FridayFeb 03, 2023 11:12 am

Senators in Virginia Approve Measure Rescheduling Psilocybin

Drug reform supporters in Virginia recently secured a major win after Virginia senators voted in favor of a psilocybin-rescheduling bill. The initiative, introduced by Senator Ghazala Hashmi, would reschedule psilocybin to a lower schedule and establish a psilocybin advisory board to oversee the study of the psychedelic’s therapeutic potential. The bill received overwhelming approval from the Senate Education and Health Subcommittee on Health Professions and passed after a 6 to 1 vote in its favor. Interestingly, the legislation, which will now advance to the full committee for further consideration, is a narrower version of a bill Hashmi filed during the…

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ThursdayFeb 02, 2023 12:44 pm

Why You Shouldn’t Worry About Addiction Risk in Ketamine Infusions

The past couple of years have seen a surge in psychedelic research that has revealed potential therapeutic benefits in using hallucinogenic drugs such as ketamine and psilocybin to treat mental health issues. Although most of this research is in its infancy due to prohibitionist laws that have prevented psychedelic research for decades, the findings are extremely promising.  Researchers have found that even a single dose of a psychedelic such as ketamine can result in profound and long-lasting mental health benefits. As such, Big Pharma and investors are pouring millions of dollars into the research and development of psychedelic-assisted therapies. With…

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WednesdayFeb 01, 2023 12:50 pm

Congressional Researchers Highlight Rift Between State-Level, Federal Drug Laws

Dozens of states have launched medical and recreational cannabis industries over the past two decades amid a wave of drug reform that has swept across the country. In the past couple of years, reformists in several states have also begun campaigns to legalize, or at least decriminalize, psychedelic drugs as initial research has shown that those drugs have potential as mental health treatments. However, while states are increasingly adopting permissive drug policies, federal law still bans the production, distribution and use of drugs such as cannabis and psychedelics even though millions of people across the country now use them either…

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TuesdayJan 31, 2023 12:42 pm

Study Looks into Effects of Hallucinogenic Mushrooms on Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is a mental illness affecting 2.8% of the U.S. population and around 46 million people worldwide. The disorder is characterized by extreme mood swings that include emotional lows (depression) and highs (mania or hypomania). Although there is no permanent cure for bipolar disorder, the condition and its symptoms can be managed through treatments such as mood stabilizers, antidepressants and atypical antipsychotics. In addition, researchers are always on the hunt for safer and more effective treatments for complex mental diseases such as bipolar disorder. A study that was recently published in the “Journal of Psychopharmacology” sought to understand the…

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MondayJan 30, 2023 11:24 am

VA Official Highlights Need for Psychedelic Guidance for Veterans

During a recent webinar, an official of the Department of Veterans Affairs revealed that the agency was closely observing psychedelics policy and research as the reform wave continued to sweep across states in the country. Dr. Ilse Wiechers, deputy executive director of the Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, offered insights into the VA’s view on psychedelics. Wiechers stated that the department had been working on plans to progress its policies on psychedelics, revealing that some officials had also held meetings with external and internal stakeholders including agencies funding research on psychedelics. She continued that while the VA wasn’t…

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FridayJan 27, 2023 10:47 am

Oregon Bill Seeks to Track Legal Users of Psychedelics

During the November 2020 elections, voters in the state of Oregon approved ballot measure 109, which directed that the state’s Health Authority license and regulate the manufacture, purchase, sale, transportation and delivery of psilocybin products as well as the provision of psilocybin services. The resolution also prevented the state’s government from collecting sensitive information from individuals without consent. It did so by deliberately failing to use a medical model in an effort to make psilocybin services available for different purposes outside of therapy. This meant that clients who accessed these services wouldn’t qualify for protection under the federal law that…

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WednesdayJan 25, 2023 11:56 am

Virginia Legislators Reject Medical Psilocybin Measure

Efforts to increase psilocybin access in Virginia ran into a wall after state lawmakers rejected a measure that would have allowed residents to purchase and use psilocybin for medical use with a doctor’s recommendation. The initiative, introduced by Delegate Dawn Adams, would have provided protections for patients who use psilocybin to treat post-traumatic stress disorder, refractory depression, or “ameliorate end-of-life anxiety.” The bill had been revised from a previous version from Adams to focus more on using psilocybin for medical purposes. However, a House Courts of Justice committee chose to table the measure in a five to three vote, effectively…

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TuesdayJan 24, 2023 12:39 pm

Legislator in New Hampshire Introduces Measure to Legalize Psychedelics

A legislator in the state of New Hampshire recently introduced a measure that would legalize the use and possession of psychedelics such as psilocybin and LSD by individuals aged 21 and above. Psilocybin is the main psychoactive compound found in hallucinogenic mushrooms that induces a high when ingested, while LSD (lysergic acid) is a synthetic psychedelic drug that causes hallucinations when ingested. This is not the first time a psychedelic measure has been introduced in the state. In 2022, Rep. Tony Labranche introduced a measure that would have decriminalized the possession of psilocybin by adults. Despite enjoying bipartisan support, the…

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MondayJan 23, 2023 1:44 pm

Nonprofit in Oregon Launches Training Program for Psilocybin Facilitators

Oregon became the first state in the United States to allow psychedelic use after it legalized the use of psilocybin by adults in 2020. A psychedelic compound that occurs in magic mushrooms, psilocybin is one of many other psychedelics that are said to have immense potential as effective mental-health treatments. Initial studies have shown that psilocybin may be able to alleviate the symptoms of mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression and substance-use disorder, especially when paired with psychotherapy. Generally, psychedelic-assisted therapy involves undergoing a psychedelic experience under a trained physician followed by several hours of counseling to teach the patient…

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FridayJan 20, 2023 11:22 am

Debate Over the Use of Apps in Psychedelic Therapy Grows

With at least one in five Americans said to experience mental illness at least once a year and more than 2.7 million youth suffering from severe major depression, interest in safe and effective mental health treatments is at an all-time high. Initial research has uncovered that psychedelics such as MDMA, psilocybin and ketamine may be able to mitigate the symptoms of conditions, including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and eating disorders. As such, pharmaceutical companies, institutional investors and billionaires are pouring millions of dollars into the development of psychedelic-assisted therapies. To ostensibly reduce the burden on healthcare professionals and make psychedelic-assisted…

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