Psychedelics

Lawmakers in Missouri’s House of Representatives have given preliminary approval to a budget bill that would spend $10 million from state opioid settlement funds on research grants to study the use of psilocybin to treat opioid use disorder. The measure, HB 2010, underwent several amendments in the House on Tuesday and is scheduled for a third reading and likely floor vote on Thursday. An addition made in a House committee last week would have put the $10 million toward studying… Read more.

A Maryland bill to establish a psychedelics task force to study legal access to substances like psilocybin and DMT is heading to the governor’s desk. The House of Delegates unanimously passed the Senate-approved legislation in a 137-0 vote on Tuesday. A House companion version has also received initial approval in the Senate, but it’s still pending a third and final reading before it can be sent to Gov. Wes Moore’s (D) desk. This comes just one week after committees in both chambers… Read more.

Colorado lawmakers advanced an amended social media bill on Thursday that, as introduced, would have forced platforms to ban users for talking positively about marijuana online. But while the sponsor says the issue has now been “worked out” with recent changes, critics contend the revised legislation still fails to address concerns around statements regarding other substances, including state-legal psychedelics, certain hemp products and even some over-the-counter cough syrups. The bill, SB24-158—a broad proposal concerning internet age verification and content policies—would… Read more.

Connecticut lawmakers have approved a bill to decriminalize psilocybin in a bicameral committee. About two weeks after the legislature’s Joint Judiciary Committee first discussed the psychedelics proposal, members approved it on Tuesday. The legislation would make possession of up to one-half an ounce of psilocybin punishable by a $150 fine, without the threat of jail time. A second or subsequent violation would carry a fine of at least $200 but not more than $500. A person who pleads guilty or no… Read more.

Congressional leaders have unveiled a second package of spending legislation to keep the government funded, with provisions included that would continue to block Washington, D.C. from legalizing marijuana sales, fund psychedelics-related clinical trials and more. House and Senate appropriations leaders released the bill on Wednesday after reaching an agreement on the remaining Fiscal Year 2024 spending that wasn’t included in separate legislation enacted earlier this month. The plan is to pass the package ahead of a Friday deadline when the… Read more.

Denver is going to introduce a thorough psychedelic response training program, which has been planned for over four years. Law enforcement, mental health specialists, and emergency responders who work in Denver's City and County are the target audience for this program. This was first presented on March 11 by the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS). Following Denver's historic decision in 2020 to legalize small amounts of psilocybin mushrooms, the Denver Psilocybin Mushroom Policy Review Panel created the Psychedelic Crisis Assessment and Intervention… Read more.

The Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), a 34-year-old nonprofit research and educational organization “that develops medical, legal, and cultural contexts for people to benefit from the careful uses of psychedelics and marijuana,” announced in a press release on Monday that it “has partnered with the City and County of Denver to provide comprehensive training on psychedelic crisis assessment and intervention to the city’s first responders.”  The Psychedelic Crisis Assessment and Intervention training was “commissioned by the Denver Psilocybin Mushroom Policy Review… Read more.

A Maine House committee is considering a bill to legalize psilocybin, allowing adults to access the psychedelic at licensed facilities while broadly ending the criminalization of personal use and possession of psilocybin. During a hearing before the legislature’s Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee on Wednesday, members—two of whom disclosed personally using psilocybin in the past—discussed the psychedelics proposal, sponsored by Sen. Donna Bailey (D), who filed a similar version of the proposal in 2022 that passed the Senate but stalled out in… Read more.

The governor of Massachusetts is promoting the testimony of activists who spoke in favor of her veterans-focused bill that would, in part, create a psychedelics work group to study the therapeutic potential of substances such as psilocybin. During a hearing before the legislature’s Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs on Tuesday, psychedelics reform advocates urged members to pass the Honoring, Empowering, and Recognizing our Servicemembers and Veterans (HERO Act) that Gov. Maura Healey (D) introduced last month. This comes as… Read more.

Vivek Ramaswamy, a 2024 Republican presidential candidate, says he would federally legalize Schedule I drugs such as marijuana and psychedelics for military veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) if he’s elected. His plan involves having the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provide access to the currently illegal substances as an alternative to fentanyl. During a virtual town hall event ahead of the Iowa caucus, Ramaswamy was asked why medical cannabis hasn’t been federally legalized and took the opportunity to tout his… Read more.

Alaska lawmakers have filed a pair of bills to create a state task force responsible for studying and making recommendations on psychedelic policy issues, including frameworks for legalization and licensure for therapeutic practitioners. Sen. Forrest Dunbar (D) and Rep. Jennie Armstrong (D) introduced identical companion versions of the legislation on Monday. The bills would establish an Alaska Mental Health and Psychedelic Medicine Task Force under the state Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development. The body would be comprised of… Read more.

Another Michigan city has approved a resolution to locally deprioritize enforcement of laws against psychedelic substances, while expressing support for a statewide bill to legalize certain etheogenic plants and fungi. On Tuesday, the Ypsilanti City Council took testimony from supporters and passed the psychedelics measure in an unanimous 6-0 vote. The whereas section states that psychedelics can “catalyze profound experiences of personal and spiritual growth, have been shown by scientific and clinical studies and traditional practices to be beneficial to… Read more.

Bipartisan Washington State lawmakers prefiled a Senate bill last week that would allow nonprofits to provide psilocybin services to clients 21 and older so long as the organizations “have an explicit goal of promoting wellness for and assisting military veterans or first responders.” Sponsored by Sens. Jesse Salomon (D) and Ann Rivers (R), SB 5977 appears to build on the state’s limited psychedelics pilot program signed into law last year, which is also aimed at serving veterans and first responders, including… Read more.

As California’s 2024 legislative session gets underway, a Republican lawmaker has filed a revised bill to create a state workgroup that would be tasked with exploring a regulatory framework to provide therapeutic access to psychedelics like psilocybin and ibogaine. The legislation from Assemblymember Marie Waldron (R) would also allow health professionals to administer certain psychedelics to military combat veterans for the treatment of mental health conditions upon the enactment of such a framework. The newly amended language represents an expansion… Read more.

Tusko the elephant was recently honored in a tribute by Guinness World Records, the official repository of amazing human feats and natural world extremes. Tusko, a male Indian elephant at the Oklahoma City Zoo, died as a result of a sad experiment involving an extremely high dose of LSD undertaken for scientific purposes in the early 1960s. During the 1950s and 1960s, researchers investigated LSD's effects on animals such as dolphins and cats, with goals such as mind control and improved animal… Read more.

President Joe Biden signed off on a new defense bill that includes provisions for funding clinical trials on the therapeutic potential of psychedelic drugs for active-duty military personnel. The president approved 2024’s National Defense Authorization Act on Dec. 22, a week after Congress green lit the package and sent it to his desk earlier last month. In a statement, Biden made no remarks or references to the specific language regarding psychedelic treatment for military members. The NDAA allocates $10 million for the Department… Read more.

