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Issue 18

Issue 18

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!

(Did a good friend forward this to you? If so be sure to subscribe here)

Be sure to check out this week’s Daily Mushroom podcast:
Psychedelic medicines could hold a promise never seen before in mental healthcare

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.

A trippy (family-friendly) vacay

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.

Fight Club💥

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.

E. coli + shroom moonshine anyone?

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.

Even boomers want to microdose

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.

Turn the music up, it’s sad boi hour

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.

New ways to consume drugs 🎉

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.

Managing pain across the globe

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.

More psilocybin please!

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.

Legal

Seattle becomes the largest US city to decriminalize psychedelics

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.

Psychedelic reform coming this year!

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.

This is why Gen Z should be in charge…

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.

Progress down under

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!

Industry Quick Hits

Oct 1 – Psychedelic biotech startup Psylo raises $1.1m to treat mental health issues with psilocybin Read more…

Oct 4 – Incannex Healthcare (IHL) raises close to $18m, including $8m from chief medical officer Read more…

Oct 4 – Delix Therapeutics Named One of Fierce Biotech’s “Fierce 15” Companies of 2021 Read more…

Oct 5 – Mydecine (MYCO) To Supply MYCO-001 for Multi-Site NIDA Grant-Funded Smoking Cessation Study Lead by Dr. Matthew Johnson Read more…

Oct 5 – MindMed (MNMD) Announces Strategic Research Collaboration with Sphere Health Read more…

Oct 6 – Psygen Announces use of Psilocybin in Human Trial and Provides Update on IP Portfolio Read more… 

Oct 6 – Creso Pharma’s (CPH) psychedelics subsidiary proceeds to stability testing ahead of clinical trial Read more…

Oct 7 – Cybin (CYBN) Announces Milestone Achievements of its Subsidiary Adelia Therapeutics Read more…

Oct 7 – Tryp Therapeutics (TRYP) Announces Collaboration With Researchers At The University Of Wisconsin-Madison Read more… 

Oct 7 – PsyBio Therapeutics (PSYB) Successfully Demonstrates Commercial Scale Manufacturing Feasibility Read more…

Oct 7 – MYND Life Sciences (MYND) Announces Diagnostic Division with Formation of Wholly-Owned Subsidiary – MYND Diagnostics Ltd. Read more…

Oct 7 – HAVN LIFE (HAVN) Files Final Base Shelf Prospectus Read more… 

Video of the Week

The 7 Basic Steps Of Mushroom Cultivation

Playing with mischievous spirits

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.”

Playlist of the Week

Psychedlic and Chill
seattle mushroom
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Issue 17

Issue 17

Here’s what’s in store for you in today’s issue:

🍄 Struggling with negative self image

🍄 Pneumonia drug + shrooms repair the brain?

🍄 Build your brain without getting high

🍄 Is Elon going to take shrooms to the moon?

🍄 And more.

You’ll want to stay till the end to learn how someone became a cartoon on magic truffles!

(Did a good friend forward this to you? If so be sure to subscribe here)

Be sure to check out last week’s Daily Mushroom podcast!
Psilocybin, is it the next cannabis wave?

In this episode we have Lenny Kerman, a strategic financial consultant who works with various psilocybin and cannabis companies. He talks about how he’s invested in the space and has some valuable information for those looking to invest as well.

Struggling with a negative self image?

A recent study suggests that repeated psychedelic drug use may be effective in reducing PTSD symptoms and internalized shame in people who endured maltreatment during childhood.

The researchers surveyed adults with severe physical, emotional, or sexual trauma and found that those who took psychedelics for therapeutic purposes (in non-clinical settings) were less likely to have a negative self-concept or disturbances in relationships.

Participants who used psychedelics with therapeutic intent 5 times showed the lowest levels of internalized shame and complex trauma.

Enhancing psilocybin…with a pneumonia drug?

A drug that loosens mucus in the lungs could also help treat concussions!?

Lobe Sciences (LOBE) discovered that psilocybin might work better when paired with N-Acetylcysteine (NAC), a drug used to treat Tylenol overdose and respiratory conditions like pneumonia, bronchitis, and asthma.

In rodent models of mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) and PTSD, the combination of psilocybin and NAC performed significantly better than psilocybin, NAC, or a placebo alone.

The company is working on finding a supplier of high purity cGMP psilocybin to continue research and expand on these findings.

Reducing fish seizures

This Vancouver company is making advancements across its drug pipeline.

Dravet Syndrome, a disorder that causes epilepsy from a young age, is the target of a new study by Bright Minds (DRUG). In preclinical studies on zebrafish, DRUG was effective in reducing seizure duration and frequency and is now on track to be tested in human trials early next year.

In rat models, DRUG showed efficacy in treating opioid use disorder and binge eating disorder with rats demonstrating a 50% reduction in binge eating episodes.

The company also has a mixed compound that is in preclinical development for cluster headaches, chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, and other pain disorders.

Tripping in Times Square

This week, the first-ever psychedelic billboard campaign debuted in Times Square to spark a conversation about the healing power of plant medicines and disrupt profit-driven ads.

The #CelebratePlantMedicine campaign encourages viewers to share their personal experiences with plant medicines to destigmatize the use of psychedelics. It also aims to amplify the importance of set and setting, integration, and respecting Indigenous wisdom.

The campaign is run by DoubleBling Magazine, Musings Magazine, Rainbo Mushrooms, and Honeysuckle Magazine, which ran Time Square’s first cannabis billboard.

Go share your story with the hashtag to join the movement!

3 women + microdosing = )

Chelsea says that microdosing allows her to “stay fully present” and is the only tool that helps her focus her busy mind, but the biggest shift was in her anxiety. “For over fifteen years, I had severe anxiety, but through microdosing, I could sit with and deliberate my fears. I now rarely suffer with it, and if I do, it’s fleeting,” she shares.

One woman, Amber, was so depressed that everything felt dull and uninteresting, until she started microdosing. “When I microdosed for the first time I found myself noticing the beauty of the things around me again,” she says. She explains that microdosing is “akin to a child-like wonder” and makes her feel “more positive, open-minded and creative but still completely functional and sober”.

Bea finds that microdosing three times per week acts as a natural mood booster and study aid, brings her mental clarity, and helps her organize her life. She says she’s now able to be her true, stable self and is no longer the “people-pleasing, anxious version” of herself.

Is Elon going to take shrooms to the moon? 

Elon Musk has been known to have a major influence on the stock market, with his Tweets causing Bitcoin and Dogecoin to skyrocket almost instantaneously. His latest interview could take shroom stocks to the moon 😉

In an interview with Ronan Levy, co-founder of Field Trip Health (FTRP), Musk was asked what role he thinks psychedelics have in “addressing some of the more destructive tendencies of humanity.”

Elon replied, “I think, generally, people should be open to psychedelics. A lot of people making laws are kind of from a different era, so I think, as the new generation gets into political power, I think we will see greater receptivity to the benefits of psychedelics.”

Build a better brain without getting high

“We are not a one- or two-asset company. We’ve got a large pipeline coming out,” warns David E. Olson, founder of Delix Therapeutics.

The Boston-based startup just raised $70 million in series A financing to develop psychedelic-inspired compounds that are safe enough to take at home.

The company has already synthesized about 1,000 compounds across 8+ classes of psychedelics, with the goal of creating compounds that form synapses between brain cells without inducing hallucinations.

The researchers have found a couple of promising contenders, which are on track to be studied in Phase 1 clinical trials by the end of this year.

Are stoners getting bored with cannabis?

These two companies are joining forces to become a leader in commercialized psilocybin extracts.

Pure Extracts (PULL), a cannabis, hemp, and mushroom extraction company, signed a Joint Venture agreement with Psyence Group (PSYG) to form “Pure Psyence”.

The agreement leverages Psyence Group’s licensed cultivation facility and standardized psilocybin mushroom supply to create high-purity, naturally-derived mushroom extracts. Yesterday, Psyence Group completed its first official validated harvest, bringing it one step closer to receiving a British Standards Institute (BSI) certification.

The combined expertise will make standardized psilocybin more accessible to Canadian research institutions and will allow Pure Psyence to conduct human clinical trials using the extracts.

Legal

Healing the Armed Forces

The US government is funding psychedelic research to get military members the relief they deserve!

A new measure, filed by Rep. Dan Crenshaw of Texas, would allow the Secretary of Defense to award research grants to study psychedelic therapy as a PTSD treatment for active military members.

The measure would allow any State or Federal agency, academic institution, or nonprofit to study the therapeutic effects of psilocybin, ibogaine, MDMA, or 5-MeO-DMT. If passed, funds could be used for Phase 2 clinical studies involving members of the Armed Forces or to train practitioners to offer the treatment.

Another city decriminalizes psychedelics

Well, kind of…

In a 5-2 vote, Grand Rapids, Michigan approved a psychedelics decriminalization resolution, yet activists feel the measure falls short.

The resolution calls for law enforcement deprioritization for use and possession of psilocybin, peyote, ayahuasca, and ibogaine, but it doesn’t address the cultivation, purchase, transportation or distribution of the entheogens, unlike the measure passed in Ann Arbor.

On the bright side, the measure notes that the Mayor and City Commission will support efforts to decriminalize the entheogenic plants and fungi on a local, state, and federal level.

Psychedelic research coming to Florida

“The science regarding psilocybin is real, cannot be ignored, and soon will be a universally-accepted form of treatment in the U.S.,” said Rep. Michael Grieco (D) of Florida.

That’s why he and Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book (D) filed bills that would require the state to study the medical potential of psilocybin and MDMA.

The bills were modeled on the measure enacted in Texas earlier this year to study psychedelic therapy for veterans with PTSD, but with an even broader scope. If enacted, the Department of Health would be directed to research other conditions like depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, chronic pain and migraines.

