A lot happened in the world of psychedelics in February. A Central American country legalized medical marijuana, another Michigan city decriminalized psychedelics, some ups and downs involving MDMA therapy research, a new U.S. drug-checking mail program, and a caution about natural forms of 5-MeO-DMT.
There’s a lot to get through this month, so without further ado, let’s jump into the news:
Policy
Wins
Costa Rica became the latest country in Central America to legalize medical marijuana after President Carlos Alvarado signed the bill into law. Earlier this year he vetoed the bill due to a lack of limits on individual cultivation and consumption, but after lawmakers made those revisions he approved it.
Another Michigan city decriminalized psychedelics and activists are now pursuing a statewide policy change. Hazel Park is the third city in the state to decriminalize psychedelics after Ann Arbor and Detroit.
Research
Published Studies
There was a lot of news involving MDMA therapy, including a follow-up from a Phase 3 clinical trial of MDMA therapy for PTSD that found the drug to be safe and effective. Another study found that the treatment significantly reduced eating disorder symptoms. And a separate analysis suggested that MDMA therapy for PTSD could save the healthcare system millions of dollars.
But not everything involving MDMA therapy research was positive. A disturbing video was released showing sexual abuse and scenes of traumatic events that took place during an official MAPS trial. This has come on the heels of Cover Story, a podcast dedicated to this very topic. It remains to be seen if the criticisms involving improprieties that occurred during clinical research will have any impact on whether MDMA therapy is legalized by the FDA or not.
Harm Reduction
Although its still in its early stages and not available to the public yet, the U.S. now has a free, rapid drug-checking mail program. I look forward to the day when anyone who wants to test a drug sample has access to do just that. After all, testing your drugs is one of the first things you should do before consuming them! (The other is weighing them, because eyeballing a dose is a sure-fire way to eventually have a really bad time.)
Miscellaneous
With the recent increase in demand for 5-MeO-DMT, the Sonoran desert toad that produces this psychedelic compound is in danger. Many people believe that using a synthetic version of the drug is preferable to extracting it from these toads, especially considering the fact that their population is under serious stress. If you are considering working with 5-MeO-DMT it would be a good idea to familiarize yourself with this phenomenon so you can make an intelligent decision about which route to take.
That’s all for this month’s update. Remember to always test and weigh your drugs and until next time—keep thinking wilder.
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