As the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers an application to approve MDMA as a prescription drug, new standards from the American Medical Association (AMA) have officially taken effect that assign psychedelics-specific codes to collect data on the novel therapies. AMA approved Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) III codes for psychedelic medicines in July after collaborating with the psychedelics-focused MAPS Public Benefit Corporation (MAPS PBC) and COMPASS Pathways. Those codes, which took effect on Monday, could eventually be used for health providers… Read more.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is now calling for the production of even more THC, psilocybin and DMT for research purposes than it initially proposed for 2024—raising its quotas for those drugs while maintaining already high production goals for marijuana and other psychedelics. In a notice set to be published in the Federal Register on Wednesday, DEA said it received comments from registered manufacturers requesting increases to previously proposed 2024 quotas for the Schedule I substances in order to “meet medical… Read more.

Nevada psychedelics activists say they’ve had a “productive meeting” with the Republican governor’s office about the need to expeditiously form a task force under a law enacted earlier this year in order to inform future reform—including the possible legalization of plant-based medicines. About six months after Gov. Joe Lombardo (R) signed legislation into law establishing a Psychedelic Medicines Working Group, members have not yet been formally appointed and no meetings have been scheduled, despite a mandate for the body to issue… Read more.

Psychedelics policy came sharply into focus in 2023, with advocates chalking multiple wins as the drug policy reform movement’s momentum continued to expand beyond marijuana at the local, state and federal levels. It was a year defined by firsts: historic federal legislation signed into law mandating psychedelics clinical trials, first-ever Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidance on conducting research using entheogenic substances, a novel congressional hearing, psilocybin services opening in Oregon and a new opportunity to legalize MDMA as a… Read more.

Lawmakers in Provincetown, Massachusetts, voted this week to adopt a resolution in support of decriminalizing the use, possession and noncommercial sharing of psychedelic plants and fungi. It’s the seventh municipality in the state to deprioritize arrests for entheogens. The statement also calls on the county district attorney to cease prosecutions for psychedelics-related activity as well as for simple possession of all drugs. Further, it urges state lawmakers to amend a pending proposal that would legalize psychedelics in all of Massachusetts and could… Read more.

Results of a new clinical trial published by the American Medical Association “suggest efficacy and safety” of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for treatment of bipolar II disorder, a mental health condition often associated with debilitating and difficult-to-treat depressive episodes. “The 15 participants in this trial had well-documented treatment-resistant BDII depression of marked severity and a lengthy duration of the current depressive episode,” authors wrote. After seven psychotherapy sessions, one involving a single dose of psilocybin, the paper says, study subjects “displayed strong… Read more.

A bipartisan bill in Wisconsin aims to make it easier for researchers to treat patients with acute post-traumatic stress disorder with psilocybin, WPR reports. The measure would create a trust fund called the “medicinal psilocybin treatment program” that would be administered by the University of Wisconsin-Madison, which launched a center for studying psychedelics to treat PTSD in 2021. State Sen. Jesse James (R), one of the bill’s sponsors, told WPR that the “federal government has failed us when it comes to marijuana and the… Read more.

An Arizona Psilocybin Research Advisory Council will meet for the first time on Tuesday to start the process of providing millions of dollars in grant funding to support research into the therapeutic potential of psychedelic mushrooms. The council—which was established under the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) as part of large-scale budget legislation that the governor signed in May—is meeting about a month before officials plan to open an application period for potential grant recipients. The legislature has appropriated $5… Read more.

According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, the year 2020 saw an average of 17 veterans per day taking their own lives. Veterans who served in Middle Eastern conflicts experience PTSD at a rate nearly three times higher than their counterparts from the Vietnam War. Suicide stands as the second leading cause of death among veterans. 22 Pushups a day became in viral internet meme as people would do pushups to bring awareness to veteran suicide rates. The national committee affiliated with… Read more.

Vivek Ramaswamy, a 2024 Republican presidential candidate, says that if he’s elected, he would remove federal restrictions on marijuana and psychedelics such as ayahuasca and MDMA to free up access for military veterans suffering from serious mental health conditions. The entrepreneur has previously discussed his support for psychedelics reform, but he’s now calling for descheduling as part of his veterans policy platform that’s meant to take a “holistic approach” the high rates of substance misuse and suicide within the veteran population.… Read more.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is soliciting proposals to develop psychedelics into treatments for substance use disorder (SUD), with plans to issue $2 million in grant money toward the research projects during fiscal year 2025. The funding opportunity will support research into a range of substances that might be used treat addiction, including “classic psychedelics” such as psilocybin and LSD, empathogens such as MDMA, dissociatives such as ketamine and other hallucinogens, including ibogaine and its analogues. The NIH listing… Read more.

A study published in September in the journal Psychedelic Medicine found a majority of respondents – randomly selected American Psychiatric Association (APA) members – moderately or strongly believed that hallucinogens show promise in treating psychiatric conditions (80.9%) and substance use disorders (60.8%). A majority of those surveyed also moderately or strongly supported research into hallucinogens‘ therapeutic potential for psychiatric conditions (93.9%) and substance use disorders (88.6%), as well as federal funding of associated clinical trials – 84.7% and 80.9%, respectively. The survey was… Read more.

A biopharmaceutical company this week unveiled the results of a clinical trial it says showcases the potential of psychedelics as a mental health treatment. The findings come via Cybin, a Canadian company “committed to revolutionizing mental healthcare by developing new and innovative next-generation psychedelic treatment options.” According to the company, the results centered around CYB003, Cybin’s “proprietary deuterated psilocybin analog” that showed “a rapid, robust and statistically significant reduction in symptoms of depression three weeks following a single 12mg dose compared to… Read more.

A Minnesota psychedelics task force charged with studying the medical benefits of psilocybin, MDMA and LSD and preparing the state for possible legalization will convene on Monday for its first meeting, at which members are expected to select a chairperson and lay out the trajectory of the coming months. The group must return a final report to the state with findings and recommendations by January 1, 2025, and at least one key lawmaker says he plans to file a reform… Read more.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is proposing a dramatic increase in its 2023 production quotas for marijuana compounds and psychedelics like psilocybin and ibogaine to “support research and clinical trials” into the substances. DEA wants to nearly double the amount of psilocybin, psilocyn and delta-9 THC that’s manufactured compared to initial levels set for this year, while quintupling how much ibogaine is produced. It also wants 23 times as much of “other tetrahydrocannabinol,” raising the quota from 15,000 grams to… Read more.

A study published last month in the journal Scientific Reports suggests that individuals who use psychedelics tended to have better mental health outcomes during the coronavirus pandemic than non-users.    The researchers concluded that “users of hallucinogenic drugs scored better on various dimensions that were clearly affected by the recent COVID-19 pandemic, like psychopathology, wellbeing, and post-traumatic growth. This was even clearer in the case of regular users of these drugs.” For the study, researchers recruited a sample of 2,971 participants for… Read more.

