This Week in Psychedelics - 11.17.17

Image by Dahtamnay, courtesy of Creative Commons licensing.

Cannabis

• Colorado girl suing U.S. attorney general to legalize medical marijuana nationwide (KDVR)
• Smoking marijuana shouldn't be a disqualifying factor for federal judgeship: Top senators say (The Washington Times)
• New York Adds PTSD as Qualifying Condition for Medical Cannabis (Leafly)
• Marijuana Has the Potential to Reverse Memory Loss in Old Age (ATTN:)
• Sessions Says He Is Sticking With His Predecessors' Tolerance of State-Legal Marijuana (Reason)
• We Need Your Help to Protect Patients from Jeff Sessions (NORML)
• 6 Ways to Advocate for a Pro-Cannabis Local Government (Leafly)
• The Startup Catering To Women's Curiosity About Cannabis (Forbes)
• Colorado Is Offering Students the World's First Marijuana-Funded Scholarship (ATTN:)
• Maryland May See Medical Cannabis This Month, but Diversity Issues Loom Large (Leafly)
• Delay Makes It Unlikely San Francisco Will Sell Pot Jan. 1 (U.S. News & World Report)
• Buffalo/Western New York: Blacks Disproportionately Arrested For Minor Marijuana Offenses (NORML)
• Massachusetts to Hire a Cannabis Inspector (Seven Days)
• Women Who Weed (NORML)
• California releases cannabis regulations, with no limit on farm size (The Press Democrat)
• How Veterans Are Leading the Fight for Cannabis Reform (Leafly)
• Brilliant Cannabis Commercial Parodies Ridiculous Pharma Ads (Psychedelic Frontier)
• Master Blasters: Hash-Off Announces Denver's Top Cannabis Concentrates (Westword)
• Cannabis Crunch – 12-Year-Old Girl Sues Sessions, Billion Dollar Urine Screens And Weed Election Results (Psychedelic Times)
• Quebec's Cannabis Regulations: 8 Takeaways (Leafly)
• Cannabis-Infused Fine-Dining Pop-Up to Bring Fancy Edibles to Chicago (Eater)
• 5 Reddit Communities for Cannabis Enthusiasts (Leafly)
• Connecticut: NORML Affiliate To Co-Host Gubernatorial Debate (NORML)
• Can medical cannabis decrease Ark. opioid deaths? (EMS1.com)
• City To Miss Legalization Deadline After Supervisors Postpone Cannabis Vote (Hoodline)
• Hero dogs save family from house fire 'that started in neighbour's cannabis factory' (Metro)

LSD

• Happy 79th Birthday, LSD! (Inverse)
• Children of Drug Cult Spill the Beans (Laguna Beach Independent Newspaper)

Psilocybin/Magic Mushrooms

• Magic Mushrooms Take Critical Step Towards Legalization in California (Your EDM)

MDMA/Ecstasy

• Is MDMA a curse or a cure? (The Weed Blog)
• Ecstasy use on the rise in south Flintshire, say police (The Leader)

Ayahuasca/DMT

• Psychedelic Drink Used By Shamans May Help Treat Mental Illness (Gears of Biz)
• Ayahuasca and Avocados: A Conversation with Rita Kočárová (Psychedelic Times)
• Orlando church battles to use hallucinogenic tea (Click Orlando)
• Well-being, problematic alcohol consumption and acute subjective drug effects in past-year ayahuasca users: a large, international, self-selecting online survey (The University of Queensland)
• Psychedelic drug known as Vine of the Dead could treat depression says Devon research (Devon Live)
• Tourists Are Flocking To South America To Take THIS Drug And Cure Diseases (The Alternative Daily)
• Los Angeles Wook Smuggles DMT in Container Labeled "Nana's Ashes" (Noiseporn)
• A Spiritual Hand Prepares to Establish a New Ayahuasca Kitchen (Digital Journal)

Synthetic Cannabinoids/Psychoactive Research Chemicals

• The Legend of Zombie Drugs Will Not Die (Reason)

Dissociatives

• New Ketamine Research Points to Wide-Ranging Therapeutic Potential (Psychedelic Times)
• Steve Levine, MD: Ketamine's Role in Solving the Opioid Crisis (MD Magazine)
• Use of ketamine for acute suicidal ideation in a patient with chronic pain on prescribed cannabinoids (BMJ Case Reports)

