Recreational Cannabis Initiative Qualifies for November Ballot (High Times)

Minnesota Is Home To America's First Cannabis Disc Golf Course (MIX 108)

House Passes Bill Permitting Weed Ads on TV and Radio (High Times)

Colorado's New Lead Marijuana Monitor Treks Through Heavy Issues (Westword)

Cannabis Telemedicine Launches in Montana (High Times)

Montana Marijuana Businesses Face Seemingly Endless Cycle Of Local Votes On Allowing Them To Operate (Marijuana Moment)

People Busted for Weed in the U.K. Could Lose Passports Under Proposed Rules (High Times)

Missouri Marijuana Legalization Measure In Danger Of Not Qualifying For Ballot (Marijuana Moment)

Denver officials want to save struggling cannabis delivery businesses (The Denver Post)

Study Finds Australians Support Cannabis Use Over Smoking Tobacco (High Times)

House Will Not Vote On Marijuana Amendments For Veterans And Public Housing Residents After Committee Snag (Marijuana Moment)

Marijuana use is higher among US states that have legalized recreational cannabis use (News-Medical)

LSD

The Doors of Expression: LSD Alters Epigenetics and Protein Induction (Psychedelic Science Review)

Science Feature: MindMed’s LSD Trial for ADHD (Microdose)

Watch John Lennon explain that 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds' was not about LSD (Far Out)

Magic Mushrooms

The Sloppy Science of Psilocybin Microdosing Surveys (Psychedelic Spotlight)

A single dose of psilocybin has long-lasting antidepressant-like effects in fruit flies (PsyPost)

Restrictions on Psilocybin ‘Magic Mushrooms’ Are Easing as Research Ramps Up (Scientific American)

MDMA

Patient safety issues halt trial for MDMA-assisted psychotherapy during Health Canada review (CBC)

'Corrective' measures ordered, but Health Canada says 2nd MDMA trial can continue (CBC)

DMT

Teenager Used LSD And DMT To Help Overcome Trauma, Case Report Says (IFLScience)

Ayahuasca

Churches sue to use hallucinogenic tea in religious practice (UPI)

The Global Ayahuasca Boom: What About the Conservation of the Ayahuasca Vine? (Chacruna)

5-MeO-DMT

The Story Behind a 1984 Hallucinogenic Pamphlet From Denton Is Just as Trippy as Its Subject (Dallas Observer)

Novel Psychoactive Substances

Mydecine Files Full Patent Application Covering MYCO-006 Family of Novel Short-Acting MDMA Analogs (Psychedelic Alpha)

Synthetic Cannabinoids

Weed vapes probably sending a toxic gas to your lungs, study finds (Salon)

Cannabis getting stronger with synthetic versions added leading to psychosis, report warns (Independent.ie)

Ketamine

Largest-ever clinical study of ketamine therapy shows that at-home model can be a safe, effective treatment for anxiety and depression; 62% fewer patients report suicidal ideation after four sessions (PR Newswire)

Ketamine Beneficial For Treating Neonatal, And Pediatric Epilepsy: Study (Medical Dialogues)

Miscellaneous

The Long, Strange Relationship Between Psychedelics and Telepathy (VICE)

DEA Sued Over ‘Unlawful’ Delays On Psychedelic And Marijuana Public Records Requests Through FOIA (Marijuana Moment)

Colorado Psychedelics Legalization Measure Qualifies for November Ballot (DoubleBlind)

Keeping the Hippie Dream Alive (The New York Times)

Accessibility Is Key for the Psychedelic Revolution (Pharmacy Times)

Podcast aims to raise awareness about future of psychedelic treatments (CBC)

Skip the trip – does the world need non-hallucinogenic psychedelics? (leafie)

New Regulations for Psychedelics? Here's What Investors Need to Know (The Motley Fool)

7.29.22

Cannabis

Weedmaps again advertising illegal marijuana retailers and products, complaints allege (Marijuana Business Daily)