Industry Quick Hits

Sept 27 – Clearmind Medicine (CMND) To Fund Second R&D Partnership With Hebrew University’s Technology Transfer Company Read more…

Sept 27 – Nikean Foundation announces $5 million gift to create a Psychedelic Psychotherapy Research Centre at Toronto’s University Health Network (UHN) Read more…

Sept 27 – Delic (DELC) Closes C$7.0 Million Private Placement With U.S. Institutional Investor to Fuel Growth of Largest National Presence Read more…

Sept 28 – NeonMind (NEON) Advances Strategy For Specialty Clinic Launch Read more…

Sept 28 – PharmaTher (PHRM) Announces Closing of CAD$10 Million Private Placement with Institutional Investors Read more…

Sept 29 – MYND Life Sciences Inc. (MYND) Announces RSU Grant Read more…

Sept 29 – Blackhawk Growth’s (BLR) Mindbio Therapeutics Signs Collaboration Agreement With Digital Mind Technology Technology Read more… 

Sept 30 – MINDCURE Announces Commencement of Trading on the OTCQX Best Market Under Symbol ‘MCURF’ Read more…

Sept 30 – Novamind (NM) Opens 6th Integrative Psychiatry Clinic, Adds 3rd Clinical Research Site Read more… 

Video of the Week

LIFE BEYOND: Chapter 1

Becoming an extremely pleasing ball of flesh

This Reddit user had a memorable first trip on magic truffles.

“We cycled to an extremely secluded hill with trees covering it from all sides and where no one ever goes. It’s our secret chill spot mostly used for smoking weed. We sat down in pure awe of the spot and nature. Generating sentences and word combinations was EXTREMELY HARD, because every time we wanted to get a thought out, when we started explaining it, our brains had already moved on to the next thought. It was a rapid fire of thoughts and ideas and we laid down looking at the sky and the trees in silence just thinking about the universe and different topics.

Everything had patterns and colors were extremely bright and vibrant. Everything was breathing and flowing and when I looked at my phone, I couldn’t decipher words as all the letters on my keyboard and screen kept moving and switching places. I didn’t see words, but rather letter combinations. Looking at the camera, my face was constantly moving, shrinking and getting bigger. My eyes looked big and cartoony. It looked like I was living in a cartoon as everything looked like a drawing and too symmetrical to be real. At one point I pressed my head against my knee and felt like my body was merging into a ball of flesh, but it felt extremely pleasing. Everything was positive, loving and peaceful. I was at peace with myself and the universe. Orange juice tasted amazing. Me and my friend didn’t have much interaction as we were both fully engulfed in the trip. He told me afterwards that he had many similar effects to me.

At the end of the peak, I noticed my friend shedding tears and put my hand on his shoulder and asked him if everything was ok. He said he wasn’t sad, but they were rather tears of joy and acceptance. Seems like he was having an even more intense experience than me, but he said his trip was extremely good just like mine and no signs of a bad trip or negative thoughts.”

Playlist of the Week

Psychedlic and Chill
mushroom balloon
Posted on

Issue 16

Issue 16

Here’s what’s in store for you in today’s issue:

🍄 Combining psilocybin with antidepressants

🍄 Vaping mushrooms?

🍄 The cure for constant hunger

🍄 Government-funded shroom trip

🍄 And more.

You’ll want to stay till the end to learn how someone gained a new skill during their first trip!

(Did a good friend forward this to you? If so be sure to subscribe here)

Be sure to check out this week’s Daily Mushroom podcast!
Psilocybin, is it the next cannabis wave?

In this episode we have Lenny Kerman, a strategic financial consultant who works with various psilocybin and cannabis companies. He talks about how he’s invested in the space and has some valuable information for those looking to invest as well.

Psilocybin or antidepressants? Why not both!

A new study found that combining SSRIs and psilocybin is not only safe, but may be beneficial!

Yesterday, MindMed (MNDM) announced the findings from an ongoing study conducted in collaboration with UHB Liechti Lab.

Psilocybin was found to be safe to administer with an SSRI antidepressant and did not reduce the psychedelic experience. Two weeks prior to the psilocybin dose, volunteers were give a daily pretreatment of the SSRI escitalopram. As a result, the volunteers experienced reduced anxiety and blood pressure increases that can occur with psilocybin administration.

The cure for constant hunger

Can shrooms treat this rare genetic disorder?

Tryp Therapeutics (TRYP) is preparing for a Phase 2a study on overeating disorders including a rare condition called Prader-Willi Syndrome, a genetic disorder that causes intellectual disability, shortness in height, and constant hunger than often leads to obesity and diabetes.

The clinical trial is expected to begin in Q4 of this year and will investigate various other eating disorders such as binge eating and hypothalamic obesity. Ten patients will be given two doses of psilocybin, which in theory will increase neuroplasticity to create healthier neural patterns related to eating habits.

The San Diego company just filed an Investigational New Drug (IND) application with the FDA, for TRP-8802, the psilocybin formulation that will be used in the study.

Say goodbye to extreme anxiety

Mydecine (MYCO) filed a patent for a new anxiety and PTSD drug that provides more immediate relief than pure psilocybin.

The compound, MYCO-003, combines a serotonin agonist with a serotonin releasing agent – two drug classes that increase one’s sense of well-being, safety, and happiness. The formulation has shown positive preclinical data and has potential to relieve extreme anxiety before needing to provide extensive supportive care.

The patent was filed with both the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

Mydecine (MYCO) filed a patent for a new anxiety and PTSD drug that provides more immediate relief than pure psilocybin.

The compound, MYCO-003, combines a serotonin agonist with a serotonin releasing agent – two drug classes that increase one’s sense of well-being, safety, and happiness. The formulation has shown positive preclinical data and has potential to relieve extreme anxiety before needing to provide extensive supportive care.

The patent was filed with both the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

Government-funded shroom trip

After half a century, the US federal government has started funding psychedelic research again!

A researcher at Johns Hopkins University received a U01 grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) to fund a multi-site study on psilocybin for tobacco addiction, which will take place at Johns Hopkins, New York University, and the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

The researcher, Dr. Matthew W. Johnson, noted that this is the first time a psychedelic study has received funding since the War on Drugs was declared in the 70s, marking a “new era in legitimacy of psychedelic science”.

Microdosing research expands worldwide!

Yesterday, Wake Network Inc. received a Certificate of Drug Registration from the Jamaican Ministry of Health & Wellness for PSIL428, its microdose formulation made from natural psilocybin.

The certification allows the company to run clinical trials on anxiety and depression and makes PSIL429 available to clinics and academic institutions across the globe. Any country with a special access program can request to import the legal formulation for patient use.

In other microdosing news, MindBio Therapeutics, a subsidiary of Blackhawk Growth Corp. (BLR), is partnering with Trip Pharma’s LeichtMind clinic to launch microdosing clinical trials in Canada!

Let me hit that vape

Will psychedelic therapy soon involve vaping shrooms?

Delic (DELC) is the first company to receive Health Canada approval to research psilocybin vaporization.

On Monday, Delic entered into an agreement to acquire Ketamine Wellness Clinics, a company that runs 10 ketamine infusion centers across 8 states. The deal increases Delic’s total number of clinics to 12 and adds over 60 medical professionals to the team, making it the largest psychedelic wellness chain in the US. Within the next 18 months, the company hopes to grow this number to 27 clinics!

Once granted FDA-approval, DELIC aims to offer other psychedelic treatments at these locations including MDMA and psilocybin therapy, which could potentially use the vaporization technology!

Optimizing psychedelic therapy…there’s an app for that!

MINDCURE’s (MCUR) digital therapeutics platform could improve the psychedelic healing journey for both patients and clinicians!

The software application, iSTRYM, provides clinicians with a global database of therapy protocols, integration plans, and AI-driven data insights into patient journeys. The application connects to mobile and wearable devices to measure patients’ biological response to the treatment, allowing clinicians to provide personalized care. iSTRYM also offers a Mindfulness Suite that patients can use to explore practices like breathwork and meditation to support their healing. 

This week, MINDCURE signed into an exclusive licensing agreement with ATMA Journey Centers, a private psychedelic therapy clinic in Calgary, which will grant MINDCURE access to anonymous patient data gathered from ATMA’s use of the platform.

Legal

Half a million Italians want to decriminalize mushrooms!

You may want to postpone your trip to Italy till next year 😉

Italian activists collected 500,000 signatures in favour of a referendum to decriminalize marijuana and psilocybin – enough to qualify for a ballot measure!

The referendum would remove Italy’s prohibition on cultivating psychoactive substances, but the further processing required to produce most narcotics would remain illegal. Fortunately, magic mushrooms are ready to enjoy after cultivation alone! 

A vote is expected to take place in spring of 2022 given that the Court of Cassation and the Constitutional Court sign off on the measure after reviewing the petition. 

Perpetuating the worst research blackout in history

Back in May, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson approved the rescheduling of psilocybin to make it easier to research its therapeutic effects.

Months have passed, yet the Home Office has failed to act, “perpetuating what can be considered the worst research blackout in scientific history,” according to the Conservative Drug Policy Reform Group (CDPRG). Crispin Blunt MP, chairman of the CDPRG, is urging the Home Office to take action fast to tackle the mental health crisis. 

A Home Office spokesperson said that there are currently no plans to reschedule psilocybin due to the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001, but they will consider any recommendations from The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD), which is reviewing the barriers to researching controlled drugs.

