Author: Kai Erfle

So, here’s the scoop: imagine a huge lineup of U.S. states, territories, and military bases, all jostling for attention like contestants on a reality show. Not to be outdone, Canadian provinces and territories are also strutting their stuff on the stage. It’s like a geographical talent show with the added twist of postal codes as the grand finale! Everyone’s got their postal codes ready, like contestants clutching their audition numbers, vying for the coveted title of “Best Postal Code”. It’s a competition hotter than a summer day in Texas or a snowball fight in Ontario. And just when you think it can’t get more exciting, each region proudly flashes its postal code like a badge of honor. So, grab your popcorn and enjoy this postal pageantry!

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Reference: https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/these-patients-are-considering-maid-they-say-canada-has-made-it-harder-to-access-magic/article_7bd1936c-97b6-11ef-9fc8-07b22094dad5.html

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Published Date: None

Ladies and gentlemen, gather ’round for the riveting tale of the epic roll call of places that make up the U.S. and our friendly neighbor to the north, Canada! Imagine a gathering where every U.S. state, territory, and Canadian province and territory showed up, each wearing their finest attire emblazoned with none other than… their postal codes!

This is a who’s who of geographical distinction, where Alabama proudly wears “AL” like a badge of honor, and Saskatchewan struts in with the stylish “SK.” It’s the ultimate alphabetical fashion show where everyone from Arizona (not to be outdone with their “AZ”) to Wyoming (rocking the “WY”) makes an appearance. Even the exotic locales like Guam (“GU”) and Puerto Rico (“PR”) join the party, proving that postal codes are the real stars of this show.

In the Canadian corner, British Columbia waves its “BC” flag, while Quebec jazzes things up with a “QC.” Meanwhile, the territories make sure they’re not left out, with Yukon standing tall and proud with a “YT.”

This grand assembly is a postal code parade, a celebration of letters that make you go, “Oh, so THAT’S where Nova Scotia’s ‘NS’ fits in the grand scheme of things!” It’s a gathering that would make any mailman weep tears of joy (or perhaps confusion, depending on how well they remember their codes).

So here’s to the unsung heroes of our addresses, the postal codes that keep our mail (mostly) going to the right places, and this charismatic congregation of code-carrying locations that make the North American continent so delightfully diverse. Who knew that two little letters could carry so much pride and geographical pizzazz?

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Reference: https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/er-visits-surge-for-people-using-psychedelic-drugs-in-ontario/article_d6f0571a-a1e8-11ef-850c-ef15c71ee894.html

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Meet Gordon Hurley, a retired Canadian Forces veteran who’s seen the battlefield in Afghanistan and now battles for a different cause: mind-bending therapies for PTSD! Hurley is a big fan of psychedelics like ketamine and psilocybin, which he claims have been more life-saving than a helmet in a hail of bullets. He’s urging Canada not to drag its feet like it’s stuck in maple syrup. While Canada is on the ketamine train, it seems like psilocybin is still waiting at the station, despite a Senate report waving it in like an air traffic controller. Meanwhile, the U.S. is ahead, sprinkling some serious cash into psychedelic research – though apparently MDMA might need to pass a few more tests before it gets a gold star from the FDA.

Hurley, ever the adventurous spirit, has taken his quest to Mexico in search of psychedelic treatments – probably because Taco Tuesday therapy is less effective for PTSD. He’s also a fan of the stellate ganglion block, which numbs neck nerves to give the nervous system a system reboot. It’s been hailed as “miraculous” – kind of like finding a Tim Hortons with no line.

He’s rallying for government-backed assisted treatment programs, because let’s face it, DIY psychedelic therapy sounds like the start of a really weird sitcom. Hurley’s vision includes doctors who are trained in the fine art of integrating psychedelics into therapy – basically, the Yodas of psychedelic treatment. Although the field is just getting started, Hurley’s on a mission to make sure these alternative therapies get the green light, rather than being stuck in the slow lane of traditional treatment.

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Reference: https://globalnews.ca/news/10860998/canada-remembrance-day-alternative-therapies-veterans/

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Published Date: None

In a mind-bending geography quiz that seems to challenge the boundaries of sanity, we’re presented with an epic roll call of U.S. states, territories, military regions, and Canadian provinces and territories. Just when you think you’ve hit peak geographical enlightenment, the text drops the mic with a tantalizing twist: “Zip Code.” It’s as if the universe wants to remind us that no matter how far and wide we roam, everything eventually leads back to the joys of postal codes. So, whether you’re navigating from Alabama to Yukon, or strategizing troop movements in military regions, remember: it’s all fun and games until someone mentions “Zip Code.”