Singapore Executes Man for Cannabis Trafficking (High Times)

House Passes Bipartisan Marijuana Research Bill, With Senate Expected To Send It To President Soon (Marijuana Moment)

Zimbabwe OKs First Medicinal Cannabis Sales (High Times)

Secret Australian marijuana facility exposes location after turning sky pink (The Washington Post)

Biden Administration Proposes Prisoner Swap To Free Brittney Griner (High Times)

Over 850 Doctors in Thailand Protest Pot Legalization (High Times)

Senator Files Bill To Allow Marijuana Advertising On TV And Radio In Legal States (Marijuana Moment)

The 'World's Biggest Cannabis Scam' Is Totally Unravelling (VICE)

Bronx Cannabis Hub Fosters Opportunity in Communities Hit Hard by Arrests (Filter)

Cannabis Users Less Likely to Face Complications After Spinal Fusion Surgery (High Times)

15 State Attorneys General File Brief Opposing Lawsuit To Help Put Medical Marijuana On Nebraska Ballot (Marijuana Moment)

Thai businesses cash in on cannabis, from milk tea to toothpaste (Reuters)

Missouri Marijuana Legalization Initiative Short Of Signatures Needed For Ballot In County Reviews (Marijuana Moment)

New Hampshire stands alone in New England as only state without legal marijuana (WMUR)

LSD

New Zealand Government Grants $650K For LSD Microdosing Trials (Benzinga)

Operation Julie: Rural Wales LSD bust becomes a musical (BBC)

Magic Mushrooms

DEA Sued Again Over Refusal To Allow Psilocybin Access For Patients Despite Federal Law (Marijuana Moment)

Why some of Colorado’s foremost shrooms advocates won’t be voting to legalize psilocybin (The Denver Post)

Legal psilocybin prescriptions in Canada (Drug Science)

Project Solace: The World’s Largest Medical Psilocybin Access and Data Project (Psychedelic Spotlight)

COMPASS Pathways launches phase II clinical trial of psilocybin therapy in anorexia nervosa (Psychedelic Alpha)

DMT

U.S. Patent Grant to Strengthen Small Pharma’s DMT Patent Strategy With Injectable Formulation (Psychedelic Alpha)

Novel Psychoactive Substances

DEA Cancels Proposed Ban Of Five Psychedelics, Giving Scientists More Time To Research Therapeutic Benefits (Marijuana Moment)

Working with Indigenous allies is the ethical way to develop psychedelic-based pharmaceuticals (STAT News)

Festival drugs: Warning over 'imposter' substances threat (BBC)

Ecstasy for the 21st Century: Designer Drugs to Improve MDMA Therapy (Psychedelic Science Review)

Synthetic Cannabinoids

Easy On The Eyes — This Company Reports Using a Unique Synthetic Cannabinoid Derivative To Treat Glaucoma (Benzinga)

Nitrous Oxide

Doctors warn ‘dangerous’ laughing gas is becoming an ‘epidemic’ amid rise in hospitalisations (The Independent)

A Law will Prohibit the Sale of Nitrous Oxide or “Laughing Gas” to Minors in Bulgaria (Novinite.com)

Ketamine

At Home Sublingual Ketamine Exhibits Rapid And Significant Antidepressant And Anxiolytic Effects (Medical Dialogues)

Ketamine found to be unlikely to lead to addiction (Medical Xpress)

Silo Pharma Announces Positive Results from its Topically Administered Formulation of Ketamine (Psychedelic Alpha)

Miscellaneous

Biden Administration Plans For Legal Psychedelic Therapies Within Two Years (The Intercept)

San Francisco Launches Bid to Decriminalize Psychedelics (Filter)

Your Genes May Determine How You React To Psychedelic Drugs (IFLScience)

The Psychoactive Substances Act on Trial (Volteface)

The High-Stakes Race to Engineer New Psychedelic Drugs (WIRED)

Trump Urges ‘Very Quick Trial’ and Death Penalty for Drug Dealers (High Times)

The Psychedelics Industry’s Next Hurdle Is How to Go Mainstream (Bloomberg)

One in four Americans say they’ve tried at least one psychedelic drug (YouGov)

Microdosing: Scientists tackle psychedelic trend becoming ‘creative enhancer of choice’ (The Sydney Morning Herald)

Think Wilder is reader-supported. If you enjoyed this month’s update, please consider helping out by becoming a patron, making a one-time donation, or sharing this post with a friend. Thank you for your support.