Detroit, Michigan officials last week closed the building that formerly housed the psychedelic religious institution Soul Tribes International Ministries, the Detroit Free Press reports. The church, which offered psilocybin mushrooms as a sacrament, was raided by police in September.  Detroit Councilman James Tate shared an image of the padlocked door and a Notice of Building Closure dated October 18 on Facebook and thanked officials for helping to protect the neighborhood.    Shaman Boby Shu told the Free Press that the move is a “total violation” of… Read more.

A federal appeals court panel heard arguments on Friday in the case of a Seattle-based doctor who’s asking the federal government reschedule psilocybin, part of his effort to clear a path for terminally ill cancer patients to legally use the substance to help treat end-of-life depression and anxiety. Lawyers for the doctor say the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) dropped the ball when rejecting the psilocybin rescheduling petition outright, arguing that they agency instead should have referred the matter to the… Read more.

A congressional subcommittee’s hearing on the use of psychedelic-assisted treatments for mental health disorders that was originally scheduled for Thursday has been postponed, the panel announced after another failed vote to elect a House speaker on Wednesday. It’s not yet clear when the rescheduled event will be. The hearing of the House Veterans Affairs’ Subcommittee on Health was set to be the first time federal lawmakers ever convened a formal hearing primarily to discuss how entheogenic substances such as psilocybin… Read more.

Marianne Williamson, a 2024 Democratic presidential candidate, says the federal government should “fully legalize” certain psychedelics like psilocybin for therapeutic use and cover the costs for patients under a universal healthcare system. In a new plan focused on mental health, Williamson laid out 10 proposals that she said would help address the country’s “record levels of suicide, depression, anxiety, and toxic stress.” That includes legalizing psychedelic-assisted therapy with full insurance coverage. “For some of the most widespread mental health challenges we… Read more.

Signature gathering has officially kicked off to qualify an initiative for California’s 2024 ballot that would spend $5 billion to create a state agency focused on advancing research and development of psychedelic therapies. Known as the TREAT California Act, the measure would not itself change the legal status of any substances. Rather, it would establish a state agency called the Treatment, Research, Education, Access and Therapies (TREAT) Institute, which would identify opportunities for advancing scientific research and development into the therapeutic… Read more.

Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a bill into law which would allow California doctors to immediately begin writing prescriptions for MDMA and psilocybin medications should the federal government choose to reschedule them. Gov. Newsom signed AB 1021 on Saturday in an effort to prepare California doctors ahead of expected federal movement regarding psychedelics like MDMA and psilocybin, which have increasingly shown effectiveness against several different mental health related issues. MDMA and psilocybin mushrooms are currently considered Schedule 1 narcotics under the Controlled… Read more.

The City Council in Portland, Maine, has voted to deprioritize the local enforcement of laws against psychedelic plants and fungi, adopting a resolution on Monday that emphasizes treating the use and possession of all controlled substances as a public health matter. The body voted 6–3 in favor of the resolution, which says that the arrest and prosecution of people for possession, use, cultivation for personal use or sharing without compensation should be the lowest law enforcement priority for the city.… Read more.

What The Israelis Are Currently Studying In The Psychedelic Field For several decades now, Israel has been a global leader when it comes to scientific marijuana research. It was also Dr. Raphael Mechoulam, an Israeli chemist, who was responsible for first isolating THC and labeling it as the primary psychoactive compound in the plant back in 1965. Israel is far more advanced compared to any country in the world when it comes to cannabis research, even the US. That’s because the federal government still… Read more.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) launched a new podcast last week about the future of veteran health care, and the first episode of the series focuses on the healing potential of psychedelics. Hosted by VA Under Secretary for Health Shereef Elnahal, episode one of the New Horizons in Health podcast featured discussion from two other VA doctors—Ilse Weichers, executive director of the Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, and Joshua Woolley, whom the department describes as one… Read more.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) has signed a bill that would allow doctors to immediately start prescribing certain currently illicit drugs like psilocybin and MDMA if they’re federally rescheduled, and he also approved separate legislation to amend THC variance testing requirements for marijuana. The governor signed off on the measures—which are just two of more than a dozen cannabis and drug policy reform proposals on his desk—on Saturday. AB 1021, sponsored by Assemblymembers Buffy Wicks (D), Isaac Bryan (D) and Corey… Read more.

At a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) workshop about psychedelic medicine earlier this month, the director of mental health for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) said she thinks research into psychedelic-assisted therapy needs to more closely resemble real world scenarios. Requiring subjects to have specific diagnoses and pass strict screening protocols, she said, makes it impossible to accurately generalize the effects of such treatment on patients. “There has been great interest in this,” said Rachel Yehuda,… Read more.

Detroit Police last week raided the city’s first “psychedelic church,” operated by Soul Tribes, which offers psilocybin mushrooms as a holy sacrament, the Detroit Metro Times reports. The raid came days after the Metro Times published a cover story about the church.  Owner Shaman Shu believes the raid violates Proposal E, which was approved by voters last year and decriminalized the possession of entheogenic plants and fungi, including psilocybin mushrooms, in the city. The church includes a “sacrament center” which sells dried psilocybin mushrooms,… Read more.

London, England-based psychedelics startup incubator Beckley Waves has raised $3.3 million in seed funding, Axios reports. The firm backs startups focused on therapies, education, and software.  Investors in the raise include the Joe and Sandy Samberg Foundation, Satori Neuro, Evolve Ventures and Foundation, Bridge Builders Collaborative, 1440 Foundation, Austin Hearst, and Asia Agnelli.  Daniel Love, a partner at Beckley, told Axios the company plans to use the funds to launch two companies and “make a handful of strategic investments.” Love added that… Read more.

New York Firm Predicts Psychedelic Drugs Market Will Generate Over $12B In Next 12 Years The burgeoning interest in psychedelic substances and their potential applications has caught the attention of Research Nester, a New York-based strategic consulting firm. In their latest global market research analysis, they have peered into the future of the psychedelic drugs market, projecting trends and growth prospects through the year 2035. The results of this comprehensive study paint a promising picture, indicating significant expansion in the industry… Read more.

The California Assembly has approved a Senate-passed psychedelics legalization bill, sending it back to the opposite chamber for concurrence on recent amendments before the measure potentially heads to the governor’s desk. The Assembly cleared the legislation from Sen. Scott Wiener (D) in a 42-11 vote on Wednesday—a significant victory for advocates after an earlier version of the psychedelics reform measure that also passed the Senate ultimately stalled out in the Assembly last year. The bill would legalize the possession and… Read more.

A California Senate-passed bill to legalize the possession and facilitated use of certain psychedelics is officially heading to the Assembly floor after being approved by a third committee in the chamber, albeit with several substantive amendments. The Assembly Appropriations Committee also cleared a separate Senate-passed measure on Friday that would prohibit employers from asking job applicants about prior marijuana use. The panel adopted technical amendments, so it will need to return to the Senate for concurrence before moving to the floor. The… Read more.