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Reference: https://www.statehousenews.com/news/politics/elections/fundraising-complaint-adds-to-fight-over-psychedelics/article_f701ba1c-954f-11ef-b33d-7b405bc227d7.html

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Published Date: None

Public health experts are having a collective anxiety attack over the prospect of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a conspiracy theorist extraordinaire, taking the helm as HHS secretary under Donald Trump. Armed with zero public health experience but plenty of skepticism, Kennedy might just trade your prescription meds for a tinfoil hat and some experimental treatments. He’s famous—or infamous—for pushing the debunked myth linking vaccines to autism, and he’s got a bone to pick with the FDA and drug regulations like Adderall, which means he might just rewrite the pharmaceutical rulebook.

Reshma Ramachandran from Yale rings the alarm on Kennedy’s potential to steamroll scientific evidence and play Frankenstein with healthcare policy. Meanwhile, over in the land of clinical trials, chaos ensues. Participants in Lykos trials accuse the company of sweeping side effects like suicidal thoughts under the rug. This led to some serious journalistic backpedaling, with retractions galore from Psychopharmacology and MAPS. Lykos, however, swears by its data, using the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale as their trusty sidekick.

Enter Neşe Devenot, who calls the therapy a pseudoscientific mess, reminiscent of the discredited Facilitated Communication. Add a dash of ethical drama with a therapist-participant romance, and you’ve got a clinical trial soap opera. Meanwhile, Kennedy bashes FDA decisions, crying conspiracy and collusion with Big Pharma, while Lykos cozies up with industry bigwig Jeff George on board.

Despite the circus, Devenot and Ramachandran see a glimmer of hope in psychedelic therapies but urge slow and steady research. They caution against fast-tracking approvals, a fast-forward button Kennedy and Elon Musk seem

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Reference: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/nov/25/rfk-jr-prescription-drugs-cannabis-psychedelics

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Published Date: 2024-11-25

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., champion of personal choice and alternative medicines, recently waged war on the FDA via social media, demanding the deregulation of clean foods, stem cells, and—surprisingly—psychedelic drugs. This twist even left his far-right libertarian pals scratching their heads. It seems Kennedy’s not alone in this magic mushroom crusade; former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and other Republicans have also jumped on the psychedelic bandwagon, hoping to tackle mental health issues like depression and PTSD.

With the Senate and Congress under Republican control, there’s a glimmer of hope for psychedelic research to move forward, though skeptics worry it might become more of a business bonanza than a therapeutic breakthrough. The FDA, being a party pooper, recently turned down an MDMA therapy application, citing shoddy data. Apparently, some study participants claimed they were pressured to “smile for the camera,” and a sprinkle of sexual misconduct allegations didn’t help, leading to a retraction of some studies.

Juliana Mercer from Healing Breakthrough expressed her disappointment, pointing at the stigma monster as a barrier to approval. While some believe Kennedy Jr. could usher in a psychedelic renaissance, others insist we keep our science goggles on. Despite the bipartisan kumbaya, with folks like Elon Musk and Rebekah Mercer rallying for research, experts like Dr. Nora Volkow caution that the psychedelic parade might be all hype and no substance.

Psychedelics are touted as the next big thing for mental health—breaking down and rebuilding the mind. Yet, Western culture often skips the crucial “put it back together” part, favoring quick fixes. Without proper social support, this mental makeover might falter amidst health disparities and economic hurdles.

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Reference: https://www.salon.com/2024/11/23/and-rfk-jr-have-embraced-psychedelics-what-could-go-wrong/

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Published Date: 2024-11-23

Once upon a time in the land of Oregon, where mushrooms weren’t just for pizza toppings anymore, the state decided to sprinkle a little magic by legalizing therapeutic psilocybin. But, just when you thought everyone was ready to trip the light fantastic, a plot twist emerged: a handful of cities decided to pull the plug on the party, banning the substance faster than you can say “fungi.”

In a recent election, four cities joined the mushroom mutiny, with others turning their temporary bans into permanent “no-fly zones” for the psychedelic spores. Apparently, the ghost of policies past, like the infamous fentanyl crisis, has everyone in a tizzy, causing a domino effect of drug policy paranoia. Despite these local bans, over 30 licensed centers in Oregon continue to offer psilocybin therapy, but with a price tag reminiscent of a gourmet mushroom risotto.

You see, back in 2020, Measure 109 gave psilocybin the green light but allowed towns to opt-out, leading to a patchwork of rules more confusing than a psychedelic mural. It’s a bit like cannabis: half the states that legalized it let localities opt out, making it a game of “to weed or not to weed.” Only Colorado stands with Oregon in the psilocybin parade, allowing local rules but no outright bans on therapeutic centers.