Disclaimer: "This Week in Psychedelics" does not censor or analyze the news links presented here. The purpose of this column is solely to catalog how psychedelics are presented by the mass media, which includes everything from the latest scientific research to misinformation.

6.3.22

Cannabis

Virginia: Approved Budget Recriminalizes Public Marijuana Possession Over Four Ounces of Marijuana (NORML)

Connecticut Gov. signs bill to crack down on weed gifting (Leafly)

North Carolina Senate Approves Medical Marijuana Legalization Bill (Marijuana Moment)

Study Finds THC Detected in Blood or Breath Does Not Indicate Impairment (High Times)

Medicinal cannabis reduces pain and the need for opiate painkillers among cancer patients (PsyPost)

North Carolina Lawmakers Advance Bill To Make Hemp Permanently Legal (High Times)

With veto, path to marijuana legalization in Delaware still open but fraught with unpredictability (WHYY)

FBI Marijuana Arrest Data May Be Critically Flawed, And DOJ Is Being Asked To Investigate (Marijuana Moment)

Louisiana Senate Approves Bill Allowing Public Employees to Use Medical Pot (High Times)

New York Senate Passes Gray Market Cannabis Bill (High Times)

Legal Cannabis Use Could Disqualify White House Intern Applicants (Forbes)

Texas Activists Say They Collected Enough Signatures To Put Marijuana Decriminalization On Another City Ballot (Marijuana Moment)

Gen Z Prefers Weed Over Booze (High Times)

Marijuana Research Has Exploded In Recent Years Despite Barriers Caused By Prohibition, New Study Finds (Marijuana Moment)

Peru Issues Draft Law to Allow and Regulate Patient-Grown Medical Cannabis (High Times)

New York Senate Approves Bill To Mandate Medical Marijuana Health Insurance Coverage (Marijuana Moment)

Austria Imports Record Amount of Medical Weed While Constitutional Challenges Loom (High Times)

Weed Joke on Jeopardy! Triggers Viewers (High Times)

LSD

Neuroscientists gain a deeper understanding of how LSD affects molecular brain activity (PsyPost)

Ceruvia Lifesciences to Supply LSD to Qualified Researchers at No Cost (PR Newswire)

Magic Mushrooms

Oregon Officials’ Rejection Of Rules For Spiritual And Religious Psilocybin Use Called Into Question (Marijuana Moment)

In Algeria, Ancient Cave Art May Show Psychedelic Mushroom Use (Atlas Obscura)

New studies shed light on the mysterious process by which psilocybin can rapidly improve depression symptoms (PsyPost)

B.C. company opens Canada's largest licensed psychedelic mushroom growing facility (CBC)

Policy and Legal Considerations for Religious and Community Use of Psilocybin Mushrooms under Oregon Measure 109 (Chacruna)

MDMA

A Balm for Psyches Scarred by War (The New York Times)

'Highly unusual': Methamphetamine found in MDMA tablets for the first time in New Zealand (Stuff.co.nz)

Peyote

The Navajo Nation to Protect the Sanctity of Azeé – Peyote Medicine from Legalization and Commercial Use (Chacruna)

Nitrous Oxide

Warning over climate threat from laughing gas used during childbirth (Sydney Morning Herald)

Linking nitrous oxide to climate risk is yet another example of the disdain shown to women’s pain (The Guardian)

Ketamine

Ketamine can treat depression — but teletherapy could make it accessible (Inverse)