Opiates/Opioids

• FDA clears nerve stimulator to aid recovery from opioids (The Washington Post)
• The Deadly Designer Opioids (HuffPost)
• America Is Losing Yet Another Drug War—in Afghanistan (The Nation)
• The State: The Opioid Epidemic (Psymposia)
• Reversing opioid overdose: Concentrated naloxone nasal spray as good as injection (Medical Xpress)
• Why West Virginia's Heroin Overdose Rate Doubled After it Mandated Doctors Use the State Drug-Monitoring Database (Pacific Standard)
• The Opioid Crisis Is So Bad People Are Using the Anti-Diarrhea Drug Imodium to Get High (ATTN:)
• Fentanyl Crisis and Naloxone Supply - Omega Laboratories spares no effort to meet demand (Markets Insider)

Kratom

• The Federal Government Is Trying to Ban Kratom (Again) (Reason)
• Is Breastfeeding Possible With Kratom? (Kratom Guides)
• NY Post Spreads DEA Disinformation Regarding Kratom (Inquisitr)
• Supplement to 'cure' heroin addiction could be addicting too (New York Post)
• FDA Warns Of Risks Associated With 'Natural' Opioid Kratom (NPR)

Khat

• Ethiopian Government now links Somali-Oromo region ethnic conflict to Khat trade (Borkena)

Miscellaneous Psychedelics/Psychoactives/Drug Policy

• Jeff Sessions Used His Scheduling Powers Last Week. Here's What That Means (Reason)
• You Won't Believe Which Middle East Theocrat Has Okayed Psychedelics Treatment (Drug War Chronicle)
• Bad Trip Vs. Hard Trip (Adventures Through The Mind)
• Microdosing Reportedly Safer Than Antidepressants (Noiseporn)
• Naked Suspects In Alberta Kidnapping Drank Hallucinogenic Tea, Relative Says (HuffPost)
• How festival pill testing works in the UK, and what it finds in the drugs (ABC)
• Detroit Cops Posing As Drug Dealers Brawl With Colleagues Posing As Customers (Reason)
• Villagers in Nepal Risk their Lives for Psychedelic Honey (Addiction Now)
• Psychedelic drugs may be making a comeback (WSMV)
• President Trump Praises Philippines' Duterte – and Says Nothing About Thousands Killed in Drug Crackdown (TIME)
• Cocaine Tourism in Columbia (Psymposia)
• LAPD Officers Unwittingly Film Themselves Putting Cocaine In A Suspect's Wallet (Digg)
• My Drug-Induced Psychosis Experience | My First Spiritual Journey (Adventures Through The Mind)
• The 'Psychedelic Club' at CU Boulder (FOX31 Denver)
• The Therapeutic Potential of Marijuana and Psychedelics (The American Journal of Managed Care)
• Rose McGowan Arraigned on Felony Cocaine Charges (TIME)

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

Go Take the 2018 Global Drug Survey

Image by andibreit, courtesy of Creative Commons licensing.

The Global Drug Survey has been collecting useful and enlightening drug usage data since 2014, and has recently launched its 2018 Global Drug Survey.

From GDS' About Us page:

"GDS is an independent research company based in London. We produce reports for global media, public health and corporate organisations. GDS use its data and expertise to create digital health applications delivering screening and brief interventions for drugs and alcohol. We create free online harm reduction resources and anonymous, confidential self-assessment tools. GDS also produces a range of drug education materials for health and legal professionals, the entertainment industry and the general public.

GDS aims to make drug use safer, regardless of the legal status of the drug, by sharing information with individuals, communities, health and policy organisations.

Using anonymous online research methods Global Drug Survey runs an annual survey in 10 languages, which is hosted by partners in over 20 countries. We work with global media giants around the world who act as hubs to promote our survey and our findings, ensuring that the first people to see the results are the general public.

Survey findings are frank, honest, and revealing. GDS explores the positives and negatives of drug use and detects new drugs trends as soon as they appear. GDS has a unique insight into personal decision-making about drug use . Our international networks of researchers and specialists have extensive experience in data analysis and report writing."

I have already submitted my survey, and highly suggest that you do the same by clicking here. The survey period will remain open until December 31st, 2017, at which time it will be closed and no longer accepting responses.

Weekend Thoughts - 11.11.17

Image by Silentpilot, courtesy of Creative Commons licensing.

Happy Saturday y'all! Below, I have rounded up some things for you to think about this weekend:

1. A seemingly unlikely partnership between Uber and NASA was announced this week along with the news that Uber plans to add flying taxis to its line of service offerings by 2020. There are also some concept videos that show how these taxis may work that are worth taking a look at. The vehicles actually look just like helicopters, but imagine being able to call a helicopter to come pick you—and up to three of your friends—up and fly to your destination. All from your phone.

