On June 23, Rania Woodard tweeted a deceptively simple sentence: Normalize people of color in alternative/indie music. It was something she fired into the ether without much thought, spurred by her own experience in the music industry and by a news cycle centered on protests against systemic racism and police brutality. But it quickly racked up thousands of likes and retweets, signaling that shed hit a cultural nerve. More important, dozens and dozens of Twitter users replied with recommendations for indie bands fronted by musicians of color. Woodard, one half of the dreamy, synthy duo LANNDS, said the tweet represents a duality that exists in her mind as a Black, queer indie musician. On the one hand, it makes sense to highlight the fact that shes a Black female lead singer. Thats fucking cool. And its also kind of like, damn, I wish it was normalized to the point where we didnt have to make that emphasis.

The first time I saw Woodard play was at an open mic in Brooklyn in the summer of 2019, at a bar with the worlds smallest backroom. People were crammed together in a way that was normal for New York pre-COVID: at tables and booths lining the walls, seated on the concrete floor in front of the raised stage that was barely more than a step, lining the rear of the room out into the back hallway. Woodard sat at the edge of the stage with her guitar in her lap, everyone craning to look at her. Her chords were simple. Her voice was pristine. As she played through an acoustic version of her 2016 release Still, I started to cry. Looking around, I realized I was far from the only one.

Woodards haunting vocals and lyrics are part of what makes LANNDS, her collaboration with Brian Squillace, so compelling. The other part is Squillaces psychedelic sonic sensibility, which at times evokes an acid trip (in a good way). After the bar-weeping incident, I streamed the bands first two EPs, Wide Awake in a Sleepy World and Legends, nonstop for the rest of the summer and into the fall. (Full disclosure: Woodard and I kept in touch and became friends.) And last week, after an extended period holed up in Jacksonville, Florida, writing and mixing and mastering, LANNDS released their third album, lotus. The album itself is an exploration of sound in the way Woodard and Squillace intendedan embodiment of a fuck itIm just going to say how I feel mentality Woodard references several times over the course of our interview, the same one so evident in her summertime tweet. It verges from triumphant (ninety four, lotus) to melancholy (o.o.w, not in a good way) to straight-up chilled out. Here, we discuss what went into making the album, her experience with psychedelics, and what its like to belong to an industry that can feel equal parts hostile and revolutionary.

Vanity Fair: What was your writing process like for lotus?

Rania Woodard: I have a light in my apartment that goes off at 9:30 every other day, and I just get out a notepad and start writing. Ive been doing that probably since the beginning of this EP, and Ive stuck with it. Its a lot of free-form, and then Ill try to sit down and make it make sense.

I try to go off of a feeling. When I wrote not in a good way I was going through a tough timeI was going through a breakup. I remember having a conversation with Brian where I was like, I dont want to make this song sound like black-and-white thinking. And he was like, Dude, just say how you fucking feel. Its my least favorite song because its the most vulnerable. It really does capture how I felt. And the vocals are so up-front, in-your-face. Theyre so dry.

Youve talked a little bit about your use of psychedelics in songwriting. How does that work?

Im not an advocate for thisI dont use psychedelics at parties. [But for me], they change the way you listen to music. They distort time and really put you in the moment; you have no choice. But its not a scary thing. You start to notice every small detail in songs, and thats what makes it so moving. Its like a texture, all these different parts that make up a sound.

I remember Brian telling me he had a trip where he listened to Tame Impalas Currents. He was like, We should do this together. Itll be a cool experience. I know its clichd, but it was eye-opening. Brian was literally on my floor, and I was on the floor in another room, and we were just listening. Were fucking hippies.

For me, I was scared to step outside the box and let go of what it looks like to be an artist. But it doesnt specifically look like anything. Thats what I took with me from that experience: Lets make something true to ourselves. This EP was the first time we were like, Okay, cool. Were going to do stuff we dont normally do.

I was struck by the recordings of your conversations mixed into the albumlike at the end of lotus when it sounds like Brian is talking about a tree, or at the beginning of ninety four.

Oh man, when hes talking about the tree, that was from one of our first shoots. I live right on the water, and theres a little park, and on the left side of this park is this tree. Its on the side of someones house, but its still growing. Its in a weird spot. And it was nighttime, we were sitting on the water, and we looked over, and Brian was like, Can we talk about this tree? And then I think he cut it off because I started laughing like an idiot. But in the audio hes like, This tree is living its best life. Its just hanging. A lot of those excerpts are from when we were tripping or recording music; theyre just us saying some weird shit. In the beginning of ninety four when hes like, Fuck it, well just start over, that was a reference to us scrapping a previous EP. That was a regular studio session. We set up the mic and I was like, Say the first thing that comes to your mind. Go.

Read more from the original source:

Rania Woodard of LANNDS on Psychedelics, Rebirth, and Normalizing Black Indie Musicians - Vanity Fair

Around the world, peoples mental health is in trouble. Even before the pandemic hit, rates of depression and anxiety were rising globally. Now that we also have Covid-19 to contend with, the problem is even more glaring.