While underage marijuana use has remained stable amid the legalization movement, a new federally funded study shows that adult consumption of cannabis, as well as of psychedelics, reached a “record high” last year. The annual Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey—which is conducted by the University of Michigan with support from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)—found that past-year marijuana use among those aged 19-30 hit 44 percent in 2022, while 28 percent of older adults aged 35-50 said they… Read more.

Psilocybin therapy's role in addiction treatment is not a recent exploration. Recent studies have notably illuminated the burgeoning potential of this emerging psychedelic therapy. It exhibits promise in aiding individuals contending with substance use disorders, spanning the realms of alcohol and nicotine addiction. These studies underscore the growing interest in harnessing psilocybin's therapeutic effects to address the complex challenges of addiction, potentially opening doors to innovative and effective approaches for those in need. Originating from the appropriately labeled "magic" mushrooms, this compound's extensive… Read more.

A Minnesota government psychedelics task force is being built out to prepare the state for the possible legalization of substances like psilocybin and ibogaine. But even though appointments to the panel are behind schedule and it missed a deadline to hold its first meeting by August 1, the lawmaker who championed its creation says he isn’t worried about the delays. Gov. Tim Walz (D) signed the psychedelics legislation into law in May as part of a broader omnibus health and human services package.… Read more.

Bipartisan congressional lawmakers are cheering the passage of marijuana and psychedelics amendments that were included in a spending bill that was approved by the House of Representatives on Thursday. While not every drug policy reform amendment that lawmakers proposed made it in the final legislation covering Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies (MilCon/VA), two key measures did advance. One would allow U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) doctors to issue medical cannabis recommendations to veterans, and the other would encourage research… Read more.

The U.S. House of Representatives has approved amendments to a large-scale spending bill that would allow U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) doctors to recommend medical cannabis to military veterans and promote research into substances like psilocybin and MDMA. Just one day after the House Rules Committee made the measures in order for floor consideration, they passed on the floor on Wednesday and are advancing as part of appropriations legislation covering Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies (MilCon/VA). The medical… Read more.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Department of Defense (DOD) are strongly against the use of marijuana for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)—but they’re taking a neutral position on psychedelics like psilocybin and LSD, simply saying that more research should be done. In an update to their joint clinical practice guidelines, the departments provided recommendations on a variety of therapeutics used to treat PTSD and acute stress disorder that commonly afflict military veterans. And while many… Read more.

The mayor of Minneapolis has issued an executive order making the criminalization of possession, use and cultivation of psychedelics the city’s lowest law enforcement priority and generally preventing local resources from being used to aid federal and state actions against the substances. The chief of police says he stands with the mayor and will direct officers accordingly. Mayor Jacob Frey (D) signed the order on Friday, sending a strong message that the city does not consider substances like psilocybin to… Read more.

Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) tacitly endorsed rapper Wiz Khalifa’s plan to get “stoned af” on marijuana before throwing the ceremonial first pitch at a Pittsburgh Pirates game this week. But the artist’s plans apparently involved cannabis and psilocybin mushrooms. Khalifa first said that he planned to get high before the game on Monday, and Fetterman quoted the tweet with a photo of him holding up his flag that says “It’s 420 Somewhere.” The senator has been known to use flags to promote his… Read more.

Hallucinogenic mushrooms may be to blame for US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen's cringeworthy bows to China's vice premier after she ordered four portions at dinner three nights before their meeting, sources claim. Jian shou qing mushrooms, which have psychedelic properties if they are not cooked thoroughly, formed part of a traditional dish Yellen polished off at Beijing restaurant Yi Zuo Yi Wang on July 6. The usually stately politician, 76, then came under fire from Republican opponents for bowing to her Chinese counterpart, He Lifeng, three days later… Read more.

A GOP congresswoman is touting recently released Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidance on psychedelics research and calling for additional work to study the therapeutic benefits of marijuana for military veterans. In a speech on the House floor on Wednesday, Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA) talked about the need to support “novel forms of research” to unlock the potential of psychedelics and cannabis for the treatment of conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that commonly afflict veterans. “As a doctor, former director of… Read more.

Bipartisan congressional lawmakers are celebrating the inclusion of a psychedelics research amendment as part of a must-pass defense bill that’s on the House floor—and a GOP congressman says he has the commitment of the House speaker to fight to broaden the scope of the measure in talks with the Senate. At a press conference that took place shortly after the House Rules Committee advanced the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) with the psychedelics language that were previously attached in the… Read more.

Bipartisan lawmakers pushed for the adoption of marijuana and psychedelics amendments as part of a large-scale defense bill at a House committee meeting on Tuesday—but the proposals’ fate remains uncertain following complications over unrelated measures being pushed by conservative members. The House Rules Committee did clear 290 largely non-controversial amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for floor votes as the leadership negotiates with House Freedom Caucus members who are demanding adoption of contentious measures on issues like abortion,… Read more.

The University of California, San Diego Psychedelics and Health Research Initiative has received a $1.5 million gift to study the effects of DMT on the brain. Philanthropist Eugene Jhong gifted the funds to the university for the research. Jon Dean, PhD, a postdoctoral scholar in the UC San Diego Department of Anesthesiology and director of the Division of DMT Research at the UC San Diego Psychedelic Health and Research Initiative, is one of the principal investigators of the study. In… Read more.

Political strategists in Massachusetts have quietly filed paperwork to put a therapeutic psychedelics legalization initiative on the state’s 2024 ballot. The newly formed Massachusetts for Mental Health Options (MMHO) committee submitted initial documents to the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance (OCPF), signaling their intent to secure ballot placement for the measure, details of which are currently sparse. An organization statement filed last week says that the purpose of the group will be to “expand mental health treatment options… Read more.

An important step has been taken toward the acceptance and legitimacy of psychedelic therapies with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) release of a ground-breaking draft guidance addressing the special issues investigating psychedelics for therapeutic reasons. This change occurs when municipalities and states nationwide push more for the study and control of drugs like psilocybin and MDMA. The FDA's draft guidance provides researchers with a framework to design clinical trials that yield interpretable results, supporting the development of psychedelic medicines. As the… Read more.

Last week, Australia made headlines around the world for being the first country ever that legally allowed MDMA and magic mushrooms to be prescribed by licensed psychiatrists for the treatment of mental health conditions. This is surprisingly good news albeit controversial, considering that medical marijuana laws are still lagging behind Down Under. Psilocybin magic mushrooms and MDMA have both been approved as medications by the Therapeutic Goods Administration; the former for certain kinds of treatment-resistant depression and MDMA for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These regulations became… Read more.

Bipartisan congressional lawmakers are applauding the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for releasing first-ever draft guidance on psychedelics research—a development that they had requested through a new bill just days before the agency took the step. Reps. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA) and Ro Khanna (D-CA) filed the legislation this month. And while FDA didn’t say that its decision to release the guidance was directly responsive to the measure, it’s precisely the action that the first part of the bill… Read more.

