Although COVID-19 was first discovered in December, it took a few months for the pandemic to finally spread to North America, Europe, and Australia. Now that it has officially arrived, people all across the globe are feeling its impact. Social distancing, sheltering-in-place, quarantines, job loss, financial instability, sickness, death… these are just some of the ways that this virus is rapidly forcing society to change.
The pandemic has had an enormous influence on the world of psychedelics too. In this month’s recap you will learn about what COVID-19 is doing to the cannabis industry, drug policy reform efforts, and the mysterious world of drug dealing.
While the virus has certainly taken the spotlight, there was also plenty of non-pandemic news this month too: sexual abuse in psychedelic research, tripping on placebos, breeding bad trips out of magic mushrooms, and much more.
Here is a slimmed-down video recap version that is available for those who prefer an easier-to-digest option:
Without further ado, let’s get into the news:
The Cannabis Industry Meets Coronavirus
American cannabis businesses had some big wins this month due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Several American states deemed cannabis access to be “essential” or made it easier to access cannabis in other ways. So while you may not be able to go to dinner and a movie, if you live in a state with a medical or recreational cannabis market you should check your local laws to see if you can still buy a bag or two of your favorite bud to survive your extended stay at home.
Across the pond in the Netherlands, Dutch coffee shops were initially planning to close their doors due to the coronavirus, sparking long lines of people stocking up before hunkering down at home. Fortunately the government changed its mind and shops were later told that they could offer take-home deals similar to the takeout options restaurants are offering at a time when everyone is being asked to stay put.
But not everything went well for the cannabis industry. Medical marijuana doctors in Colorado were told they can’t use telemedicine due to Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment regulations, which is putting staff and patients at heightened risk. And a federal agency (the Small Business Administration) informed cannabis businesses that they are not eligible for coronavirus disaster relief since cannabis is still federally illegal. The only silver lining is that this limitation does not apply to business that produce or sell hemp or hemp-derived products, which were legalized under the 2018 Farm Bill.
Drug Policy Reform Efforts Are Struggling
Drug policy reform efforts hit a snag as well. What was once shaping up to be a year of massive cannabis reform may turn out to be a lackluster year after all is said and done. The pandemic has affected cannabis legalization bills in several U.S. states, which has made them seem a lot less likely to be successful this year.
Psilocybin reform movements in California and Oregon are being forced to adapt too. California’s psilocybin legalization activists have requested the ability to collect signatures online. And in Oregon, a campaign to legalize psilocybin mushrooms for therapeutic use has implemented an option for potential signees to fill out an electronic form to request an official ballot petition by mail, which can then be printed, signed, and sent back. An Oregon drug decriminalization campaign is also now offering a printable option.
A psychedelic decriminalization campaign in Washington DC delayed its signature gathering effort out of concern for COVID-19 and is considering a new “micro-scale petition signature collection” approach in order to try and make the November ballot.
The Emergence of Remote Psychedelic Therapy
Two new psychedelic medicine clinics providing ketamine therapy opened up this month: Field Trip Health in Toronto and Mindbloom in New York City. That was before the pandemic spread to North America.
After the spread of COVID-19, Mindbloom adapted by offering a remote option for its ketamine therapy service. Now patients can experience a virtually administered psychedelic therapy session from the comfort and safety of their own homes instead of needing to go into the clinic for treatment.
Sexual Abuse in Psychedelic Research
One of the most distressing stories last month involved allegations of sexual abuse that may have taken place between a therapist and his patient during a sanctioned MDMA research study. Additional accounts of abuse involving psychedelic therapists have been reported during the last few years, indicating that there may be a dark problem brewing within the field of psychedelic therapy.
If you or someone you know has suffered from abuse you can call the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline (800.656.HOPE) for help.
Tripping on Placebos
There’s always that one friend who always claims they’re really feeling the effects of a psychedelic even though they didn’t take a large enough dose to match their exuberant claims.
So it shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise that this phenomenon was replicated in the scientific literature last month when a study found that participants reported experiencing psychedelic effects even though they weren’t really given psychedelics at all—they actually received placebos.
