Here’s what’s in store for you in today’s issue:
🍄 A trippy (family-friendly) vacay
🍄 Microdosing for pain management
🍄 Psychedelic beverages
🍄 The largest US city to decriminalize shrooms
🍄 And more.
You’ll want to stay till the end to learn how someone discovered their inner child with help from mischievous spirits!
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In this episode we have Dave Philips, a registered clinical counselor who has integrated psychedelic therapy into his practice. Dave talks about how he is training the next generation of psychedelic counselors and how he started in this extraordinary field.
Patients in palliative care have higher rates of depression – could a psychedelic retreat change this?
Launched yesterday in Utah, “Psychedelic Palliative Care by Novamind” combines psychedelic-assisted therapy with workshops, multi-day immersive retreats, and group support at its recently-opened clinic.
“Due to psychedelic medicine’s generally low side effect burden and fast-acting nature, it shows promise for patients who are physically ill and might have limited life expectancies,” said Novamind’s Chief Scientific Officer.
Lobe Sciences (LOBE) is partnering with the the World Boxing Association (“WBA”) to help boxers manage brain injuries!
The organizations plan to launch a global registry to identify former and current boxers with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and help them manage the side effects, which can often include PTSD. The WBA will also develop best practices for early diagnosis of mTBI that can be used immediately after fights for current boxers.
Injured boxers could potentially be treated with Lobe’s therapeutic regimen, which utilizes the combination of psilocybin and NAC (the pneumonia drug) mentioned in last week’s issue.
A recent study suggests that it’s possible to produce a potent “psilocybin moonshine” using a fast and simple homebrew method that doesn’t involve growing mushrooms or sterilization.
Researchers inserted magic mushroom genes into E. coli bacteria, which was then added to bottles, submerged in a water tank that was aerated with an aquarium pump, and covered with aluminum foil to maintain a temperature of 37 °C.
In less than two days, 300 mg of psilocybin was produced per liter of water. The method even worked without sterilization, but produced only 100 mg/L, yet this deficit was counteracted by adding a form of penicillin.
New market research shows a growing interest in psilocybin services!
Red Light Oregon, a 50/50 joint venture between Red Light Holland (TRUFF) and Halo Collective (HALO), conducted market research to help the Oregon Psilocybin Advisory Board (OPAB) and health officials make informed regulations.
Of 473 Oregonian adults surveyed, 86% showed in interest in microdosing, including 94% of Gen Z and 74% of Boomers. As a result, Red Light Oregon launched an advocacy program to educate the OPAB and health officials on the benefits of microdosing.
The survey also found that 37% of adults, mainly minorities, did not know what psilocybin is, so the company is launching a community outreach program to educate underserved populations on psilocybin’s therapeutic effects.
Scientists confirmed what mushroom users have long known…
In a study conducted by a Copenhagen University researcher, psilocybin was found to increase the emotional response to music, whereas the control drug, ketanserin (a blood pressure medication), lessened the emotional response.
Participants listened to 10 minutes of classical music and were assessed on the Geneva Emotional Music Scale, which measures nine mental states: wonder, transcendence, tenderness, nostalgia, peacefulness, power, joyful activation, tension, and sadness. Those on psilocybin showed a 60% increase in emotions.
“What we need to do now is optimize this approach probably through individualizing and personalizing music tracks in therapy,” says Professor David Nutt of Imperial College London.
Will shroom edibles and drinks be the next big thing in Cali?
Cannabis Global Inc. (CBGL) is developing methods to infuse psilocybin and psilocin, as well as other compounds found in psychedelic mushrooms, into foods and beverages.
The LA-based company has initiated research into infusion methods to improve bioavailability of the compounds and to mask the bitter flavour of the mushrooms. It has already filed 9 patent applications for its cannabinoid infusion technologies, which it hopes to leverage for this new research program.
With the state of California on track to have a psilocybin legalization measure on the 2022 ballot, the program could potentially serve a large marketplace in the near future.
Could microdosing + this new technology reduce pain in cancer patients?