Physicians in Australia can now prescribe doses of MDMA and psilocybin to patients suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and hard-to-treat depression, the Associated Press reports. The reforms make Australia the first nation in the world to allow doctors to prescribe psychedelics as medicine.  The move was announced in February but took effect July 1.  Both MDMA and psilocybin have been added to the list of approved medicines by the Therapeutic Goods Administration but will be expensive – about AU$10,000 (US$6,600) per patient for treatment, the report… Read more.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a 2024 Democratic presidential candidate, says that he would legalize marijuana and psychedelics if elected to the White House—and he’d tax both substances, using revenue to create “healing centers” where people recovering from drug addiction could learn organic farming as a therapeutic tool. He also voiced support for freeing up banking services for the cannabis industry. The candidate’s position on drug policy reform had been vague around the time he entered the race—but it’s quickly come… Read more.

A New Jersey Senate committee held a hearing on Monday to discuss a bill that would legalize the possession, home cultivation and gifting of psilocybin mushrooms for adults 21 and older while also creating a system of licensed businesses to provide access to the psychedelic and related services in supervised settings. The Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee took up the legislation from Senate President Nicholas Scutari (D)—hearing testimony from experts and people whose lives have been directly… Read more.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) is calling on lawmakers to take steps allowing him to issue mass pardons for people with prior psychedelics convictions as the state prepares to implement regulations for legal use of substances like psilocybin and ibogaine. At a the MAPS Psychedelic Science 2023 conference in Denver on Wednesday, the governor—as well as former Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R)—spoke about the therapeutic potential of entheogenic plants and fungi, advocating for legal access. Polis, who recently signed a psychedelics… Read more.

High costs and regulatory hurdles still need to be overcome by psychedelics industry. Business opportunities in the world of psilocybin, MDMA, and other mind-bending substances are still limited, but that doesn’t mean the industry is standing still, as demonstrated by the 12,000 attendees from all over the world at the Psychedelic Science 2023 conference in Denver this week. There were only cursory mentions Wednesday during the conference’s business panels of the burgeoning psilocybin trade that has cropped up in California,… Read more.

ESPN and CNN are both pushing the envelope on psychedelics, with CNN having a new show, called "The Whole Story", with Anderson Cooper, and ESPN focusing on athletes that are finding hope with the use of psychedelics. While NY Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers has openly discussed his psychedelic use, most athletes are just trying them now for medicinal purposes. Let's cut the to the ESPN storyline as the show opens! A boxer was overwhelmed by a sense of brokenness. Each morning greeted… Read more.

“My mind is constantly racing every second, a new thought or a new idea. Sometimes it feels like a million voices at once, but I have learned... cannabis helps calm the voices down and I get more focused,” says the Grammy-winning musician and producer Wyclef Jean in an exclusive interview. The artist shared his thoughts on cannabis, its connection to hip-hop culture and his own journey with the plant during an interview before performing at The Grass Is Greener Gathering in Hadley,… Read more.

Consumption of “magic” mushrooms and other hallucinogens by young adults nearly doubled over the past three years, a new study has found, illustrating the accelerating pace of America’s “psychedelic revolution” and growing societal acceptance of mind-altering drugs. Researchers found that 6.6 percent of adults from ages 19 to 30 used hallucinogens other than LSD, a category dominated by psilocybin, in 2021, up from 3.4 percent in 2018. LSD use by young adults rose from 3.7 percent to 4.2 percent in… Read more.

Most North American Blacks say they have little-to-no participation with psychedelics. When I think about Blacks in North America and psychedelics, I have the tendency to consider the past with regards to the awareness, the availability, and the knowledge of this group and their current state of mind on the topic. Believe me, I don’t want to bring up race. I don’t want to think about the unstructured and poverty-stricken environments. I don’t want to think about the mishandling of… Read more.

A California Senate-passed bill to legalize the possession of certain psychedelics and facilitated use of the substances is up against a “challenging road” toward passage in the Assembly, the sponsor said on Wednesday. At a virtual event hosted by the Psychedelic and Entheogen Academic Council (PEAC), Sen. Scott Wiener (D) said that while the reform legislation advanced through his chamber, “it’s not guaranteed to pass” in the Assembly. “But we’re going to try the very best we can,” he said. Part of… Read more.

The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper, a CNN Original, continues with immersive new reporting from CNN Correspondent David Culver, as he travels to Jamaica to explore the therapeutic benefits of medically supervised consumption of psilocybin, also known as magic mushrooms. “Magic Mushrooms: Can They Change Your Mind?” premieres Sunday, June 18 at 8pm ET/PT. The naturally stunning landscape of Jamaica is the backdrop for a resort that hosts psychedelic retreats, where it is legal to grow and consume magic mushrooms.… Read more.

Researchers Aim To Combine Psilocybin and Cannabis Into Single Medical Treatment According to a product patent from the renowned marijuana laboratory, CaaMTech, substantial strides have been made in developing a comprehensive treatment that combines cannabinoids and psilocybin for treating both physical and mental health concerns. Located in Issaquah, Washington, less than 20 miles southeast of Seattle, CaaMTech is aggressively researching the interactions between these two chemicals as well as the potential effects on physical and mental health. The initial stages of their enhanced… Read more.

The Nevada legislature has given final approval to a bill to create a new working group to study psychedelics and develop a plan to allow regulated access for therapeutic purposes. It now heads to the governor’s desk. The Assembly passed the measure from Sen. Rochelle Nguyen (D) in a 40-0 vote on Sunday, one day ahead of the scheduled end of the session. This comes days after it cleared the full Senate, as well as an Assembly committee on Friday. There was… Read more.

Combining cannabinoids with psilocybin into a single formula for treating both physical and mental health issues took another step closer to reality as described in a product patent from a major cannabinoid laboratory, CaaMTech. CaaMTech, based in Issaquah, Washington, less than 20 miles southeast of Seattle, is analyzing how the two substances interact with each other as well as the specific physical and mental health outcomes that can be expected. Their purified psilocybin-cannabinoid product is in the early development stages… Read more.

The Minnesota legislature has sent a large-scale health policy bill to the governor that contains provisions to create a psychedelics task force meant to prepare the state for possible legalization. About one month after the House initially passed the omnibus legislation including language similar to a standalone psychedelics measure sponsored by Rep. Andy Smith (D), both chambers passed a bicamerally negotiated conference report on Monday that retains the provisions. It first cleared the Senate in a 34-32 vote. The House followed suit… Read more.

A top federal health agency is soliciting proposals for a series of research initiatives meant to explore how psychedelics could be used to treat drug addiction, with plans to provide $1.5 million in funding to support relevant studies. As public interest in the therapeutic potential of psychedelics continues to grow, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) this week published three notices of funding opportunities (NOFOs) for research projects to better understand how drugs like psilocybin and ayahuasca could help… Read more.