That's all for this week's edition of Weekend Thoughts. Until next week, keep thinking wilder.

This Week in Psychedelics - 11.10.17

Image by Dahtamnay, courtesy of Creative Commons licensing.

Cannabis

• Poland legalises medical cannabis (The Independent)
• Maine Governor Vetoes Retail Legalization Implementation (NORML)
• Election: Ohio City Completely Depenalizes Marijuana (NORML)
• Here's how to solve the NHS' chronic underfunding: legalise cannabis (The Guardian)
• Legalization Alone is Not Enough, How We Create A New Market Matters (NORML)
• Cannabis inhaler could help send Brits suffering with insomnia to sleep in ten minutes, inventors claim (The Sun)
• Election 2017: The Cannabis Races We're Watching Closely (Leafly)
• IBM's plan to regulate pot with blockchains isn't as crazy as it sounds (Ars Technica)
• Why Cannabis and Cryptocurrency Have Yet to Hit It Off (Leafly)
• FDA cracks down on claims that cannabis can cure cancer (CNN)
• Data Dive: Alaska's Cannabis Industry Grows for 7th Consecutive Month (Leafly)
• Election: Pro-Legalization Phil Murphy Wins NJ Governor Race (NORML)
• Scott Wiener says SF supervisors seem to be squelching cannabis industry (San Francisco Chronicle)
• Announcing Our First Book, 'The Leafly Guide to Cannabis' (Leafly)
• The Global Marijuana Market Will Soon Hit $31.4 Billion But Investors Should Be Cautious (Forbes)
• Marijuana Patients Shouldn't Be Denied Transplants (ATTN:)
• Snoop Dogg Joins The Cannabis Lab-Testing Game (High Times)
• Conservative Chinese push for SF cannabis ban could spark serious political benefits (San Francisco Examiner)
• Massachusetts Is Searching For A Cannabis Inspector (High Times)
• Anti-Marijuana Site Features Pro-Legalization Politician (For Some Reason) (Marijuana Moment)
• Cannabis ad brilliantly parodies prescription drug commercials (Boing Boing)
• Australian Cannabis Stocks Climb Amid Licensing Announcements (Leafly)
• Oakdale step closer to making way for cannabis businesses (KCRA)
• After Colorado Legalized Weed, Opioid Deaths Decreased (ATTN:)
• The Canadian Cannabis Act's Final Hurdle: A Contentious Senate (Leafly)
• SF supervisors offer more changes to recreational cannabis legislation (SFGate)
• The Witchy Woman Social Is A Supernaturally Feminine Celebration of Cannabis (Willamette Week)
• Cannabis activists say they still have work to do after legalization (Red Deer Advocate)
• The Real Risk of Buying Medical Marijuana Online (TIME)
• South Carolina Compassionate Care Alliance's Medical Cannabis Symposium (WPDE)
• Cannabis Crunch — FDA Warns CBD Companies, Maine Vetoes Pot Law And Poland Legalizes Medical Marijuana (Psychedelic Times)
• Arvin City Council moves forward with cannabis ordinance (The Bakersfield Californian)

LSD

• Watch Mormon Missionaries Try LSD for the First Time (Psychedelic Frontier)
• LSD Increases Primary Process Thinking via Serotonin 2A Receptor Activation (Frontiers in Pharmacology)
• Norway Relaxes Punishment For LSD Possession From Jail To Community Service (Konbini)
• In Silicon Valley, LSD is Becoming All the Rage (National Monitor)
• John Mayer is Ready for Dead & Company Tour Because He's Dropping LSD Jokes on Twitter (Relix)
• LSD is making a comeback, but not in the way you'd expect (WSB-TV2 Atlanta)
• Colorado Walmart gunman had voices in his head caused by bad LSD trip decades ago, stepsister claims (Fox News)
• Hallucinogenic Narcotics LSD Causes Constriction of Blood Vessels (Netral News)
• Naked Man on LSD Arrested (WGNS)

Psilocybin/Magic Mushrooms

• Psychedelics: California Could Become First State to Decriminalize Magic Mushrooms (Newsweek)
• Can Psilocybin Treat Severe Depression? (NEJM Journal Watch)
• Ecology, biology professor provides insight to psychedelic mushrooms (UT Daily Beacon)
• California Legalizing Magic Mushrooms? Side Effects Of Psilocybin (International Business Times)