Industry Quick Hits

Sept 21 – Eversio Wellness Harvests Its First Legally Grown Psychoactive Mushrooms Read more…

Sept 21 – Clearmind Medicine (CMND) Partners with The Hebrew University to Develop Novel Psychedelic Drug Read more…

Sept 21 – FSD Pharma (HUGE) Announces Closing Of Lucid Psycheceuticals Acquisition Read more… 

Sept 23 – Havn Life (HAVN) Announces Supply And Distribution MOU With Mycrodose Therapeutics Read more…

Sept 23 – Numinus (NUMI) Completes Acquisition of Neurology Centre of Toronto Read more…

Sept 23 – Delic (DELC) Announces C$7.0 Million Private Placement With Institutional Investor Read more…

Sept 24 – Novamind (NM) Announces DTC Eligibility for its Common Shares Read more…

Sept 24 – PharmaTher (PHRM) Announces CAD$10 Million Private Placement With Institutional Investors Read more…

Video of the Week

History of Magic Mushrooms

New superpower unlocked

This Reddit user gained a new ability during their first trip.

“I’m in my 40s and have been tone deaf as well as having hearing loss my whole life. I can’t carry a tune or recognize notes/melodies, and have never connected emotionally to music. When I dance, I’m just imitating others. I don’t know how to dance to music.

I tried magic mushrooms for the first time. My friend had music playing and at one point during my trip, I started humming and singing. I became the song and my body knew how to dance and play an instrument. My fingers were making the most intricate, precise movements- strumming an instrument like a professional musician. Dance movements came to me and I could feel it in my nervous system as I danced. Afterwards, I was still ready to believe that I was probably horribly out of tune and stumbling around and making stuff up, but my friend- who was not tripping- confirmed that I was carrying a tune, humming the song that was playing, and danced as if I had been trained and done it all my life.

This is just… unbelievable. And also merely a facet of the whole trip! I’d love to hear if this resonates with others and if there have been similar experiences!”

Playlist of the Week

Trippy playlist for all
mushroom balloon
Posted on

Issue 15

Issue 15

Here’s what’s in store for you in today’s issue:

🍄 A different approach to treating depression

🍄 6 stocks to make you $

🍄 Healing racial trauma

🍄 A new psychedelics ETF

🍄 And more.

You’ll want to stay till the end to learn how someone travelled to different dimensions with Post Malone!

(Did a good friend forward this to you? If so be sure to subscribe here)

Be sure to check out this week’s Daily Mushroom podcast!
How Psilocybin Is Revolutionizing The Way We Die

In this episode Natasha Fearnley, the first nurse to legally experience psilocybin therapy, shares her fascinating views on palliative care.

Can this combination treat depression?

Allied Corp. (ALID) has a new approach for treating depression, anxiety and PTSD.

The Kelowna-based company developed a proprietary formulation called Psilonex RX that combines psilocybin extract with functional mushroom extracts and a blend of vitamins.

Allied Corp. aims to treat patients by prescribing a dose of Psilonex RX followed by a daily dose of its CBD product, Psilonex Daily.

The company just began manufacturing Psilonex RX under an agreement with HAVN Life Sciences (HAVN).

Healing racial trauma

A mission to end racism, bring equity to healthcare, and treat racial trauma. Psychologist, Monnica Williams of the University of Ottawa, believes that psilocybin and MDMA can help people of colour address the trauma they’ve endured from racial biases.

“Using psychedelics can not only bring these pain points to the surface for healing, but can reduce the anxiety or response to these memories and allow them to speak openly about them without the pain they bring,” Williams says.

She notes that POC are vastly underrepresented in the mental health care sector, specifically in psychedelic-assisted therapy, and expresses the need for specialized training to work with marginalized groups.

Williams has struggled to find funding for her research in this area in the past, but she’s hopeful that her work will gain more traction with the recent increased attention to racial justice.

Tapping into traditional healing

Resurgent Biosciences, a subsidiary of Goodness Growth Holdings (GDNS), is tapping into the spiritual and cultural side of psychedelics to develop a better approach to psychedelic therapy.

The company is launching a study on the naturalistic use of entheogens through a partnership with Flor da Jurema, a temple community in Brazil where visitors can take part in spiritual experiences with traditional plant medicines.

The study, which was just approved by an independent Institutional Review Board, will survey 100 adults who have participated in entheogen therapy centers or psychedelic retreats in the last five years.

The goal is to get a sense of their intentions, motivations, experiences, demographics, and willingness to participate in entheogen research in the future and use the findings to create more positive, long-lasting results from psychedelic-assisted therapies.

Educated young adults are taking more drugs and drinking less

To escape the boredom and stress of the pandemic, college students are turning to psychedelics and marijuana.

A recent study found that psychedelic drug use among college students nearly doubled during the pandemic, increasing from 5% in 2019 to 9% in 2020. For non-college young adults, use increased from 8% to 10%.

College students also reported record-high marijuana use and record-low levels of alcohol consumption and binge drinking, likely as a result of fewer social events.

Experts predict that these trends reflect need to cope with mental health issues the desire to break monotony with a different mental state.

Psychedelic journalists!

“As the field of psychedelics explodes, we’re going to need sophisticated journalism to provide the public with reliable information and the field with accountability.”

That’s where Tim Ferriss steps in.

His non-profit organization, the Saisei Foundation, just donated $800,000 over three years to UC Berkeley’s Center for the Science of Psychedelics (BCSP) to establish the Ferriss – UC Berkeley Psychedelic Journalism Fellowship.

The fellowship, which will be overseen by BCSP co-founder Michael Pollan, will support young journalists reporting on the psychedelics industry for mainstream news outlets. Journalists can apply to receive grants of up to $15,000 to investigate the science, policy, business and culture of psychedelics.

These 6 stocks will make you money 🤑

On Tuesday, the Canadian investment bank Eight Capital gave a Buy rating to 6 psychedelic stocks. Here are the projected returns:

Invest in this ETF… because YOLO 😉

New ETF alert!

Yesterday, AdvisorShares launched the first psychedelic ETF on a US exchange – NYSE: PSIL.

The portfolio manager, Dan Ahrens, has an extensive track record of managing ETFs in a variety of sectors including two cannabis ETFs, MSOS and YOLO.

The distribution of holdings is shown below:

Legal

Michigan paves the way

Michigan could be the next state to decriminalize psilocybin!

Senator Jeff Irwin (D-Ann Arbor) introduced a bill, SB 631, that would decriminalize the use, possession, cultivation, and delivery of psilocybin and mescaline.

The bill would also allow practitioners to use the psychedelics in counseling or spiritual guidance, but commercial sales would remain illegal.

The city of Ann Arbor, Michigan has already decriminalized psychedelics, and Detroit isn’t far behind with a decriminalization initiative to appear on the ballot this November.

Go sign this petition!

A California activist group, Decriminalize California, is working to get a psilocybin legalization measure on the 2022 ballot, and they’re making progress!

The measure, called the California Psilocybin Initiative, would allow the possession, use, cultivation, social sharing, and even the retail sale of psilocybin.

This week, the group was  cleared to begin collecting signatures for the initiative- they’ll need 623,212 registered voters to sign the petition within 180 days. Luckily, 2,800 people have already volunteered to help with the process.

“I feel pretty damn good honestly [about the prospects of the initiative]. People are so psyched for psychedelics,” said the director of the campaign.

Industry Quick Hits

Sept 14 – Nova Mentis (NOVA) Applies to US FDA for Psilocybin Orphan Drug Designation Fragile X Syndrome Treatment Read more…

Sept 14 – First subject dosed in Beckley Psytech’s psilocybin trial for rare headache disorder Read more…

Sept 14 – Mindset Pharma (MSET) Further Validates Lead Candidate, MSP-1014, as a Next Generation Psilocybin Analog through Drug Discrimination Assay Read more…

Sept 17 – Enveric Biosciences (ENVB) Announces Closing of MagicMed Industries Acquisition Read more…

Video of the Week

Expert Answers Psychedelics Questions From Twitter (ft. Michael Pollan)

Seeing aliens with Post Malone

This Reddit user tapped into different dimensions after taking 2.7 grams of Penis Envy mushrooms.

“I turned on a podcast that I highly recommend to all experienced trippers after my experience with it. It was Joe Rogan and Post Malone tripping together. Once I turned on the podcast I was immediately intrigued about how I could feel their emotions and vibes and feel like I was tripping with them. All of the sudden my no-visual trip got slapped in the face when the whole tv starting started to swirl around and their eyes got all geeked out. I was about to turn it off because I didn’t want to have a artificial video of edited psilocybin visuals. I paused the video, and I realized that the screen was still moving like it was before and the visuals were REAL. At that moment in time I got excited because I knew what was about to come was gonna be good.

I turn the podcast back on and I start to zone out at the tv when I feel a rush of euphoria flowing though my body at the beat of my heart. I was manually breathing and I felt like I was gonna fall FORWARD while laying down because the end of my bed was a for some reason interrupted as a cliff my my brain. The whole room was a weird color like a color invert Instagram filter, I don’t know how to explain this in words guys, but I actually felt like I was being lifted and about to be thrown off my bed. I was gripping for dear life my god it was intense.

Then they started taking about aliens.. they said something about them being around all the time but we just can’t see them until we’re on mushrooms. BOOM fucking blast off I was seeing my own version of alien entity’s all around me. Every square inch of my peripheral vision was different species staring at me. It was incredible.

But I’d like to mention, only watch this podcast if you’re experienced because they do talk about ghosts and the most terrifying things they can think of at one point and they actually scared themselves a little bit lol. Creeped me out too because it wasn’t just stories, I FELT the ghosts and spirits. With full force I was like a skipping record player switching through dimensions on every topic they’d talk about and I felt like Post Malone was family for about three hours. I have never been so deep in my life and this is the most excited I’ve ever been about mushrooms and their capabilities of tapping into other worlds and dimensions and having realizations that you can’t EVER have sober.”