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) last week signed the state’s $17 billion budget bill into law; the budget includes about $5 million dedicated to whole-mushroom psilocybin research, the Arizona Mirror reports. Renowned medical cannabis and psychedelics researcher and principal investigator at the Scottsdale Research Institute Dr. Sue Sisley — who had pushed for the funding — said the $5 million was a good starting point for medical psilocybin trials. Additionally, the funding’s emphasis on whole mushroom research makes it unique from most other studies… Read more.

OUR busy lives can lead many to find solutions to stress, such as hobbies and therapy, but this man is one of many beginning to administer a unique solution. Nate Howard is one of the first licensed "shamans" who is helping administer magic mushrooms to help those struggling with PTSD, depression and anxiety. Oregon began issuing licenses this year for those looking to guide others through their "trips", but Nate says the interest in psilocybin is nationwide. Consuming the drug can be… Read more.

A Dr. Phil episode that features mothers touting the benefits of magic mushrooms shows that psilocybin is becoming more mainstream, SFGate reports. “Moms on Mushrooms”: A Growing Trend?, which aired May 4, shows two mothers who claim the use of magic mushrooms has benefited their mental health and made them parents. “I’m not as reactive,” Tracey Tee said. “I think before I speak. I don’t get as upset. ... It just softens everything and allows me to be more present, more present with… Read more.

The Connecticut House on Wednesday approved a measure to decriminalize small quantities of psilocybin mushrooms, CT Examiner reports. Under the proposal, penalties for possessing less than a half ounce of psilocybin mushrooms would be reduced from a misdemeanor with penalties of up to a year in jail to a simple infraction with a $150 penalty for the first offense.  The measure passed the chamber 86-64 with two Republicans backing the plan and 13 Democrats opposing it.   Under current state law, for second offenses courts… Read more.

Following voters' narrow approval of a measure on the 2022 November ballot, Colorado became the second state in the U.S. to legalize the use of psychedelic drugs. This decision indicates the increasing acceptance and use of psychedelic substances nationwide. So far, a dozen counties and cities in the U.S. have decriminalized psilocybin or psilocin, two psychedelic compounds found in "magic mushrooms." As we covered at the Benzinga Psychedelics Show in Miami, what states are more being more progressive about LSD, mushrooms, and… Read more.

Creso Pharma has signed a deal to acquire 100% of Australia-based Health House International (HHI), which is focused on international distribution of medical cannabis products and possesses a number of licenses to store, distribute, import, and export controlled substances, including psilocybin and MDMA.   In a statement, Creso CEO Willam Lay said HHI “has an enviable set of licenses” that Creso can use to its “immediate benefit, and adds another growing revenue channel to the group.”  Combining Creso Pharma’s revenue and… Read more.

Parties exchanged legal barbs over religious freedom and the Controlled Substances Act. A U.S. federal judge ruled that a lawsuit by an Arizona religious group seeking legal approval to use a hallucinogenic tea in its rituals can proceed. The Arizona Yage Assembly claims the federal government seized four shipments of ayahuasca tea, which contains dimethyltryptamine (DMT), from Peru. DMT is classified as a Schedule I controlled substance under U.S. law, making it generally illegal to manufacture, distribute, or possess. According… Read more.

The company asked its shareholders to reject a slate of directors offered up by FCM MM Holdings. Mind Medicine (MindMed) Inc. (Nasdaq: MNMD) (NEO: MMED) reported a net loss of $24.8 million for the first quarter ended March 31, compared with $18.5 million for the same period in 2022. The company does not have revenue to report at this time. Cash Levels As of March 31, MindMed had cash and cash equivalents totaling $129.4 million, compared with $142.1 million at the end of December 2022.… Read more.

“My mind is constantly racing every second, a new thought or a new idea. Sometimes it feels like a million voices at once, but I have learned... cannabis helps calm the voices down and I get more focused,” says the Grammy-winning musician and producer Wyclef Jean in an exclusive interview. The artist shared his thoughts on cannabis, its connection to hip-hop culture and his own journey with the plant during an interview before performing at The Grass Is Greener Gathering… Read more.

Psilocybin, the primary psychoactive compound in "magic mushrooms," has been associated with recreational drug use and 1960s counterculture. However, recent research over the past two decades has shown that it can potentially treat various mental and behavioral health disorders. Health Canada has approved a comprehensive psilocybin trial on 160 patients, including macro and multi doses, by Apex Labs Ltd. This Canadian biopharmaceutical firm is also advancing at-home psilocybin microdose studies and supporting veteran patients. The trial has been deemed "statistically powered." SUMMIT-90… Read more.

A Republican North Carolina lawmaker and a bipartisan group of cosponsors have filed a bill to create a $5 million grant program to support research into the therapeutic potential of psilocybin and MDMA and to create a Breakthrough Therapies Research Advisory Board to oversee the effort. The legislation from Rep. Edward Goodwin (R) wouldn’t legalize the psychedelics, but it would provide funding for two competitive grants through the state Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for eligible research initiatives focused on… Read more.

University of Iowa (UI) researchers are conducting a pilot study using psilocybin and ketamine as a treatment for alcohol use disorder, the Daily Iowan reports. The study will be conducted as a head-to-head comparison of the compounds; half of the study participants will be given psilocybin and the other half will be given ketamine and neither the researchers nor the subjects will know which the participants will receive.  Study participants will start by having an MRI scan and a meeting with a therapist.… Read more.

While most people in the cannabis industry are gearing up for the high holiday of April, 20 or 420, our good friends in the psychedelic industry have their own day of celebration. It’s called Bicycle Day and it falls on April 19. The history is that on April 19, 1943, Albert Hofmann, the Swiss father of psychedelic medicine, dropped lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) at 4:20 pm, interestingly enough, and went on a bike ride, becoming the first human to trip on LSD. According to… Read more.

Results from an advanced clinical trial assessing psilocybin-assisted therapy for patients with cancer and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) conducted by oncology center Sunstone Therapies were published in the acclaimed JAMA Oncology. The open-label Phase 2 study tested psilocybin paired with psychological support in 30 patients with curable and incurable cancer. Participants were divided into cohorts of 3 to 4 and each was given a 25 mg single dose of COMPASS  CMPS-0.10%+ Free Alerts’ synthetic psilocybin COMP360. Dosing was done simultaneously on… Read more.

Clinical-stage biopharma company atai Life Sciences  ATAI-6.00%+ Free Alerts announced the dosing of the first subject in majority-owned subsidiary Perception Neuroscience’s Phase 1 intravenous-to-subcutaneous bridging study of proprietary R-ketamine, PCN-101. Open-label, the trial is set to assess safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetic profile of 60mg, 90mg and 120mg of PCN-101 delivered subcutaneously as compared to 60mg of the compound delivered intravenously in 16 healthy volunteers across four cohorts. PCN-101 is a single isomer of ketamine and belongs to a new generation of glutamate receptor modulators -pharmacologically,… Read more.