Miscellaneous

Canada to decriminalize some drugs in British Columbia for three years (The Guardian)

Maryland Bill To Fund Psychedelics Research And Access For Veterans Takes Effect Without Governor’s Signature (Marijuana Moment)

DARE 2.0 is "Keepin' it Real" in US schools (Substance)

Indigenous and drug policy groups seek to preserve traditional approaches as psychedelic markets open in Oregon (OPB)

Michigan Activists Give Up 2022 Push For Psychedelics Legalization Ballot Initiative, Shifting Focus To 2024 (Marijuana Moment)

The Intertwined Prohibitionist Histories of Psychedelics and Kratom (Psychedelics Today)

Why this startup is encouraging employees to microdose psychedelics at work (Fast Company)

From Psychedelic Pharma To Crop Gene Editing - The UK’s Big Opportunity (Forbes)

Don’t Count on RFRA to Protect Psychedelic Churches (Lucid News)

Tripping over the potential of psychedelics for autism (Spectrum)

Understanding the Current Legal Status of Psychedelics in the United States (JD Supra)

Can you take the trip out of psychedelics and still treat depression? (New Scientist)

6.10.22

Cannabis

Thailand legalises cannabis trade but still bans recreational use (BBC)

Prescription cannabis products with more THC may ease chronic pain, at least a little, study finds (CNN)

North Carolina Senate Passes Medical Marijuana Bill To House, But Questions Loom About Further Action This Year (Marijuana Moment)

Delaware: Lawmakers Decline to Overturn Cannabis Legalization Veto (NORML)

Voters In Five Texas Cities Will Decide On Marijuana Decriminalization In November, Activists Say (Marijuana Moment)

Louisiana Legislature Passes Bill to Protect State Workers from Termination for Medical Cannabis (Ganjapreneur)

Portugal Group Demands Freedom to Vote for Personal Use of Cannabis (High Times)

The Rapidly Expanding Cannabis Industry Needs To Get Its Marketing Act Together, A New Report Finds (Forbes)

If you’re high your love life might not be as great as you think (New York Post)

Ukraine to Legalize Medical Cannabis, Health Minister Says (High Times)

Illinois Governor Signs Bill To Close Marijuana Expungement ‘Loophole’ (Marijuana Moment)

Inflation’s so insane Snoop Dogg gave his blunt roller a raise (Leafly)

Legal Cannabis Use Could Disqualify White House Intern Applicants (Forbes)

West Virginia Activists Are Collecting Signatures To Put Marijuana Decriminalization Measures On Local Ballots (Marijuana Moment)

Medical Cannabis & Sleep Disorders: What Do We Really Know? (The Fresh Toast)

Is the word ‘marijuana’ racist? (Leafly)

Opening the Curtain on Cannabis in the Opera (High Times)

LSD

LSD microdosing does not appear to improve mood or cognitive ability, according to new placebo-controlled study (PsyPost)

Magic Mushrooms

Clinical Trial in South Africa to Study Efficacy of Psilocybin on Women with HIV and Depression (High Times)

MDMA

Colorado Governor Signs Bill To Legalize MDMA Prescriptions Pending Federal Approval (Marijuana Moment)

Brexit helping cause harmful increase in fake ecstasy, study warns (The Guardian)

Ayahuasca

I Tried Everything. Then I Tried Ayahuasca. (Esquire)

Miscellaneous

Psychedelic Pharma’s Big Spin (Lucid News)

The Nationwide Reach of Harmful Drug “Paraphernalia” Laws (Filter)

Tracing The History of Hallucinogens in China (TalkingDrugs)

How psychedelic drugs might treat depression (BBC)

Bosses want to feed psychedelics to their staff (The Economist)

The Great Cannabis Microdosing PR Conspiracy (High Times)

6.17.22

Cannabis

Germany set to legalise sale of cannabis in licensed shops (Metro)