Studies show that all the virus-induced losses of life, of jobs, of social connection have come with serious upticks in mental illness worldwide. In the US, for example, the prevalence of depression is four times as high as it was in the second quarter of 2019.

The pandemic has highlighted the inadequacy of our existing tools for coping with these problems. Its not just that a health crisis can easily disrupt access to mental health services, though weve definitely seen that to be true. Its also that drugs like traditional antidepressants are, at best, only a partial solution. While their effectiveness has been hotly contested over the past decade, the evidence now shows that they are more effective than a placebo, but not that much more effective. (Once we account for the placebo response, the effect size of the drugs themselves is modest.) And for some folks who have treatment-resistant depression, the drugs dont work at all.

So if you want to invest in the mental health of people around the world, making us all more resilient to future crises, what can you do?

Believe it or not, your best bet might be to fund drug development for psychedelic-assisted mental health treatments. At least thats the upshot of a new in-depth report by Founders Pledge, an organization that guides entrepreneurs committed to donating a portion of their proceeds to effective charities.

Psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, is being investigated as a potential treatment for depression. Over the past decade, a few studies have investigated the effectiveness of psilocybin for treating depression and end-of-life anxiety in cancer patients, and found that the psychedelic had a surprisingly large effect.

Meanwhile, the drug MDMA (also known as ecstasy) is being studied for use in people with post-traumatic stress disorder. MDMA, which affects serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine levels, is best known as a party drug. But research suggests it can also relieve depression and help users access and process memories of emotional trauma. The users in studies participate in psychotherapy sessions where a therapist helps them integrate what they experienced while taking MDMA which often includes increased feelings of empathy and bonding into daily life.

Theres some evidence to suggest that ingesting these substances, in a safe setting and under the supervision of trained therapists, can be more helpful with depression and PTSD than traditional drugs; in some studies, the reported effect sizes for psilocybin, say, are greater than the effect sizes of the current best treatments for depression (though these studies have limitations, so we would need more data to establish this with certainty). Psychedelics might also be helpful for anxiety, addiction, and other issues.

If this seems surprising, its worth noting that medical research into psychedelics has been going on since the late 1800s. In the 1940s and 1950s, psychiatrists used LSD to treat pain, anxiety, and depression. (There are promising preliminary results from studies of LSD for anxiety, though larger controlled studies are needed.) And in the 1970s and 1980s, psychotherapists and psychiatrists administered MDMA to thousands of patients. As psychedelics became popular for recreational use, though, MDMA was banned in 1985 in the US, and the research slowed in many countries.

As Michael Pollan detailed in How to Change Your Mind, research into the therapeutic potential of psychedelic drugs has been undergoing a renaissance over the past decade. These therapies are now gaining traction in some quarters. In Oregon, Measure 109 is on the ballot in November, and if passed, the state will be the first in the US to allow psilocybin therapy to be administered by licensed facilitators.

We still need a lot more research on these treatments, though and one of the benefits of funding the drug development process is that that process will involve doing high-quality studies to prove efficacy and safety. We also need organizations willing to do the hard work of getting a drug approved for medical use nationwide.

The Usona Institute is one such organization that the Founders Pledge report highlights. Its currently working on drug development for psilocybin as a depression treatment in the US, and its already got a preliminary Breakthrough Therapy Designation from the FDA. Thats an acknowledgment that the FDA thinks the early evidence shows psilocybin may have an advantage over available therapy, and it means the FDA offers Usona intensive guidance on its drug development so that it may gain expedited approval. Founders Pledge thinks Usona will put your dollars to better use than any other organization in this space. If interested, you can donate here.

A close runner-up is the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, which is carrying out drug development for MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD in the US, Canada, Israel, and soon Europe. If interested, you can donate here. This treatment is already in phase 3 trials, which means approval of MDMA as a therapy could be granted in these countries in a few years.

But the large-scale rollout of new drugs takes a long time. Founders Pledge estimates that for MDMA, itll take six to nine years, while for psilocybin the timeline will be more like eight to 11 years.

Investing in causes that may have a big positive impact in the long term is a wise thing to do. But during a pandemic, some people will want to relieve the suffering they see happening right now.

The psychedelics drug development wont be done for years. So in terms of having an impact now, thats not the way to go, Aidan Goth, who co-wrote the Founders Pledge report, told me.

He emphasized, though, that investing in global mental health during the pandemic is a worthy cause. Mental illness can feed into physical illness, and in itself may cause as much suffering as physical illness in some cases. It can also harm peoples ability to hold a job or care for their dependents. Plus, we should not fall prey to the misconception that mental health is a so-called first-world problem.

Weve looked at the burden of mental health globally, and it is a really, really big problem in lower- and middle-income countries as well. Its not true that its just affecting people in high-income countries, Goth said.

If youre itching to improve peoples mental health while the pandemic is in full swing, youd do well to invest in a project that gives you an immediate return on your investment. For that purpose, Founders Pledge recommends a couple of organizations: StrongMinds and Action for Happiness.

Theres a serious lack of mental health professionals in many developing countries in Africa. StrongMinds, a Uganda-based organization, understood that in order to treat the millions of African women suffering from depression, it would have to train laypeople.