Nevada lawmakers have approved a revised bill that would create a new working group to study psychedelics and develop a plan to allow regulated access for therapeutic purposes. While the legislation before the Senate Health and Human Services Committee as introduced would have legalized psilocybin and promoted research into the psychedelic, as well as encouraged studies of MDMA, the panel adopted an amendment that scales it back significantly. As approved in a voice vote on Thursday, Sen. Rochelle Nguyen’s (D)… Read more.

A trial conducted by biotechnology company Small Pharma found that the psychedelic DMT could improve symptoms of depression when used in conjunction with therapy. In the study, which used intravenous DMT dosing, 14 participants out of 34 were in remission from depression within three months and nine remained in remission up to six months.  The study, which utilized a proprietary synthetic formulation of DMT known as SPL026, has not been peer-reviewed.  In a press release, Dr. Carol Routledge, chief medical and… Read more.

A bill to allow psychedelic therapies in Washington state has stalled, but lawmakers are considering legislation to allow military veterans and first responders to access a pilot program for the treatment, the Seattle Times reports. The pilot program bill has passed the Senate and last week was approved by the House Committee on Health Care and Wellness.  Under the measure, pilot program participants would have to be 21 and older, and have experienced substance use disorder, depression or anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder.… Read more.

The Missouri House last week approved a measure that would require the state to conduct studies on psilocybin to treat depression, substance abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder, or use as part of end-of-life care, the Missouri Independent reports.   This bill requires the state Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) to provide more than $2 million in grants for the research, subject to lawmakers approving the appropriation. The state would collaborate on the study with a Missouri university hospital or medical center operated by the U.S.… Read more.

A bipartisan group of congressional lawmakers filed a bill this week to clarify that federal “Right to Try” (RTT) laws give seriously ill patients access to Schedule I drugs, including marijuana and psychedelics like psilocybin and MDMA. While the bipartisan measure would make a technical amendment to the text of existing law, the primary purpose is to clarify—in the face of Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) objections—that RTT policy as signed into law by then-President Donald Trump already means that patients with terminal… Read more.

The Hawaii Department of Health (DOH) says that it would be prudent for the state to legalize certain psychedelics like psilocybin and MDMA to prepare for a likely federal policy change allowing their use for medical treatment. At a hearing before the Senate Health and Human Services Committee last week, DOH testified on a pair of resolutions that call for the establishment of an advisory council to study and make recommendations on approving psychedelic medicines. Members of the panel ultimately… Read more.

A congressional committee has approved a bill that aims to ramp up criminalization for fentanyl-related substances, while also streamlining research into Schedule I drugs like marijuana and certain psychedelics. The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA), passed the House Energy & Commerce Committee with amendments on Thursday. An amendment in the nature of a substitute was adopted by the panel, striking original provisions of the bill and replacing them with updated language that lays out penalties for fentanyl-related offenses… Read more.

Nevada senators held a hearing on a bill to legalize the possession of psilocybin on Thursday, discussing a proposed amendment to remove therapeutic use provisions and taking extensive testimony from advocates and experts—including from an Assembly lawmaker who shared his own experience with ketamine treatment. The Senate Health and Human Services Committee took up the legislation from Sen. Rochelle Nguyen (D), which under the amendment would remove criminal penalties for possession of up to six ounces of the psychedelic for adults… Read more.

A Hawaii Senate committee approved a House-passed bill on Wednesday that would create an advisory council to look into possible regulations to provide access to federal “breakthrough therapies” like psilocybin and MDMA. The psychedelics legislation from Rep. Adrian Tam (D) advanced, with amendments, in the Senate Health and Human Services Committee in a 5-0 vote. Members took testimony from advocates and experts, including a representative of the Department of Health, which voiced support for the proposal. All 20 people and organizations that… Read more.

Oregon regulators have approved the nation’s first-ever psilocybin production license under a novel state-based regulatory framework for broad access to the psychedelic that voters approved in 2020. The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) announced on Wednesday that they’ve granted a psilocybin manufacturer license to the woman-owned business Satori Farms PDX LLC. The so-called magic mushrooms produced at the manufacturing facility will help supply future businesses where people can go to have the psychedelic administered in a supervised environment. Regulators were tasked… Read more.

A newly-formed political action committee aims to back candidates for office that back the use of psychedelics for therapeutic purposes, NBC News reports. The Psychedelic Medicine PAC also aims to secure federal funding to further education and research efforts for psychedelics but stops short of calling for full legalization or decriminalization of the substances. In an interview with NBC News, Ryan Rodgers, co-founder and executive director of Psychedelic Medicine PAC, said the group has “to convince a historically stubborn audience around psychedelics that it’s… Read more.

Analysis The vibes are different. Deepak Chopra is advocating for psychedelic therapy as a gateway to higher collective consciousness. SXSW patrons are invited to take off their shoes and meditate in a dark room while a harpist plays along to music written by plants. New apps like Aimi offer AI-generated music that adapts to your mood and effectively functions as a responsive, customizable “Lo-fi hip-hop beats to relax/study to.” Jeff Tweedy of Wilco is performing three songs about his dead father at the Audible party… Read more.

SHAMAN Adriano Delgado Alvarado blows pure tobacco smoke into my face while chanting and shaking the shacapa plant over my scalp. He is cleansing my body of evil spirits ready to take the potent psychedelic drug ayahuasca — championed by Prince Harry in his online interview with self-help guru Dr Gabor Maté. Dr Maté endorses and promotes The Temple of the Way of Light healing centre in the Peruvian rainforest, where Shaman Adriano works. Harry told how he took ayahuasca to help him deal… Read more.

My first experience with psychedelics was with my mom when I was 22. We decided to grow our own when we couldn't find mushrooms in Alabama. After 14 years, we still take mushrooms together, and it has brought our family closer together. At 22 years old, I had my first psychedelic experience. My self-appointed trip guide gave me a half-eighth of psilocybin mushrooms. I figured the few dry stems and one button-sized cap weren't enough to do anything. But I trusted my… Read more.

Santa Fe calls itself “The City Different” in New Mexico’s Land of Enchantment, but could it change you into a different person while visiting? Less than six hours by car from Denver, Santa Fe is close enough for a weekend away or for spring break without a long flight. Yet this small city is like a world away from the Front Range in terms of the vibe and activities. From art to a transformational retreat, there are many mind-altering —… Read more.

Military veterans trying to overcome the horrors of war are increasingly finding themselves in an unlikely position — persuading Republican politicians to legalize the healing power of ancient psychedelic plants. DailyMail.com spoke with former Marines, Navy Seals and others left traumatized by America's brutal campaigns overseas who have turned to psilocybin mushrooms and other natural drugs to help fight their inner demons. Left-leaning Oregon and Colorado have started to let psilocybin, the psychoactive ingredient in 'magic' mushrooms, be used in supervised drug journeys to counter depression and… Read more.