MDMA/Ecstasy

• The Promise of Ecstasy for PTSD (The New York Times)
• MDMA's Journey from Molly to Medicine (Scientific American)
• Scientific history behind MDMA reveals potential benefits (The Blue Banner)
• $7.5 Million Worth Of Ecstasy Seized in Massive STING Operation (YourEDM)
• A teenager has died after taking MDMA at a nightclub (WalesOnline)

Ayahuasca/DMT

• Why Won't DMT Go Away? (Rick Strassman MD)
• Ayahuasca Appropriation and the Divine Feminine: A Conversation with Eleonora Molnar (Psychedelic Times)
• Treatment for Depression and Alcoholism Discovered in Psychedelic Plant-Based Drug Ayahuasca (Newsweek)
• Psychedelic shaman potion could cure mental illness (New York Post)
• The pineal gland and higher consciousness (Inquirer)

Peyote/San Pedro/Mescaline

• From Chocolate to Peyote: Hendrix Professor Co-edits New Book on the Desire for Ingestible Commodities (Hendrix College)

Synthetic Cannabinoids/Psychoactive Research Chemicals

• Rogue Pill Testing Finds Deadly Substances In Party Drugs at Music Festival (YourEDM)
• German therapist faces trial for handing out banned hallucinogens (The Telegraph)

Dissociatives

• Controversial drug changing lives of patients with chronic pain, depression (WGRZ)
• We visited a clinic that delivers 45-minute ketamine infusions for depression – here's what it was like (Business Insider)

Opiates/Opioids

• Denver heroin users could use supervised injection site if proposal passes multiple hurdles (The Denver Post)
• In clinical trials, medications show promise for treating heroin addiction (The Washington Post)
• Basic Painkillers Are Just As Effective as Opioids, Study Finds (TIME)
• In Uruzgan, Afghan Mothers Feed Their Children Opium to Make Them Sleep (Al-Bawaba)
• Markos Koulanakis: China uses fentanyl in 'Opium War' against America (The Morning Call)
• Walgreens Stocking Overdose Reversal Drug in Stores Nationwide, No Prescription Needed (The Joint Blog)
• We've Known for 40 Years How to Help Heroin Users (Reason)
• America's opioid crisis & modern anxieties prove the limits of capitalism (RT)

Kratom

• Is Kratom The Solution To The Opioid Epidemic? (Kratom Guides)
• Kratom: Herbal supplement or dangerous drug? (KSDK)

Kava

• How To Use Kava For Opiate Withdrawal? Does It Really Work? (Kratom Guides)

Khat

• Miraa farmers in court to challenge Nacada's 'mututho' time (Zipo)

Miscellaneous Psychedelics/Psychoactives/Drug Policy

• Whitewashing Psychedelics: A Lack of Diverse Voices in the Psychedelic Movement (Psymposia)
• Psychedelic drug use linked to decreased criminal behavior (Healio)
• YouTube under fire for featuring programme that shows Dutch presenters taking MDMA and cocaine (International Business Times)
• Hot Digital Shaman: New App Wavepaths Guides Users Through Therapeutic Trips (Rolling Stone)
• Treating Drug Overdoses As Homicides May Be Deadly (Reason)
• Ecstasy pill tests 'will save lives', says Perth researcher (Perth Now)
• A day in the life of a consultant psychiatrist and psychedelic drug researcher (Psymposia)
• Adderall Found in 8-Year-Old Girl's Halloween Candy, Police Say (TIME)
• This Activist is Prying Loose Missouri Drug Task Force Records One Lawsuit At a Time (Reason)
• Anti-drugs awareness campaign (The Arunachal Times)

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

Weekend Thoughts - 11.4.17

Image by azazelok, courtesy of Creative Commons licensing.

Happy Saturday y'all! Below, I have rounded up some things for you to think about this weekend:

1. To continue on with the series of weekends that I've linked to articles about self-driving vehicles comes this thought experiment: how would you feel about putting your children on a self-driving school bus? That's what a Seattle-based design studio named Teague is currently working on. Their autonomous school bus concept has enough space for six students, and allow for remote intercom usage for disciplining the kids as well as the ability to reroute to a hospital if there is an accident or fight that breaks out. Ultimately, we'll know when self-driving cars have reached peak acceptability when parents are willing to let their kids ride them to school each day.

2. Germany's wind turbines were able to produce enough energy to power over half of the country this year—and they produced so much excess energy from wind power that they had to pay the German citizens to use it!

That's all for this week's edition of Weekend Thoughts. Until next week, keep thinking wilder.