Study Finds Weekly Cannabis Use Has Minimal Impairment on Physical Health (High Times)

How cannabis-fed chickens may help cut Thai farmers’ antibiotic use (The Guardian)

Analysis: Cannabis Retailers Drive Economic Growth, Are Not Magnets for Crime (NORML)

Maine’s Legal Marijuana Stores Are Effectively Displacing Illicit Market, State Report Finds (Marijuana Moment)

New Zealand Leaders Demand Cops Stop Spraying Chemicals on Cannabis (High Times)

Study: Regular Cannabis Consumers Perform Better Than Occasional Users on Distracted Driving Tasks (NORML)

Kentucky Governor Issues Medical Marijuana Executive Order Creating Advisory Committee To Study Patient Access Options (Marijuana Moment)

Study Shows Medical Cannabis Enrollment Has Quadrupled (High Times)

EPA Warns Workers They’re Banned From Using Marijuana Or Investing In The Industry In New Memo (Marijuana Moment)

DEA Reports Significant Uptick in Marijuana-Related Seizures, Arrests (NORML)

Athens, Georgia on Cusp of Major Decriminalization Ordinance (High Times)

Teen Marijuana Use Dropped Dramatically In Colorado In 2021, State Study Finds (Marijuana Moment)

New Mexico Lawsuit Seeks Insurance Coverage for Medical Cannabis (High Times)

GOP Senate Candidate Pushes ‘Pot For Potholes’ Marijuana-Funded Infrastructure Plan In Hilarious Campaign Ad (Marijuana Moment)

Superior Court in Brazil Affirms Right to Cannabis Home Grow (High Times)

Federal Court Sides With Nebraska Medical Marijuana Activists In Lawsuit Over Ballot Requirements (Marijuana Moment)

West Virginia Advocates Collecting Signatures for Decriminalization Ballot Measures (High Times)

LSD

The Elephant in the Room is LSD (Lucid News)

Magic Mushrooms

Psilocybin-induced mystical experiences linked to lasting positive psychological effects (PsyPost)

Anticipating Legalization: Making Psilocybin Accessible (Cannabis Science and Technology)

Could magic mushrooms in care homes help curb fear of death? Psychedelic drugs could 'revolutionise' end-of-life treatment, expert says (Daily Mail)

MDMA

Paraguay May Be Shifting from Producing LSD and MDMA to Consuming Them (InSight Crime)

5-MeO-DMT

What’s the Best Way To Take 5-MeO-DMT in a Clinical Trial? (Technology Networks)

Iboga

Ibogaine Isn’t a “Cure” for Addiction—But It Can Be a Useful Detox Tool (Filter)

Synthetic Cannabinoids

Oregon ban on synthetic cannabis products will be nation’s first (Oregon Live)

Ketamine

Exploring Ketamine’s Antimicrobial Effects & Fungal Sources: Part 1 (Psychedelic Science Review)

The 'normalised' drug that the UK takes more of than any other country (Liverpool Echo)

Miscellaneous

Mind-Altering Drug Docuseries Lined Up At Netflix From Alex Gibney & Michael Pollan (Deadline)

Malaysia Ends Mandatory Death Penalty for Nonviolent Drug Crimes (High Times)

Is drug testing going to become a regular part of UK festivals? (iTV)

Missoula City Council measure would decriminalize hallucinogenic plants (Missoula Current)

Local Psychedelics Decriminalization Measure Stalls In Amherst, Massachusetts (Marijuana Moment)

The abuse of power in psychedelic retreats (leafie)

Psychedelics Can Help Boost Scientific Creativity, Review Finds (Analytical Cannabis)

NFTs Are Getting Psychedelic. Is It Worth the Trip? (Lucid News)

Michigan moves to outlaw fake urine as marijuana popularity soars (MLive)

6.24.22

Cannabis

Psychosis, Addiction, Chronic Vomiting: As Weed Becomes More Potent, Teens Are Getting Sick (The New York Times)