Playlist of the Week

Trippy Trance 👽
fishing for a mushroom
Posted on

Issue 14

Issue 14

Here’s what’s in store for you in today’s issue:

🍄 New psychedelic drugs?

🍄 Another stock to keep on your radar

🍄 A new way to make psilocybin

🍄 Reducing suicidal thoughts with psilocybin

🍄 And more.

You’ll want to stay till the end to learn how someone saw a million souls in the kingdom of heaven!

(Did a good friend forward this to you? If so be sure to subscribe here)

Be sure to check out this week’s Daily Mushroom podcast!

In this episode Paula, a holistic counselor, talks about her experiences with psilocybin.

Suicide is never the answer…

But psychedelics might be!

Conventional SSRI antidepressants are often ineffective in reducing suicidality and have even been known to increase suicidal thoughts. Psychedelics could be a revolutionary solution.

An NYU study found that psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy significantly reduced suicidal ideation in advanced cancer patients. Patients saw improvements in existential distress as early as 8 hours after the first dose, and the positive effects lasted over 6 months after the second dose.

Autistic Rats

Nova Mentis (NOVA) was studying the effect of psilocybin on rats with autism symptoms when they discovered an unexpected finding…

Not only did the psilocybin improve anxiety and cognitive function in the rats, but it also seemed to impact the proteins that regulate inflammation, indicating that the formulation may be able to treat obesity and diabetes related to obesity (“diabesity”).

Another highly promising indicator is that psilocybin activates the 5-HT2C serotonin receptors, which play a role in body weight and food intake. In fact, one of the current FDA-approved obesity treatments called lorcaserin is also a serotonin receptor agonist, but it can have lots of unwanted side effects that psilocybin would likely avoid!

4x more effective than psilocybin?

A recent study revealed that psilocybin can increase neuronal connections by 10%, but a different psychedelic may be even more effective.

A Vancouver company called Algernon Pharmaceuticals Inc. (AGN) discovered that its propriety compound based on DMT increased the growth of cortical neurons by 40% –  even at sub-hallucinogenic doses!

In the study, the cortical neurons of rats were treated with varying concentrations of DMT for just one hour and were examined 3 days later.

From now til the end of October, the company will experiment with increasing this duration to up to 72 hours.

New psychedelics?

If you think you’ve tried every psychedelic, think again 😉

An Oregon-based company called Blue Sun Mycology Group is preparing to file a patent for a process that combines foreign substances into fungi to create brand new drugs.

The company is just weeks away from harvesting the first batch of THC-infused psilocybin mushrooms and has started infusing LSD and DMT into mushrooms too!

Blue Sun Mycology recently filed 2 other patents for its process of creating new species of psychoactive fungi and plants through sexual hybridization, which it has already used to create over a dozen new species.

A sweet way to make psilocybin

This Copenhagen-based company is making psilocybin out of sugar!

Octarine Bio developed an innovative process of producing psilocybin from sugar using yeast fermentation. Not only is the process IP-protected, but its also low cost, sustainable, easily scalable, and has a stable supply chain.

This week, Octarine Bio partnered with a British clinical research organization, Clerkenwell Health, to advance human clinical trials and expand patient access to psychedelic therapy in Europe.

You’ll want to keep this stock on your radar

It was a big week for this Toronto company!

Last week, HC WainWright gave Field Trip Health (FTRP) a Buy rating, predicting that it will increase from $4.50 to $20 per share in just one year!

The firm noted that Field Trip’s propriety psilocybin analog, FT-104 could soon have some of the strongest intellectual property protection in the sector.

Since the analysis, the company has opened Europe’s first psychedelic therapy healthcare facility in Amsterdam, expanding its network of clinics to six facilities.

Then on Thursday, Field Trip announced that its preparing for Phase I clinical trials, which will commence early next year, to investigate FT-104 in treating post-partum depression and treatment resistant depression.

How to tell if a rat is tripping

Mindset Pharma (MSET) developed a new test that eliminates one of the biggest challenges of developing a new psychedelic drug.

It can be difficult to determine whether or not animals perceive a psychedelic experience when testing a new drug, but human trials are much more expensive. Mindset’s test offers a new solution.

By training rats to discriminate psilocybin from saline, Mindset developed a test that allows rats to communicate whether or not they perceive a new drug to be similar to psilocybin, which will help the company select its lead compounds for human clinical trials.

Yesterday, Maxim Group increased MSET’s price target from US$1 to $1.50, noting that the test increased the value of the company’s next-gen pipeline.

Mindset also announced that its psilocybin-inspired compound, MSP-1014, will target treatment resistant depression and end of life cancer angst.

Legal

A faster application process

Take notes Health Canada…

The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) wants to simplify the registration process for researchers to access Schedule I drugs like psilocybin to be on par with Schedule II substances, as stated in a letter to congressional leaders.

The new registration process would skip some of the “lengthy and cumbersome” steps to encourage research into Schedule I substances. Applicants would only need to provide a general research proposal, information on storage and security of the substance, and qualifications to conduct the research.

Fighting for the right to try psilocybin

Back in March, a Seattle doctor sued the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for rejecting an application to use psilocybin in end-of-life treatment for cancer patients.

Now, Washington Officials are supporting the case, since Washington is one of 41 states that’ve passed a “right-to-try” law, which gives terminally ill patients access to investigational medicine in Phase I of the FDA approval process.

“It is entirely consistent with the purpose and language of the state and federal right-to-try laws to include any controlled substances that have completed Phase 1 trials, including Schedule I controlled substances,” said Washington Deputy Solicitor General Peter B. Gonick.  

Industry Quick Hits

Sept 6 – Oregon Psilocybin Panel Teams Up With Harvard To Research Psychedelic History And Impacts Of Reform Read more…

Sept 7 – Mydecine Innovations Group (MYCO) Announces MYCO-001 Seamless Phase 2/3 Smoking Cessation Clinical Trial Read more…

Sept 7 – Little Green Pharma (LGP) secures Western Australian psilocybin license Read more…

Sept 8 – CaaMTech Raises $22 Million for Psychedelic Drug Discovery and Development Read more…

Sept 9 – Novamind Uplists to OTCQB Venture Market Read more…

Video of the Week

Healing Psilocybin Mushroom Retreat Documentary Vlog

Atheist sees God on 5g

This Reddit user was transported to heaven after taking their first heroic dose.

“I found myself in a sort of forest clearing. Weird little goblin creatures / elves with pale green skin – some with eyes on stalks – were playing peekaboo with me, as they were hiding amongst the trees, vines and bushes. Very playful. They were all welcoming me and giving me the thumbs-up. It felt like they knew me, and I knew them from somewhere too. The euphoria kept building.

I’m not sure whether these creatures led me there – I think they did – but at some point I realised I was in the kingdom of heaven, or maybe in the place souls are born. Words utterly defy description of this place… but all at once I realised that I was a soul… that everyone was a soul. I saw millions of other souls and angels there, all reaching out their arms to welcome me. The euphoria kept building… and I couldn’t stop laughing… mostly at my utter astonishment that I now had absolute proof, as far as I was concerned, that God and heaven were 100% real. I have never been remotely religious.

I opened my eyes, and with what was left of my human faculties I managed to open up the jar where I keep all my dried shrooms. I started eating more of them. This was probably quite irresponsible, but I was excited by the experience so far and I wanted to prolong it. I don’t know how many I ate exactly, but some of them were pretty big. Safe to say I was well over 5g by now.

I closed my eyes again and right away I was back in heaven. I saw religious iconography and remember thinking it was unbelievable how the actual kingdom of heaven has this same iconography as depicted in religious paintings, in churches etc. Our earthly depictions of heaven make a pretty decent job of it.

I was being swept along in heaven, hanging out with all the other souls and angels. It was like everything was in HD, but also in more dimensions than our typical three. The immensity of the power and love of the place was very hard to take in. At some point I saw the face of God looking directly at me. I felt unbelievably insignificant and humbled, but also knew that I was more loved and more understood than I could ever have imagined. I realised that as souls, all of us are children, and we are loved as unconditionally as any parent loves their child.”

Playlist of the Week

CTV3: Day Tripper's Edition
Posted on

Issue 13

Issue 13

Here’s what’s in store for you in today’s issue:

🍄 A trippy parenting hack 

🍄 The stock with 300% growth

🍄 Gaining support from the DEA

🍄 2 new psychedelic clinics

🍄 And more.

You’ll want to stay till the end to learn how someone learned life lessons from a gentle entity!

(Did a good friend forward this to you? If so be sure to subscribe here)

If you missed last week’s Daily Mushroom podcast, be sure to check it out!

In this episode Thomas Hartle, the first Canadian to be given legal access to psilocybin therapy in Canada, shares his profound stories. 

The trendy parenting hack

Moms around the world are microdosing magic mushrooms to become better parents.

Natalie from Oakland, CA is one of many moms who’ve turned to microdoing to cope with postpartum depression. She was suffering so much that she was worried she’d harm her newborn, which made her suicidal.

Since microdosing 100mg of mushrooms daily for one month, she’s been able to go off antidepressants and ADHD medications. She says she feels more stable than ever and can now face motherhood with a sense of calm.

“Microdosing let me know who I really am…I’m able to parent myself and my daughter in a whole different way, because when I microdose, I know I’ve got this”, Natalie said in an interview with Insider.

Helping 92% of cancer patients

If cancer patients have the right to end their suffering through assisted suicide, shouldn’t they have the right to end their suffering through psilocybin therapy?

In a Johns Hopkins study, 92% of cancer patients saw significant reductions in depression and anxiety 5 weeks after a single high dose of psilocybin. After 6 months, 78% still had significant reductions in symptoms.