PROVIDENCE — An Instagram account this week made fun of the state legislators who have proposed decriminalizing “magic mushrooms.” An image posted by the “What’s going on in Rhode Island” account shows Representative Brandon C. Potter and Senator Meghan E. Kallman against a backdrop of gigantic mushrooms and a psychedelic rainbow swirl. More than 2,200 people “liked” the image, and some of the comments were scathing. “Can always count on the Democrats to find new ways to try to buy votes,”… Read more.

On the Revel events usually feature one major celebrity interview. In the past, it has been Styles P and Al Harrington. At their latest winter conferece at City Tech Theater in Brooklyn, NY on Feb. 25, rapper Vic Mensa was the final act of the day. Mensa has his own cannabis brand, 93 Boyz, based in Illinois. Last year, he was arrested for possessing LSD and psilocybin mushroom products at Dulles International Airport in Washington, DC. In June, he made a plea deal that allows for unsupervised probation for one year.… Read more.

The first two months of 2023 have shown expansive interest in bold drug policy reform in state legislatures across the country—most recently, with the introduction of numerous new bills touching on everything from psychedelics legalization to authorizing safe drug consumption sites. Lawmakers in several states will conduct hearings on such reform proposals over the next week. The marijuana legalization movement continues to spread and evolve, but it’s become quickly apparent this session that legislators are eager to more holistically move… Read more.

In the heart of the Ecuadoran Amazon live the Cofan Avie, masters of ayahuasca -- the powerful hallucinogenic concoction said to open the door to the "spirit" world. Here, they call it "yage" and consume it for health and wisdom. "God once lived here on this planet", recounts Isidro Lucitante, the patriarch and shaman of nine Indigenous Cofan Avie families spread over 55,000 hectares of river and jungle along the border with Colombia. This god "pulled out one of his hairs… Read more.

Fungi have attracted attention in recent years for their potential in aiding our brains' growth and functionality. And no, we're not just talking about the psychedelic ones. The lion's mane mushroom, for one, has long had a reputation for various mental health benefits, with recent research supporting its potential in reducing risk for depression or limiting damage from Alzheimer's disease. In a new study conducted by an international team of scientists, researchers identified compounds in the lion's mane mushroom (Hericium erinaceus) – an edible fungus… Read more.

Stepping into the world of illustrator Andi Astra, founder and creative director of SpookyGirl, a colorful home decor, art and apparel brand that boasts more than 150.000 social media followers, is like taking a journey to a different universe. From their base in Honolulu, Hawaii, Andi brings a world of science fiction, color and creativity to life. With a passion for exploring identity and pushing boundaries, Andi's work as SpookyGirl celebrates creative self expression and questions societal norms. What’s more, through… Read more.

Psychedelic mushroom producer First Person (FP) has set terms for a downsized $6M initial public offering. First Person, which raises mushrooms for nutritional, nutraceutical and therapeutic purposes, said in a filing that it's planning to offer 1M shares priced between $5.50 and $6.50, which should raise around $6M if priced at the midpoint. Underwriters would be granted a 45-day option to buy up to a 150K additional shares to cover over-allotments. EF Hutton is serving as sole bookrunner. The company hopes to list… Read more.

The psychedelic Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) Market, currently estimated at $1.6 billion, is expected to rise at a CAGR of 13.2% over the next ten years and be worth $6.1 billion by the end of 2033. That's according to Persistence Market Research’s latest study, conducted by a team of experts in management, medicine and engineering. “Increasing cGMP practices, growth in the pharmaceutical API manufacturing industry and increasing research on the impact of psychedelics on mental health are factors propelling the global market,”… Read more.

Prince Harry shares many personal stories in his sweeping memoir Spare — like the time he took magic mushrooms at Courteney Cox's Los Angeles home. The Duke of Sussex, 38, revealed in his bestselling book that he is a "Friends fanatic" and took comfort in the hit NBC sitcom while navigating panic attacks after completing his second tour of Afghanistan a decade ago. Harry wrote in Spare that he became anxious around crowds and cameras after returning to London, so he started staying home. "Day after day, night after… Read more.

A Mexican senator announced on Wednesday that she will be introducing a bill to legalize and regulate psychedelics nationwide to give people an alternative treatment option for serious mental health conditions. At an Intercultural Forum on Entheogenic Medicine that took place in the Senate, Sen. Alejandra Lagunes of the Ecologist Green Party said that substances like psilocybin and ayahuasca have “high therapeutic potential, low toxicity and don’t create physical dependence or abuse.” U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) also made remarks… Read more.

Core One Labs' Akome Partners To Study Next-Gen Psychedelics A subsidiary of Core One Labs  CLABF has signed a contract with Fundació Bosh I Gimpera to begin second-phase studies evaluating the therapeutic potential of its bio-compounds (both alone and combined with psychedelic substances). The studies would progress Akome Partners’ pre-clinical development stage of novel psychedelic drug alternatives for the treatment of central nervous system (CNS) disorders including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, ischemic stroke and depression. Previous studies conducted by Spanish and Italian institutions included bioassay trials… Read more.

While national headlines might make it sounds like psychedelic mushrooms are now available for adults in Oregon, that’s not the case. Oregon’s legal therapeutic psilocybin program officially began on Jan. 2, but there are currently no licensed facilities, facilitators or even manufacturers of the substance, all of which are required, at the same time, for legal consumption of “magic mushrooms” in the state. It’s not hard to see why there is some confusion over the nuances of Oregon’s law – psilocybin… Read more.

Welcome to State of Mind, a new section from Slate and Arizona State University dedicated to exploring mental health. Follow us on Twitter. If you’re on TikTok or Instagram, you may have encountered one of nurse Julie McFadden’s viral videos about all things death and dying. Hospice Nurse Julie, as she’s known, shares just how beautiful and difficult dying can be, and has a thing or two to say about how we can make things better for the many people who suffer… Read more.

It may seem far-fetched to have a health insurance company pay for an ecstasy or magic mushroom trip, but the psychedelics market is already crunching the statistics and proposing US insurers. Early results from clinical trials on substances like MDMA and psilocybin have been encouraging. In the middle of what is often regarded as a mental health crisis, many of these initiatives target a few of the most expensive and challenging mental health conditions while they are still happening. Researchers and executives… Read more.

Brand New Study Shows How Psychedelics Light Up Neuropathways In The Brain - More Fascinating Insight Into How Psychedelics Work Psychedelics are all the rage right now. And for good reason: these trippy substances have so much more therapeutic value than we thought. Drugs that were once used for recreation have been proven to have physical and mental benefits, treating several ailments that even pharmaceutical drugs have failed to despite being around for several decades. Plus, psychedelics don’t have the same side effects… Read more.

As Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) works to enact marijuana reform before the end of Congress, he’s also pushing to promote access to psychedelics that he says hold therapeutic potential. In a video posted to Twitter on Monday, the senator talked about how psychedelics like psilocybin are strictly controlled under federal law as Schedule I drugs, which places “a lot of limitations” on them. “But at the same time, we’re having massive breakthroughs in a lot of the research,” he said,… Read more.