California may require labels on cannabis products to warn of mental health risks (OPB)

Vets And Medical Cannabis: It’s The Least We Can Do (Forbes)

Louisiana: Multiple Marijuana Reform Bills Signed Into Law; Measures Take Effect August 1 (NORML)

Spain Approves Medical Cannabis Reform: Pharmacy Dispensation Planned for End of 2022 (High Times)

Medical Marijuana Legalization Linked To Reduced Drunk Driving And Safer Roads, Study On Auto Insurance Data Suggests (Marijuana Moment)

Switzerland to Lift Ban on Medical Cannabis (High Times)

DEA Marijuana Busts Increased In 2021, Seizing Over 5.5 Million Plants (Marijuana Moment)

U.S. English Teacher Sentenced to 14 Years in Russia for Pot ‘Smuggling’ (High Times)

North Carolina House Republicans Block Senate-Passed Medical Marijuana Bill (Marijuana Moment)

Cannabis ‘Very Promising’ as Opioid Replacement, Early Study Results Show (High Times)

U.S. Supreme Court Denies Medical Marijuana Workers’ Compensation Cases (Marijuana Moment)

Study Shows Cannabis Use Could Lead to Increased Kindness and Empathy (High Times)

Senate Committee Votes To Let People Who’ve Used Marijuana Work For CIA, NSA And Other Intelligence Agencies (Marijuana Moment)

Analyses: Drug Interdiction Efforts at US Borders Typically Yield Only Small Quantities of Marijuana (NORML)

MLB Teams Can Now Be Sponsored By CBD Companies, Baseball League Official Says (Marijuana Moment)

Mississippi Supreme Court Upholds Life Sentence for Weed Possession (High Times)

Scientists find little evidence to show cannabis oils help end pain, according to major study (Daily Mail)

District of Columbia: Council Advances Legislation Prohibiting Most Employers from Discriminating Against Cannabis Consumers (NORML)

New Gene Technology Allows Growers To Boost THC Levels In Cannabis (Forbes)

LSD

‘I’m happier now and nowhere near as intense’: GoDaddy.com’s founder pivots to LSD (The Daily Dot)

Magic Mushrooms

Judges Deny Challenge to Psilocybin Patent (VICE)

COMPASS Pathways presents largest ever study of psilocybin therapy, at American Psychiatric Association annual meeting (Psychedelic Alpha)

Pa. bill to study of psilocybin – the drug in magic mushrooms – as mental health treatment languishes in Harrisburg (PhillyVoice)

Oregon County Considers Banning Legalized Psilocybin Therapy (Filter)

How an NHL Enforcer Broke His Body — and Turned to Psychedelics to Heal His Brain (Rolling Stone)

MDMA

MDMA trials under review in Canada over alleged abuse of study participants (The Guardian)

Canadian Firm Seeks Approval to Manufacture MDMA and Other Psychedelics (High Times)

DMT

DMT is Effective at Treating Depression, New Study Finds (Psychedelic Spotlight)

What do we see when dying? How a psychedelic trip can trigger at life’s end, and why we need to be better prepared for it (South China Morning Post)

Ayahuasca

An Ayahuasca Retreat Claims to Sell 'Miracles.' Former Workers and Guests Say It's Unsafe and Abusive. (VICE)

Another Phoenix Church Sues DEA Over Religious Use of Ayahuasca (Phoenix New Times)

The Ayahuasca King's Last Tour (The Texas Observer)

Ketamine

Tripping Through Motherhood: How Some Women Are Using Ketamine to Treat Postpartum Depression (Glamour)

Exploring Ketamine’s Antimicrobial Effects & Fungal Sources: Part 2 (Psychedelic Science Review)

Miscellaneous

After Six-Decade Hiatus, Experimental Psychedelic Therapy Returns to the V.A. (The New York Times)

Two psychedelic-related initiatives may be on the 2022 Colorado ballot (The Denver Channel)