Many of the 51 participants described a sense of infinite love, peace, and oneness, and several were able to come to conquer their fear of death.

One participant, Anthony Head, said an extraordinary power touched him during the experience.

“It was so powerful and so profound that it just took my breath away… I feel like it changed my life.”

DEA supports psychedelic medicine?

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is working to accelerate the development of federally-approved psychedelic medicines!

The agency proposed a huge increase in the production of psilocybin, psilocin, and marijuana with the goal of advancing research and drug development.

The proposed production quotas have increased to 1,500 g for psilocybin and 1,000 g for psilocin – up 2,900% and 1,900% respectively from the initial 50 g quotas.

The cure for writer’s block

Was Kacey Musgraves’ new album inspired by shrooms?

Two days before recording Star-crossed, Kacey went on a guided psilocybin journey that brought up a lot of feelings. She laid blindfolded and listened the Johns Hopkins psychedelic therapy playlist, which is curated by neuroscientists to trigger different emotions.

“Music has never sounded so good than it did when I was in that state,” she says. “You notice every nuance of every note. You react viscerally to it. And that served as a lot of the inspiration for the new record.”

She said that psilocybin helps people confront their demons, which “instantly makes them smaller”. After struggling through a recent divorce, the experience helped Musgraves find hope and gratitude for her other relationships in life.

Revolutionizing all of healthcare?

Psychedelic therapy clinics continue to pop up across North America.

Last week, a nonprofit organization called SoundMind Center officially opened in West Philadelphia, which will be dedicated to psychedelic research, treatment, and therapist training.

On Tuesday, another clinic called Innerbloom Healing Arts opened in Charleston, South Carolina. Both clinics currently offer ketamine-assisted therapy with plans to offer MDMA and psilocybin therapy as soon as possible.

“Psychedelics are not only going to revolutionize mental health. They have the ability to revolutionize all of healthcare. Changing the way we think about the relationship between mind and body. And health and disease”, said Dr. Hannah McLane, SoundMind’s founder.

The best way to take psilocybin?

A Hawaiian company called Ei.Ventures is partnering with Tioga Research to develop a new psilocybin delivery method.
 
The companies are developing a patch that delivers psilocybin through the skin using the same transdermal technology found in nicotine patches.


The patch allows for more stable delivery of psilocybin and could prevent nausea that often occurs with oral administration. The product is designed for high doses of psilocybin, but could potentially be used to deliver microdoses for mental clarity and mood stabilization too.

Sounds a bit nicer than the nasal sprays and injection devices that other companies are working on!

Experts predict major growth for this stock

Last week, the financial services firm Cantor Fitzgerald initiated coverage of Cybin Inc. (CYBN).

The stock was just $2.25 per share when the firm gave Cybin a 12-month price target of $9  – a 300% margin.

The analysts believe that Cybin’s proprietary formulation for treating depression, which is in phase 2 clinical trials, has great potential for scalability. They explain that Cybin has enough capital to advance its other formulations for anxiety and alcohol use disorder through clinical trials as well.

The stock has already increased to $2.55 so don’t miss out!

Legal

Sharing is caring

In 2019, Denver became the first US city to decriminalize the possession of psilocybin.

Now, the same activists behind the campaign are on a mission to decriminalize the noncommercial gifting and communal use of psilocybin too.

The activists are also urging legislators to establish first-responder training on psychedelics harm reduction and promote public education on the responsible use of psilocybin.

“Colorado overall is among the worst states in the country in terms of adults experiencing mental health issues…Psilocybin mushrooms, clearly, have the potential to be a novel solution to these issues,” said Kevin Matthews, founder of Vote Nature.

Tackling Seattle’s opioid crisis

Will Seattle be the next city to decriminalize psychedelics?

On Tuesday, Overdose Emergency Innovative Recovery (OEIR) task force made five policy recommendations to address Seattle’s ongoing opioid crisis, as requested by the City Council, including a call for the widespread decriminalization of all drugs.

The task force said that decriminalization, or potentially legalization and regulation, would promote research opportunities, create a safe supply, reduce the stigma of substance use, and could bring in billions of dollars in revenue to the state.

The OEIR believes psychedelic therapy could be a solution to the opioid crisis, noting its effectiveness in treating substance abuse disorder. The group is advocating for municipalities to deprioritize the enforcement of psychedelics and encourages State and federal officials to broaden access to psychedelic therapy.

 

Industry Quick Hits

Aug 30 – Braxia Scientific (BRAX) Achieves 80% Revenue Growth from Expanding Clinic Patient Base Read more…

Aug 31 – Blackhawk Growth (BLR) to Acquire MindBio Therapeutics Pty Ltd.  Read more…

Sept 1 – Adastra’s (XTRX) Application for Controlled Substances Dealer’s License Under Review by Health Canada Read more…

Sept 2 – Mycrodose Therapeutics Announces Expansion of Southern California Pharmaceutical Laboratory Read more…

Sept 2 – Psychedelic Retreat Company Synthesis Institute Closes $7.25M Series A Funding Through Non-Traditional VC Path  Read more…

Video of the Week

Michael Pollan | Dissolving the Default Mode Network

Life lessons from a gentle entity

This Reddit user found a new appreciation for life and nature after taking 3g of mushrooms at a cabin in the mountains.

“Walking back through the forest was super cool, like being in an oil painting. I remember being really enamored with how the trees looked in the sunset and thinking how smart plant life is and that it should be respected.

Once we got back to our cabin, the visuals got really intense and I got a strong feeling that something important was about to happen so I put on some music and sat in a comfortable position and closed my eyes. Once I did the most beautiful visuals ebbed and flowed and the music became a part of me. The visuals would change color based on the music and that went on for a bit before I started feeling a large powerful presence with me.

The entity felt gentle, but also strict. It kept saying to me “watch me, and understand. I am here to teach you”. I kept trying to think about my life and family, but I felt like I couldn’t. The entity kept guiding me by saying “none of that matters now, you’re here with me”. My reality was breaking apart, but it felt natural and inviting. Everything felt intensely connected to me, and me to everything else as well. It was as if the entity was showing me that it had full control of my mental state and was offering me a beautiful experience and not to underestimate it.

Once I started to come down, I realized I had connected to something way larger than myself. After that I talked to my husband for a while about it, and went for a walk, only to catch the most beautiful sunset I’ve ever seen. It felt like I was really here for a reason and that the world was giving me a gift by letting me see something so beautiful and enjoy it with someone I love so much.”

Playlist of the Week

Field Trip Health #2
mushroom in mirror
Posted on

Issue 12

Issue 12

Here’s what’s in store for you in today’s issue:

🍄 Tripping with strangers

🍄 A new depression study

🍄 Treating gambling addiction

🍄 Say goodbye to munchies

🍄 And more.

You’ll want to stay till the end to learn how someone became their 5 year old self and conquered their depression!

(Did a good friend forward this to you? If so be sure to subscribe here)

Check out the Daily Mushroom podcast!

In this episode Thomas Hartle, the first Canadian to be given legal access to psilocybin therapy in Canada, shares his profound stories. 

Studying the most depressed patients

“This will be the broadest study of its kind.”

This morning, Braxia Scientific (BRAX) announced that it’s launching Canada’s first multiple-dose psilocybin trial for treatment resistant depression (TRD).

Most TRD studies recruit patients who have tried a maximum of five other treatment options, but this study will have no upper limit on the number of failed treatments. Braxia researchers will even include patients who’ve gone through dozens of medical trials with no success, including ketamine and electroconvulsive therapy patients.

The randomized clinical trial will also include some patients with bipolar depression or comormid disorders, which are typically excluded from psychedelic studies.

“By including everyone with more than two failed medical trials, we are increasing the degree to which the results can be applied to a larger population, making our findings much stronger”, said the trial’s principal investigator.

Gambling on a new treatment method

Psilocybin isn’t the only psychedelic that’s being studied for addiction treatment!

Awakn Life Sciences (AWKN) has received approval for the first-ever study on ketamine in gambling addiction –  a disorder that affects 10 million people in the US alone, yet has no licensed pharmacological treatment.

The company will use ketamine-assisted psychotherapy to tackle the urge to gamble as well as superstitious thinking that’s at the root of the addiction.

Awakn is also investigating the effects of ketamine and MDMA in treating alcohol use disorder (AUD).

Kick your cravings

The nausea from shrooms can make you not want to eat, but can they prevent over-eating even after the trip is over?

A University of Florida study conducted by Tryp Therapeutics (TRYP) will reveal the answer. This week, the company finished training its psychotherapists for an upcoming Phase 2a clinical trial on over-eating disorders. The training was led by a psychedelic therapy training company called Fluence.

The patients will receive two doses of TRP-8802, Tryp’s oral formulation of synthetic psilocybin, in addition to preparation and integration sessions.

A dose a day keeps the brain fog away

Can you get the benefits of psilocybin with just a microdose? That’s what Mindset Pharma Inc. (MSET) is trying to determine.

The company recently developed a family of psilocybin analogs designed for microdosing. In preclinical studies, the compounds were found to have about 1/10th of the effect on 5-HT2A receptors as psilocybin, but with extended duration, which indicates that they will be ideal for once a day or once every other day dosing.

Mindset plans to test the compounds in preclinical animal models to determine if microdosing has cognitive enhancing effects.

How to bond with strangers

“We have a crisis of loneliness and isolation.” Is group psychedelic therapy the solution?

This week, the Institute for Integrative Therapies (IIT) in Minnesota began offering ketamine-assisted therapy in group settings, and will soon offer group therapy with psilocybin and MDMA too.

Group sessions can provide a powerful healing experience and a sense of connection, plus they’re much cheaper than one-on-one sessions at just $500 per person for a 3-hour experience.