Breeding the Bad Trip Out of Magic Mushrooms
One company is attempting to redesign magic mushrooms so that they will never again cause a bad trip.
Instead of trying to increase the amount of psilocybin in mushrooms, the company is studying a compound that the fungi possess called aeruginascin that may act similarly to the way CBD behaves in cannabis, which could possibly reduce or eliminate the potential for challenging or traumatic psychedelic experiences.
COVID-19 Is Impacting Drug Dealing
One thing you might not think of when it comes to the coronavirus is the impact that the pandemic has had on the black market for illegal drugs. But just like everything else, COVID-19 has also played a role in changing drug dealing too.
Similar to restaurants and grocery stores that can drop food off at your door so you don’t have to leave your house, dealers who deliver drugs are reporting that business is booming. As one dealer put it, “When you have people at home all day, what else are they going to do?”
All that demand—plus added risks for dealers—has led to price increases.
Innovative dealers in Russia have changed the game by turning the act of buying and selling drugs into a treasure hunt. Instead of meeting up in-person with clients, the dealers stash the drugs in geotagged locations for online buyers, avoiding any risk of being detected or coming into contact with the coronavirus.
Tripping During A Pandemic
With plenty of extra time on their hands, many psychonauts have been taking advantage of the opportunity to trip. But it may not be the best time to take psychedelics, considering the setting that we all find ourselves in and the set that many people have at the moment. If you’re suffering from anxiety, depression, grief, or trauma then perhaps now isn’t the best time to trip.
Cannabis Reform Wins in Africa and the U.S.
Two countries in Africa relaxed their grip on marijuana prohibition this month. Both Malawi and Ghana legalized cannabis for health and industrial purposes in hopes of benefiting from rising global demand for medicinal cannabis products.
The Oglala Sioux Tribe on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota passed a referendum to legalize medical and recreational cannabis, making it the first and only Native American tribe to establish a legal market in a state where cannabis is otherwise prohibited.
Just in the nick of time, Virginia lawmakers approved a decriminalization bill and sent it to the governor’s desk before the pandemic spread to North America. Governor Ralph Northam is in favor of decriminalization and is expected to sign the bill into law.
Native American Church Requests Peyote Not Be Included in Decriminalization Initiatives
Not everyone is excited about decriminalizing psychedelics. The Native American Church (NAC) released a statement requesting that peyote not be mentioned explicitly in any future decriminalization initiatives in order to preserve their sacred cacti.
Now instead of calling out peyote specifically in its list of psychedelic plants and fungi, organizations like Decriminalize Nature will need to advocate for decriminalizing “mescaline-containing cacti”, a phrase that does not directly implicate peyote. The NAC hopes that removing the cacti from decriminalization initiatives will help ensure that they don’t go extinct.
Ayahuasca Healings’ Trinity de Guzman Calls Coronavirus A “Necessary Purge”
The founder of the Ayahuasca Healings retreat center in Washington, Trinity de Guzman, is no stranger when it comes to controversy. A few years back Guzman falsely claimed that he was founding the first legal ayahuasca church even though that wasn’t the case. Now he has made headlines again by claiming that the coronavirus is “a necessary purge” for the human race.
Drug Possession Defelonized in Colorado
Coloradans have yet another reason to celebrate now that the state has officially defelonized the possession of small amounts of all drugs, which means that offenders will not be incarcerated in the majority of cases.
But that doesn’t mean drugs are now legal or even decriminalized; those convicted for small-time drug possession will still end up with a misdemeanor on their criminal record.
Corporadelic: A Psymposia Series About Psychedelic Capitalism
One of the most thought-provoking pieces I read this month was actually a six-part series called “Corporadelic” that Russell Hausfeld wrote for Psymposia. The series explores the potential issues what we might see with psychedelic capitalism, and its one that every psychonaut should read so we can avoid preventable mistakes as the for-profit psychedelic industry and framework bursts on the scene and continues to evolve.
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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