Alliance launches to advance psychedelic healthcare in Europe (Psychedelic Health)

After Six-Decade Hiatus, Experimental Psychedelic Therapy Returns to the V.A. (The New York Times)

States are embracing psychedelics, paving the way for FDA approval (DoubleBlind)

Rabbi Ben Gorelick Plans to Use Religious Freedom Against an 8-Year Minimum Psychedelic Charge (High Times)

Numinus Applies for International Patent Filing of Psychedelics Production Process (Psychedelic Alpha)

The New Psychedelic Plot (The Wall Street Journal)

Efforts to Decriminalize Psychedelics Can Extend to Rural Places, Too (The Daily Yonder)

Recreational psychedelics remain far behind on legalization path (Pique Newsmagazine)

Psychedelic Therapy Will Not Save Us (Mad in America)

Mummies who mushroom: The mums using psychedelics to take the edge off modern parenthood (Harpers Bazaar)

Extending the Reach of Psychedelic Therapy With Psychoplastogens (Technology Networks)

The Great Microdosing Debate (Psychedelic Spotlight)

Celebrating the Psychedelic Dawn (Lucid News)

Think Wilder is reader-supported. If you enjoyed this month’s update, please consider helping out by becoming a patron, making a one-time donation, or sharing this post with a friend. Thank you for your support.

Disclaimer: "This Week in Psychedelics" does not censor or analyze the news links presented here. The purpose of this column is solely to catalog how psychedelics are presented by the mass media, which includes everything from the latest scientific research to misinformation.

Policy

Rhode Island became the 19th state in the U.S. to legalize the possession, use, cultivation, and purchase of cannabis by adults 21 and older. Several additional states will decide whether to legalize cannabis in November.

Voters in Austin, Texas approved a ballot measure that will decriminalize misdemeanor cannabis possession in the city. The measure will also prohibit police from issuing citations for residue or paraphernalia in place of a possession charge.

The governor of Connecticut signed a budget bill that included a part that will allow the state to provide selected patients access to psychedelic treatments. The bill will create psychedelic treatment centers where patients can receive psychedelic therapy under an expanded access program through the FDA.

Industry

Field Trip Health Ltd. announced that it will be separating into two independent publicly-traded companies. Once the transaction is completed, the two companies will be named Reunion Neuroscience Inc. and Field Trip Health and Wellness Ltd.

Research

More studies found benefits from using psychedelics, including the largest-ever trial testing LSD for anxiety, a significant reduction in symptoms of depression after using psilocybin, and some promising data showing that psilocybin may also be capable of treating anorexia.

Harm Reduction

DanceSafe released updated guidance for safely checking drugs. The new instructions are included with every reagent drug testing kit that the company sells and they are also accessible online via PDFs. This harm reduction information may go a long way toward keeping drug users safe, including the real possibility of saving lives.

Miscellaneous

Several psychedelic activists were arrested at the DEA headquarters during a protest over psilocybin access for terminal patients. The event called attention to the administration’s obstruction of Right to Try statutes at the federal and state level that could allow for the legal use of psychedelics.

A new report showed a large surge of microdosing that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, nearly 50% of the survey respondents said they began microdosing because of the pandemic.

Additional Top Stories

Elon Musk advocates for psychedelic drug use as alternative to antidepressants (MARCA)

Senator’s Wife Secretly Gave Him Psilocybin to Alleviate Depression (Psychedelic Spotlight)

The Trials of Rick Doblin (The Cut)

Psychedelic Patents are Broken Because the Patent System Is Broken (VICE)

(Psychedelic Spotlight)

Behind the Scenes on the First Study To Compare the Effects of LSD and Psilocybin (Technology Networks)

That’s all for this month’s update. Remember to always test and weigh your drugs and until next time—keep thinking wilder.

Think Wilder is reader-supported. If you enjoyed this month’s update, please consider helping out by becoming a patron, making a one-time donation, or sharing this post with a friend. Thank you for your support.

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