Participants work with a therapist both individually and in group settings to prepare for the experience before laying on a floor mat and tripping in a room full of strangers. Each group has a focus such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, existential crises, grief, end of life distress, and LGBTQ experiences.

Will psychedelics become take-at-home prescription drugs?

Most psychedelics are administered through the digestive tract, but this can require higher dosages, slow the absorption, and can have unwanted side effects. Psycheceutical Inc. is taking a different route.

The Miami-based company just received two patents that could turn psychedelics into take-at-home drugs.

The first is for the Janus particle technology, which uses layers of nanoparticles to target specific cells. The technology can deliver multiple medicines simultaneously at different rates and times.

The second patent is for the company’s NeuroDirect technology, a delivery system that administers compounds directly to nerve connections in the brain. This method bypasses the blood-brain-barrier, which will allow for smaller doses, faster responses, and improved efficacy.

Psilocybin will be bigger than cannabis, says a cannabis exec

South Africa’s first cannabis company is shifting to psilocybin, which shouldn’t be a surprise given its name – Cilo Cybin Pharmaceutical Ltd.

The company recently applied for a research permit to study psilocybin for depression, anxiety, and PTSD. “I really think it is going to be a lot bigger than cannabis even,” said the CEO.

He plans to take the company public on the Johannesburg and Luxembourg Stock Exchanges within the next 12 months.

A HUGE new deal 😉

This pharmaceutical company is ditching its Covid-19 treatment to focus on psychedelic medicine.

A Toronto pharmaceutical company, FSD Pharma (HUGE), announced a definite agreement to acquire the psychedelic company Lucid Psycheceuticals Inc. for CAD$11.3M. The agreement was announced just one day after the company terminated the Phase 2 clinical trial for its Covid-19 treatment because it was unlikely to be commercially viable.

FSD Pharma went public in May of 2018 and currently trades on the CSE, NASDAQ, and FRA. 

Legal

Slow and steady wins the race

California’s psychedelics decriminalization bill, SB519, has been put on hold until 2022, but it may be for the best.

The bill has already been approved by the Senate and 2 of 3 assembly committees, but has now been made into a two-year bill, meaning it won’t advance to the floor until next year.

Senator Scott Wiener (D), the bill’s sponsor, decided put things on pause as more time is needed to build the case for decriminalization and generate support.

“Now that we have more time, I’m optimistic through education and member engagement we can pass this critical legislation next year,” he explained.

Celebrating progress with a trippy festival

September 19th marks the one-year anniversary of when Ann Arbor, Michigan deprioritized many psychedelics including psilocybin. To celebrate, the city is launching the first ever Entheofest –  a free event that promotes the benefits of natural psychedelics and encourages activism toward decriminalization.

The celebration will include live music and speeches from psychedelic activists such as William Leonard Pickard (aka the “Acid King”), a researcher who served 20 years in prison for manufacturing 400 million doses of acid.

Ann Arbor officially recognizes September as Entheogenic Plant and Fungi Awareness Month after a 10-0 City Council vote to promote the benefits of psychedelics and honour ancestral relationships with entheogens.

Industry Quick Hits

Aug 25 – Silo Pharma (SILO) Files 3 Patent Applications for CNS Delivery of Anti-inflammatory Compounds Coupled with Psilocybin Read more…

Aug 25 – NeonMind (NEON) Announces DTC Eligibility Read more…

Aug 25 – Havn Life (HAVN) Signs Agreement To Supply Psilocybin For Mycotopia Therapies (TPIA) Read more…

Aug 26 – MYND Life Sciences (MYND) Announces $3 Million Convertible Debenture Unit Offering Read more…

Aug 26 – MINDCURE (MCUR) Releases First of its Kind Mental Health Digital Therapeutics Platform to Partner Clinics in North America  Read more…

Video of the Week

Stoned Ape & Fungal Intelligence - Paul Stamets

Chocolate cures depression?

This Reddit user said he conquered his depression after splitting a 7g chocolate bar with his girlfriend.

“Everytime i closed my eyes before it was constant changing visuals. But this one time i closed my eyes and it was different. Instead of changing patterns and energy i saw a crystal clear image. Like opening my eyes in the normal world.

At first everything was blurry. I was seeing branches and leaves. I saw morning dew on the leaves with the sun shinning through a drop. Slowly it all came into focus. The leaves. The sky. The clouds. Slowly my vision almost zoomed out. I knew where i was. I was on my old bffs trampoline in his backyard, laying on my back looking at the sky.

All of a sudden a rush of emotion. Or almost lack of. I felt what it was like to be 5 years old again. What it felt like before life got it’s evil hands on me. Before the stress and pain of the world hit me. The feeling that i could be anything if i believed. I shot my eyes open and sat up. I could hardly breath i was so shocked. My gf said “what’s wrong what’s wrong!” I looked at her and said “I-I I was there.” She asked where. I said “t-the trampoline,” “I was 5!” Tears bursted out of my face. So much was running through my brain. I had felt the little boy inside me when he had been hiding for a long time.

I explained to her what i felt. I started confronting my depression. The years and years of built up pain came out in hard sobbing. Yet the sobbing was so good. It was needed. It was crying that had been jarred up over the course of years. I remember asking “Where did he go? Where did that little boy go?” Just thinking about all those suicidal days. I cried for hours while my girlfriend held me. When i finished crying i knew that the little boy inside me. The fun loving, people loving, bubbly little boy was coming back.”

 

Playlist of the Week

Field Trip Health #1
mushroom blast off
Posted on

Issue 11

Issue 11

Here’s what’s in store for you in today’s issue:

🍄 Vancouver’s exploding mushroom dispensaries

🍄 Become a professional trip sitter

🍄 More microdosing research!

🍄 Shrooms for dogs?

🍄 And more.

You’ll want to stay till the end to learn how a married couple discovered their relationship in a past life!

(Did a good friend forward this to you? If so be sure to subscribe here)

Check out the Daily Mushroom podcast!

In this episode Thomas Hartle, the first Canadian to be given legal access to psilocybin therapy in Canada, shares his profound stories. 

Finally, some studies on microdosing 

There’s tremendous anecdotal evidence that microdosing has therapeutic benefits, yet there’s limited research on its effects. Luckily, that’s starting to change thanks to Diamond Therapeutics.

The Toronto-based company received Health Canada approval to conduct a Phase 1 human clinical trial to evaluate low doses of psilocybin in up to 80 healthy volunteers. The preclinical research suggests that low, non-hallucinogenic doses have potential therapeutic benefits.

Diamond Therapeutics is also planning to conduct a Phase 2 trial in the US and Canada to evaluate low psilocybin doses in treating anxiety and will support an investigator-led study on moderate depression as well.

Therapists need drugs too

Before a therapist can guide patients through psychedelic therapy, it’s pretty important that they know what the drugs feel like firsthand.

There’s a growing demand for experiential training for mental health professionals, and organizations in both Canada and the US are starting to fill this gap.

ATMA Journey Centers, a clinic in Calgary, submitted an application to Health Canada for an experiential-based clinical trial to train mental health providers looking to offer psychedelic-assisted therapy –  and there are currently 400 professionals on the waitlist.

The study will assess the psychological effects of psilocybin in healthy patients, as well as physiological effects like heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature. Since most psilocybin studies are conducted on patients with mental health disorders, this trial will produce much-needed ‘healthy control’ data to use as a baseline.

In the US, two psychotherapists just founded the Psychedelic Coalition for Health (PCH) to offer experiential psychedelic integration training for professionals.

Ditch your covid drinking habit

If you developed a drinking problem during the pandemic, you’re not alone. Alcohol use disorder (AUD) affects 283 million people and growing, which is why Psilera Inc. is studying psilocybin’s anti-addictive properties.

The Florida biotech company launched a new preclinical study that will assess up to seven psychedelic-inspired new chemical entities (NCE) on reducing alcohol consumption. The company aims to limit the psychedelic effects of the drugs to potentially allow administration outside of a clinical setting.

Shrooms for dogs?

It may sound far-fetched, but psilocybin medicine could have therapeutic benefits for dogs!

As cannabis products are becoming more popular for pets, some progressive veterinarians are starting to explore the potential of magic mushrooms. Anecdotal evidence suggests that psilocybin may be able to help dogs with extreme anxiety, PTSD, or behavioural issues.* In parts of South America, psilocybin is used to enhance the hunting ability of dogs, and scientists hypothesize that substance can enhance a dog’s sense of smell and reduce extraneous signals.

*The Daily Mushroom does not encourage or condone giving psilocybin to dogs, as there is no published data on its effects.

Psychedelic therapy from home

Bexson Biomedical Inc. is developing a small wearable device that could allow users to control their psychedelic experiences from home.

The device attaches to the stomach and releases psychedelic compounds into a layer of fat via a tiny needle. In theory, users will be prescribed the pre-calibrated device and be able to use it in the comfort of their home. Users can preprogram the intensity and duration of the trip and potentially adjust the dose and rate of infusion throughout the trip.

This administration method would produce more consistent results across patients than oral administration, which can produce varying results due to differences in liver enzymes.

The device is currently being developed to administer ketamine for chronic pain, but could also be used for psilocybin, LSD, and DMT.

The end to nicotine addiction?

Johns Hopkins University has been at the forefront of psychedelic research since the early 2000’s. Now, its researchers are partnering with Mydecine Innovations (MYCO) to end one of the most difficult addictions to treat.

The Denver-based company just signed into a 5-year research agreement with Johns Hopkins to study psychedelic therapies. Initial research will focus on smoking cession, expanding on previous findings that 80% of smokers were able to quit after one dose of psilocybin.