While psilocybin is being hailed as a potential mental health marvel, Fractal Soul, an Oregon center, reports mostly happy customers, albeit amidst public bewilderment over the difference between therapy and decriminalization. Unlike your corner cannabis shop, psilocybin can’t be taken to-go; it must be consumed under watchful eyes at licensed centers. Since June 2023

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Reference: https://apnews.com/article/oregon-psilocybin-psychedelic-mushrooms-ban-9c73a25986171b41bb162100d54d2217

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Published Date: 2024-11-22

In 1966, Allen Ginsberg thought psychedelics could save America’s soul, like a magical, groovy band-aid. Fast forward, Rick Doblin, founder of MAPS, is on a mission to create a trauma-free world by 2070, using psychedelics as his secret weapon. Even Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is on board, thinking these mind-bending substances are the misunderstood superheroes of healing.

MDMA, the life of the psychedelic party, is hailed as a PTSD treatment star. But the FDA was a party pooper, rejecting MAPS’s application to market MDMA for PTSD, causing a psychedelic PR hangover. Lykos Therapeutics, MAPS’s pharma sidekick, hit a brick wall, leaving psychedelic legalization efforts in a psychedelic twilight zone.

Not everyone is a fan, though. Critics accuse MAPS of being more about the psychedelic scene than helping veterans. One critic even called it a “therapy cult” with a side of festival vibes. Concerns over “functional unblinding” (fancy for “everyone knows they’re on drugs”) and placebo effects put the study’s objectivity on shaky ground. Reports of increased suicidality and therapist misconduct didn’t help MDMA’s reputation.

Despite the drama, some researchers, like Dr. Matthew Johnson, see the FDA eventually giving MDMA the green light but warn against turning the psychedelic field into a quasi-religious movement. The quest for a quick fix to our existential woes fuels the psychedelic hype, echoing the “therapy culture” vibe that we’re all broken and need healing products.

The bottom line: psychedelics might have potential, but they’re not a utopian cure-all. The focus should be on rigorous clinical

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Reference: https://www.thefp.com/p/the-great-american-acid-trip-rfk-jr

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Published Date: 2024-11-21

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., tapped by President-elect Donald Trump to head the Department of Health and Human Services, stirred the pot with his penchant for conspiracy theories and questionable medical beliefs. Picture him as a health official wearing a tinfoil hat, but wait—there’s more to this plot twist! He’s also a cheerleader for legalizing psychedelic use, including ketamine, a move applauded by those fed up with the mainstream medical parade.

Our author, who once danced with severe anxiety, found ketamine therapy to be a lifesaver, akin to discovering that unicorns are real and they bring snacks. Despite some regulatory hiccups and potential risks (because who doesn’t like a side of caution with their psychedelics?), the therapy’s effectiveness is gaining traction.

Enter RFK Jr., who might just become the psychedelic therapy’s knight in shining armor, offering hope to those chasing alternative treatments. Sure, some folks raise an eyebrow at his overall public health impact, but for those who’ve experienced the healing powers of ketamine, he could be the hero they’ve been waiting for.

Our storyteller admits they only grasped the allure of RFK Jr.’s crusade after personally riding the same emotional roller coaster as many Americans. It’s a tale of empathy, adventure, and a sprinkle of skepticism, all wrapped in a trippy package.

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Reference: https://sfstandard.com/opinion/2024/11/21/rfk-jr-appeal-ketamine-users/

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Published Date: 2024-11-21

Psychedelics are like the cool kids at a party—everyone’s curious about them, but they come with a lot of rules! These mind-bending substances have been tickling researchers’ brains since the 1940s, and recent studies say they might help with PTSD, depression, and addiction. They work by boosting neuroplasticity and releasing mood-boosting chemicals, which sounds like a science fiction smoothie.

Despite some good vibes, the legal scene for psychedelics is about as friendly as a cactus hug. They’re federally illegal, though Oregon and Colorado are loosening up a bit, like that one uncle who finally learned how to dance. Microdosing is still a mixed bag, leaving many wondering if they just paid for expensive placebo pixie dust.

Then there’s ketamine, the psychedelic’s quirky cousin. It’s not a traditional psychedelic but likes to hang out with them on weekends. Doctors have been using it off-label for depression and pain, although it’s not FDA-approved for these purposes. In 2019, the FDA did give a thumbs up to esketamine, a nasal spray for those with treatment-resistant depression—finally, something you can literally sniff at!

Ketamine might help reduce suicidal thoughts, but it’s a double-edged sword with potential heart, respiratory issues, and an addiction risk, so it’s best to keep it under a doctor’s watchful eye. The quest to unlock psychedelics’ full potential for mental health is like waiting for a sloth to finish a marathon—promising, but it’s going to take time. So, while the world waits on the edge of its seat, the psychedelic scene remains a colorful, intriguing, and occasionally illegal mystery.

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Reference: https://www.menshealth.com/health/a62941396/psychedelics-mental-health-research/

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Published Date: 2024-11-21