MindBio Therapeutics is developing a technology platform to integrate with psychedelic therapy to prevent the mental health of cancer patients from deteriorating. By utilizing wearable devices, the platform is designed to help with pain management to prevent depression, existential distress, and anxiety.
MindBio Therapeutics will use the mindfulness app in an upcoming Phase 2 microdosing trial, which is funded by the New Zealand government, to see if it provides additional benefits to late-stage cancer patients compared to microdosing alone.
The company aims to commercialize the application globally and believes the tech has potential to receive government funding in Europe.
This new extraction method could yield more psilocybin from a single mushroom than previously possible.
Natural psilocybin extraction can have low and unstable yields, which is why many companies opt for synthetic versions. When mushrooms are dehydrated, the total psilocybin/psilocin content extracted is three times lower than the total amount believed to be in the mushroom.
Optimi Health (OPTI) developed an extraction technique that not only increases the yield of natural psilocybin, but also protects the compounds from degeneration while reducing the cost of the final drug. On Tuesday, the company announced that it filed a provisional patent application to protect the process.
With a unanimous vote, a new legislation was passed to decriminalize the possession, cultivation, and sharing of psychedelic mushrooms, ayahuasca, ibogaine and non-peyote-derived mescaline.
Peyote was intentionally excluded from the measure, as it’s in danger of extinction due to the increase in illegal harvesting. In fact, Santa Cruz recently removed peyote and other mescaline-containing cacti from the city’s decriminalization policy after pushback from Indigenous groups that consider the entheogens to be sacred.
It’s time for the federal government to catch up with the rest of America.
At a psychedelics policy symposium organized by Harvard’s Project on Psychedelics Law and Regulation (POPLAR), Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) said he plans to bring drug reform to the Capitol this year!
“I promise you I will do my part—not only assisting in the evolution of the Oregon [psilocybin] program, but I plan on bringing this movement to Capitol Hill this year in the same way we developed the foundation for the support of our cannabis work,” he vowed.
Some of the youngest state legislators in the US want to decriminalize all drugs.
Tony Labranche, a 19-year-old Rep. of New Hampshire, is pushing to establish a regulated cannabis sales system and decriminalize the possession of magic mushrooms, as well as all other controlled substances. The reform proposals are bold for a GOP-controlled state, but they’re sparking more dialogue about the need to end the war on drugs.
Back in February, a 20-year-old lawmaker filed a bill to broadly decriminalize drug possession in Kansas, noting that drug use should be treated as a mental health problem rather than a criminal one.
Canada is following suit, with the city of Toronto preparing to ask Health Canada to decriminalize all drugs, similar to Vancouver’s request in May.
Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) may reschedule psilocybin and MDMA after recognizing their therapeutic potential.
The substances are currently classified as Schedule 9, or “prohibited substances”, creating a barriers for conducting clinical research. The TGA is considering changing the classification to Schedule 8, or “controlled substances” (the same as THC) to allow controlled use in clinical settings.
The verdict will be announced in the first week of December after an advisory committee meeting!
Oct 4 – Incannex Healthcare (IHL) raises close to $18m, including $8m from chief medical officer Read more…
This Reddit user found their inner child with help from some cheeky entities.
“On my first trip, I was taken to my afterlife and was touched by the unconditional universal love. It was so beautiful and I cry everytime I try to tell anyone about it because it felt so powerful. I’m crying now lol. I felt like I was in the presence of God. I was shown my Heaven and was told that there is nothing to fear about dying. I felt so much love from God towards me, it was overwhelming but very healing. It was like the love I feel for my children…. total acceptance, no judgement, unconditional positive regard.
On the next few trips I met a variety of more playful spirits who would ‘play’ with me like children would. Some were quite cheeky and mischievous. I called them my ragtag band of misfits. They really like to portray themselves to me as pirates. They helped to bring out the child in me and my sense of fun which I must admit I had burried deep inside due to life circumstances. My partner, who is my usual trip sitter, always hoped I would meet them because he liked seeing my cheeky side come out. My pirate friends liked him too and often made me say funny things to him, but they were always respectful towards him. Eventually, they stopped coming to me, to make way for higher beings who had other lessons to teach me. I miss those rascals and I hope to see them again some day.”