Mydecine also announced that it has added 4 news lead drug candidates to its portfolio.

$80M raised to study a condition you’ve never heard of

A private company based in England called Beckley Psytech raised $80M in a Series B financing round, exceeding the $50M target due to overwhelming interest from investors.

The funds will be used to study low doses of psilocybin in patients with a rare headache condition called short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache attacks (SUNHA), which affects just 45,000 people in the US and Europe. The Phase 1b study is already underway at King’s College London.

The proceeds will also be used to develop new proprietary compounds, and to study the company’s novel formulation of 5-MeO-DMT, a psychedelic compound found in toad venom, in treating depression.

Another BC company joins the psilocybin space

After 17 months of waiting, Eversio Wellness finally received a “Controlled Substances Dealer’s Licence” from Health Canada, which allows the company to produce psilocybin, DMT, and mescaline.

The Surrey-based company will focus on standardizing the production of natural psilocybin and will likely supply physicians and pharmacies with psychedelics for research purposes.

Legal

Vancouver’s latest tourist attraction

Mushroom dispensaries are rapidly popping up across Vancouver…even though they’re still illegal.

The Coca Leaf Cafe & Mushroom Dispensary is one of a handful of dispensaries that opened in the city this year. Customers can purchase high and low doses of psilocybin mushrooms, growing kits, peyote (a psychedelic cactus), kratom (a tropical tree with an opioid-like effect), and coca leaf products (the plant used to make cocaine).

Earlier this year, Vancouver applied to decriminalize the possession of 15 different drugs including psilocybin. Even though the legislation has yet to be passed, the dispensary owner says he’s not overly worried about law enforcement.

Even Paul Lewin, a Toronto lawyer who’s working with TheraPsil to improve Health Canada’s exemption process, thinks the dispensary owner would have a strong case if he did get busted.

“We have enough research. If we fought this in court, we would win,” Lewin said. “We could clearly establish that it’s safe and that it is effective.”

0.0009% of Californians are against psychedelics

California’s bill that would decriminalize psychedelics, SB519, has been gaining some traction in recent weeks, and Karens are getting triggered.

The Citizens Commission On Human Rights, a non-profit established by the Church of Scientology, has started a petition to defeat the bill, claiming that it’s “very dangerous”.

Don’t worry, only 338 people have signed the petition.

Industry Quick Hits

Aug 13 – Origin Therapeutics Will Invest $5.1M In Psychedelics Startups Read more…

Aug 16 – Mindset Pharma (MSET) Announces Publication of Three PCT Patent Applications for Its Next Generation Psychedelic Drug Candidates Read more…

Aug 17 – Core One Labs (COOL) Acquires Frontier Mycology Read more…

Aug 17 – Revive Therapeutics (RVV) Signs Exclusive Worldwide License Agreement For Functional Mushroom Ganoderma Lucidum To Treat Cancer  Read more…

Aug 19 – Cybin (CYBN) Files 14th Patent Application and Two Additional International Patent Applications  Read more…

Video of the Week

TIMELAPSE OF THE FUTURE: A Journey to the End of Time (4K)

Couples who trip together stay together

Jayne Gumpel is a licensed social worker and experienced couples therapist who helps couples prepare for psychedelic journeys and integrate their trips.

She says every experience has been successful so far, but one couple’s psilocybin trip stands out to her in particular.

“I wouldn’t say they were on the brink of divorce, because they had kids, but they felt like they were living like siblings. There was no sex, and they felt really disengaged and unhappy.

They went in (to the trip) with the intention of doing it as a couple connected, not separate journeys. They wanted to sit and hold hands and look in each other’s eyes. And they both experienced being pre-birth together. They experienced themselves in their past lives, and they were brothers.

Whoa. I know.

When you talk about it on this level in this reality, it sounds really far-out. But they were brothers and they got separated. There was some catastrophe, a fire or an earthquake. They didn’t come back together again in that lifetime. They lost each other, so they felt the pain of that situation. They were both crying because they were lost and they were looking for each other. Then they found each other and were so happy.”

 

Playlist of the Week

Field Trip Health #1
fishing for a mushroom
Posted on

Issue 10

Issue 10

Here’s what’s in store for you in today’s issue:

🍄 Healing brain damage

🍄 The cure to meth addiction?

🍄 How tripping opens your mind

🍄 Reducing crime with shrooms

🍄 And more.

You’ll want to stay till the end to learn how someone hugged their childhood self in an unexpected trip!

(Did a good friend forward this to you? If so be sure to subscribe here)

Check out the Daily Mushroom podcast!

In this episode Thomas Hartle, the first Canadian to be given legal access to psilocybin therapy in Canada, shares his profound stories. 

Can psilocybin repair the brain?

Recent research suggests that psilocybin promotes the growth of neurons in the brain, but is it enough to repair extreme brain damage? Some claim it can, and we’ll have more insights soon!

Wesana Health (WESA) began conducting animal studies to test a psilocybin-based regimen on traumatic brain injury (TBI). The studies will examine different doses on locomotor activity, anxiety and depression, which are common side effects of brain injuries.

Expect results this fall on a current human study covering TBI, anxiety, depression, and migraines.

Time to drop the meth habit

Revive Therapeutics (RVV) is partnering with the University of Wisconsin-Madison to conduct two exciting new psilocybin studies.

One study will research the effect of psilocybin on traumatic brain injury (TBI) and strokes, expanding on preclinical findings that psilocybin improved cognitive function in mice with TBI.

Revive will also conduct a Phase I/II clinical study to determine psilocybin’s impact on adults with methamphetamine use disorder. Both studies will begin patient enrollment by the end of the year.

A new study based on reading reddit

If you take this medication, you may want to avoid psychedelics.

A new analysis from Johns Hopkins researchers suggests that psychedelics could increase seizure risk in people taking lithium, a common bipolar medication. The researchers analyzed online self-reports from sites like Reddit and Shroomery and found that 29 of 62 reports combining the drugs resulted in seizures, and an additional 11 reporting bad trips.

On the bright side, there were no reports of seizures or bad trips out of the 34 cases involving psychedelics and a different bipolar medication called lamotrigine.

Psychedelics are good for society

Research suggests that psychedelic drug use is linked to decreased criminal behaviour.

An analysis of 13 years worth of survey data revealed that psychedelic drug use was associated with decreased odds of past year theft, assault, arrest for property crime, and arrest for violent crimes by 27%, 12%, 22%, and 18%, respectively.

The use of other illegal drugs was associated with increased odds of criminal behaviour.

“These findings are consistent with a growing body of research suggesting classic psychedelics confer enduring psychological and prosocial benefits.”

Psychedelics make you more open minded…obviously

It’s actually backed by science!

Research suggests that 5-HT2A serotonin receptors play an important role in a flexible thinking since they’re found in the region of the brain responsible for learning and cognition. A study conducted on rats found that when these receptors are blocked, the rats became unable to spontaneously change from one behaviour to another to earn a reward, indicating a decrease in cognitive flexibility.

Psilocybin activates the 5-HT2A serotonin receptors, as its chemical structure is quite similar to serotonin, which explains why so many users experience an increase in cognitive flexibility and a decrease in rigid thought patterns. Lack of cognitive flexibility is often associated with disorders like depression and OCD, so it makes sense that psilocybin is being used to treat these conditions!

Need help getting through a bad trip?

There’s an app for that!

The Fireside Project created the first psychedelics peer support line to provide free emotional support to people during or after their intense trips. The San Francisco-based non-profit just launched an app that makes it even easier to contact the line. The line is expanding to operate seven days a week from 3pm to 3am, and the co-founder hopes to offer services in multiple languages in every country and in every country in the world.

You can call or text the line at 62-FIRESIDE (623-473-7433) or through the app. Happy tripping!  

Taking the trip out of psilocybin for autism

Fragile x syndrome (FXS) is the leading genetic cause of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) symptoms, yet there is currently no approved prevention or treatment options. Nova Mentis (NOVA) is working to fill this gap with a non-psychedelic drug based on psilocybin.

The company announced that its proprietary psilocybin drug, NM1010, was able to improve cognition without a creating psychedelic effect in a preclinical model of FXS. In tests on animals, the drug showed improvements in inflammatory biomarkers that may be linked to the ASD disease process.

The company has filed for orphan drug designation with the European Medicines Agency (EMA), a status that gives companies exclusive rights and tax credits to incentive the development of treatments for diseases affecting ≤ 5 in 10,000 people.

Tripping harder in half the time

Is this novel compound superior to natural psilocybin?

Mindset Pharma (MSET) revealed preclinical research suggesting that its novel psilocybin/psilocin analogs are more effective and faster acting than psilocybin, making them ideal for use in clinical settings.

An in vitro study (a study on cells in a petri dish) showed that the novel compounds had 5-10 times the effect on serotonin 5-HT2A receptors as psilocybin, which was verified by testing on mice. The half-life of the compound was less than half of psilocybin’s, which would make psychedelic therapy sessions faster.

Largest psilocybin study continues to grow

The world’s largest psilocybin therapy study on depression is approaching completion, and it’s even bigger than expected.

Compass Pathways (CMPS) announced that it’s close to completing its phase 2b trial on treatment-resistant depression, and expects to report the findings by the end of this year. So far, 233 patients have received COMP360 psilocybin therapy, exceeding the target of 216. The company also announced its Q2 financial highlights including $316.3 million in cash and equivalents as of June 30.

Legal

You won’t get arrested for tripping in these cities 😉

Cities across the US are taking the first step toward legalizing psychedelics –  deprioritization.

Deprioritization isn’t quite decriminalization. Under state and federal laws, it is still illegal to use, possess, transport, or cultivate entheogenic drugs like psilocybin mushrooms, but many cities are passing resolutions to make investigating these cases the lowest priority of law enforcement.

So far, psilocybin is deprioritized in Denver, Oakland, Santa Cruz, Washington DC, Ann Arbor, Washtenaw County, Somerville, Cambridge, and Northampton. Easthampton, Massachusetts; Grand Rapids, Michigan; and Arcata, California will likely be the next to join the list as early as this fall.

Industry Quick Hits

Aug 10 – Tryp Therapeutics (TRYP) Partners With Calvert Labs To Conduct Exploratory Studies For Proprietary Psilocybin Formulations Read more…

Aug 10 – Glow LifeTech Corp. (GLOW) Purchased 854,000 Shares of Nova Mentis (NOVA) at $0.12 CAD per Share Read more…

Aug 11 – Novamind (NM) Divests Non-Core Retreat Investment, Increasing Cash and Equivalents to $9M+ CAD Read more…

Aug 11 – Phyto Extractions Inc. (XTRX) Announces Proposed Acquisition of PerceiveMD, a Multidisciplinary Centre for Medical Cannabis and Psychedelic Therapies  Read more…

Aug 13 – Core One Labs’ Clinics Submit Application To Treat Patient With Psilocybin Psychedelic- Assisted Therapy  Read more…

Video of the Week

Fantastic Fungi: The Magic Beneath Us

Hugging their childhood self

This Reddit user was expecting a mild experience when they took a lemon tek of two small mushrooms, but that wasn’t the case…

“After seeing some most beautiful and bizarre color palette, the highlight of my trip occurred. I saw eyes lots of eyes, not a pair just single eyes. They were wearing golden robes lmao, and the eye in the center told me he’s the one who watches over me and takes care of me, I was filled with gratitude, tears started to roll from my eyes. For some time I kept seeing single eyes, not a pair it was the most bizarre thing I have experienced. I was trying hard to control the trip effects and the eye told me “this is what you always do, trying to control everything, just let it go” and I decided to listen to the eye and I just decided to enjoy the trip. After this eye thing ended I started seeing geometrical patterns, beautiful lotus in the way I can’t describe in words but it was geometrical for sure. The petals of the lotus kept opening one after another, my mouth was open in awe and I was trying to cover it with my hands.

I wasn’t comfortable in the sofa so I went into my bedroom to feel more comfortable, And I noticed my pillow cover is so beautiful (It’s plain white cover) I could see every thread of the cover. I couldn’t stop touching it and looking at the cover again and again. My face was twitching in-between, a moment came and I felt the trip is now over, since it wasn’t even much shroom right? I went into kitchen and all I wanted to do is roast veggies lol. I did that. But came back to my bed.

Now so far everything was amazing, but now some old shit started coming up, I saw my childhood self exactly me scared, shy but I felt as if I’m relieving that. I asked to that tiny me what went wrong with you? and she told me she was lonely, scared I felt so bad I wanted to hug my tiny self. It answered so many questions I had for myself why I’m the way I am.”

Playlist of the Week

Psychedelic Trip
Posted on

Issue 9

Issue 9

Here’s what’s in store for you in today’s issue:

🍄 Anti-aging properties

🍄 Curing side effects of psychedelics!

🍄 Mushrooms 🗝️ to life on other planets

🍄 Snort shrooms?

🍄 And more.

You’ll want to stay till the end to learn about someone travelling through multiple bodies!

(Did a good friend forward this to you? If so be sure to subscribe here)

Prevent wrinkles 😉 … and cancer

Mushroom tea could be the secret to aging gracefully.

Aging, as well as several chronic diseases like cancer, arthritis, neurodegeneration, chronic depression, and cardiovascular disease, are often tied to pathological inflammation.

A new study from a South African university revealed that psilocybin mushrooms have potent anti-inflammatory properties that could help treat chronic these conditions. Researchers analyzed 4 species of psilocybin mushrooms, which were extracted in hot water, and discovered that they suppressed the body’s inflammatory response by inhibiting several inflammatory proteins.

Curing a side effect of psychedelics

Psychedelic drugs (typically LSD but sometimes psilocybin or other substances) can occasionally cause lasting visual disturbances such as seeing bright spots of light, distorted sizes and colours,  or halos around objects  – a disorder called Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPPD).

Scientists don’t know exactly why this occurs, but Ehave Inc. (EHVVF) is on a mission to get to the bottom of it. Ehave will be conducting a series of studies over 12 months to determine the cause of HPPD and hopefully find a way to prevent or cure it too. The company strongly believes that there’s a genetic predisposition to the disorder, so the study will involve genetic analysis of 2000 patients and may lead to a genetic test for HPPD susceptibility.

“Let me be clear, psychedelics are extremely safe, especially when used under medical supervision. Understanding HPPD, however, will lead to a better understanding of these molecules as a whole,” said Ehave’s CEO.

Are mushrooms the key to life on other planets?

If you’re looking for an out-of-this-world experience, try tripping in space.

Mycology expert Paul Stamets believes that psilocybin mushrooms can help astronauts work through the depression, loneliness, and PTSD that comes from being isolated in space. “Under carefully controlled conditions, our astronauts [being] able to take psilocybin in space and look at the universe and not feel distant and alone but feel like they’re part of this giant consciousness will give them a better frame of mind—psychologically, emotionally—to work with other astronauts and stay on mission.”

Stamets is working with NASA to explore the emerging field of astromycology –  the study of fungal biology throughout the universe. In a recent interview, he said that mushrooms can produce biodiverse environments with rich soil that may help astronauts grow food on other planets. Blocks made from reishi mushrooms even have potential to create extraterrestrial shelters because they’re great at retaining heat and are insanely strong (a hydraulic stainless steel press broke when trying to crush a reishi block). Plus, they are rich in carbon fibers, so they could possibly become solar powered batteries!

Get your Masters in Psychedelics

“There’s going to be a big need to fill positions as this industry continues to grow.”

This fall, about 30 students will begin the master’s program in Psychoactive Pharmaceutical Investigation, a brand new two-year program at the University of Wisconsin Madison. The students will learn about drug development and delivery, regulations and ethical principles surrounding psychedelics, and the current challenges and breakthroughs in the field. In 2022, the university will also offer an accelerated version of the program.

Applications for the spring semester are open until Oct 31 –  don’t worry, it’s fully online so you won’t need to move to Wisconsin 😉

Snorting shrooms?

atai Life Sciences (ATAI) is partnering with the University of Queensland to commercialize a new nose-to-brain drug delivery technology for psychedelic and non-psychedelic compounds. The nasal method has potential to be more effective at treating central nervous system (CNS) disorders than oral administration because it bypasses the blood-brain barrier that can restrict the entry of therapeutic agents. The nose-to-brain technology may require a lower dose than oral methods and may reduce dosing frequency too  –  plus its non-invasive and painless.

Going against the industry standard

Since natural psilocybin is typically expensive to extract, most companies create synthetic psilocybin, but not Filament Health (FH).

The Vancouver-based company developed an innovative technology that extracts and standardizes natural psilocybin to overcome crop-to-crop and flush-to-flush variability at a low cost. On Tuesday, Filament received a patent for the process, making it the first publicly traded company to receive a patent from the Canadian Intellectual Property Office for the extraction of natural psilocybin.

Legal

No more excuses for Health Canada

Several non-profits are doing Health Canada’s dirty work to speed up the legalization of psilocybin.

TheraPsil sent 165 pages of proposed psilocybin regulations to Health Canada, which were based on the medicinal cannabis regulations created 20 years ago. The document addresses regulations around selling and growing magic mushrooms, such as how to qualify for a license, quality control processes, security measures, and packaging requirements.

Other non-profits including the Multidisciplinary Association of Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) and the Canadian Psychedelic Association (CPA) are drafting their own legal frameworks.

“This will hopefully be a gift to them to have done their work for them,” said a CPA board member.

Industry Quick Hits

July 30 – Entheon Biomedical Corp. (ENBI) Acquires Lobo Genetics Inc. to Advance Personalized Psychedelic Therapy Read more…

Aug 3 – HAVN Life (HAVN) Harvests First Crop of Psilocybin Mushrooms at its Jamaica Facility Read more…

Aug 3 – Mindset Pharma (MSET) Files International Patent Application for its Novel Psilocybin Synthesis Method  Read more…

Aug 4 – Usona Institute Begins Construction of 93,000 sq ft Campus for Psychedelic Therapy, Training, and Education  Read more…

Aug 4 – Canbud (CBDX) Subsidiary Receives Dealer’s License to Work with Psilocybin with Health Canada Approval Read more…

Aug 4 – New poll shows 82 percent of Canadians approve the use of psilocybin-assisted therapy Read more…

Video of the Week

Neil deGrasse Tyson on Magic Mushrooms, Fungi, & The Mysterious Kingdom

Shifting through bodies

A Reddit user had their most intense trip and a total ego death after taking 5.4 grams of Penis Envy.

“On peak, I forgot who I was completely and to the best of my memory what I can describe as flying through different births and deaths. One moment I was in someone else’s body, the next moment a horse drawing its final breath and the next a tiger/lion idk licking off meat from a deer. All this was so real as if I was on a roller coaster ride changing bodies and experiencing what it is like being other humans and animals!

 had this profound understanding that our bodies are mortal but our soul is eternal, taking infinite forms and shapes. I am the universe experiencing itself through this body of mine right now and when this body dies I will be reborn in some other form. For a brief moment I felt I have always been meeting the same souls, friends and family in different bodies exactly how Ram Dass describes as “We’re all just walking each other home”

I have never felt so elated in my life, I was laughing my lungs out and was under the impression that I have attained this absolute state permanently. I was so happy in that blissful void I did not want to come back.”

Playlist of the Week

Tripping on Shrooms