Since its founding in 2013, its scaled up pretty quickly. Lay facilitators have led group talk therapy sessions reaching a total of 70,000 women. Over a 12-week period, the women learn to identify the triggers of their depression and devise strategies to overcome them.

As demonstrated in two randomized controlled trials, this is a powerful and cost-effective intervention, Founders Pledge researchers say. They estimate that StrongMinds prevents the equivalent of one year of severe major depressive disorder for a woman at a cost of around $248 a pretty good deal, especially when you consider this helps the woman as well as her dependents.

StrongMinds says it is uniquely positioned to meet the demand for depression treatment in sub-Saharan Africa during the pandemic. Its offering teletherapy, a chatbot, and other treatment approaches in line with social distancing requirements.

Like StrongMinds, Action for Happiness brings people together in small groups and its run by volunteers in each local community. But this one is a UK-based organization that mostly operates in Europe, though its also reached countries like the US and Australia.

Action for Happiness provides eight-week courses, called Exploring What Matters, where participants talk through strategies for crafting a happier life, such as developing a mindfulness practice. The course has been shown to improve subjective well-being, with reductions in depression and anxiety and increases in happiness and life satisfaction. Based on a randomized controlled trial, Founders Pledge found this program to be extremely cost-effective, with high potential for scale-up.

During the pandemic, Action for Happiness has gone from in-person courses to virtual ones, launching a free online coaching program to improve wellbeing.

Given that Founders Pledge evaluated StrongMinds and Action for Happiness before the pandemic, you might wonder whether these organizations are still helping people cost-effectively now that theyve had to shift from an in-person to an online methodology.

Goth explained that when Founders Pledge researchers evaluate an organization, they examine not only the specific programs its running but also the organization as a whole whether its leadership is strong and whether its management can be trusted to competently carry out its mission. So the researchers still believe in StrongMinds and Action for Happinesss ability to serve people effectively now.

We trust that theyre well-run and we think theyre doing good work given the circumstances, Goth said. Theyre the best were aware of.

If this cause speaks to you, you can donate to StrongMinds here or donate to Action for Happiness here.

Sign up for the Future Perfect newsletter. Twice a week, youll get a roundup of ideas and solutions for tackling our biggest challenges: improving public health, decreasing human and animal suffering, easing catastrophic risks, and to put it simply getting better at doing good.

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Psilocybin for depression, MDMA for PTSD: The future of mental health? - Vox.com

The scientific world is in the midst of a decade-long psychedelic renaissance. This revolution is expanding our understanding of one of the most captivating scientific puzzles: human consciousness.Numerous research fields are revealing new insights into how psychedelics affect the brain and which neural processes underly consciousness.

Multiple studies testing psychedelic drugs for treating mental illness provide compelling evidence of their therapeutic benefit. Treated disorders have included depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, anorexia, obsessive compulsive disorder and addiction. Dozens of clinical trials are underway, the majority investigating the therapeutic effect of psilocybin, the active component in so-called magic mushrooms.This natural compound belongs to the class of serotonergic psychedelics those that activate serotonin (type 2A) receptors.

Researchers are examining the distribution of serotonin 2A receptors to help pinpoint the brain areas affected by psychedelics. The greater the density of these receptors, the greater the likelihood that a particular brain region contributes to the psychedelic experience, according to a study published in Neuropsychopharmacology.Knowing this helps us understand how psychedelics exert their positive therapeutic effect, as well as which brain regions are involved in various states of consciousness.

The claustrum is one of multiple brain regions that is rich in serotonin 2A receptors and organizes brain activity.Cognitive neuroscientist Frederick Barrett and colleagues at the Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research recently examined how psilocybin affects neural activity in the claustrum.

Published in NeuroImage, their breakthrough study used real-time brain scans in humans to show that psilocybin reduces activity in the claustrum by up to 30 percent. This coincides with people's subjective feelings of ego dissolution and oneness with their environment while under the influence of the drug. The less active the claustrum, the stronger the psychedelic effect reported by participants, including mystical and emotional experiences, and a reduced sense of self.The authors write that the work supports a possible role of the claustrum in the subjective and therapeutic effects of psilocybin.

In this mysterious part of the brain, a thin sheet of neurons sends and receives signals to and from other brain regions. Growing evidence suggests the claustrum orchestrates consciousness gathering, sending and integrating information from almost every brain region. Some, like neuroscientist Christof Koch, believe that the sense of self and ego rest here.

Several years ago, Koch and colleagues of the Allen Brain Institute for Brain Science found anatomical evidence in mice to support this idea. They identified several large neurons projecting from the claustrum, with one wrapping around the circumference of the brain.Around the same time, they published a paper in the Journal of Comparative Neurology describing the vast connections between the claustrum and various brain regions in mice.

Read More: This Is Your Brain On Magic Mushrooms

Barrett says that while the claustrum has received attention as a potential mediator of consciousness as well as psychedelic experience, our current thinking is that the claustrum helps to integrate and orchestrate the coherence of brain networks as they support perception and cognition.

Variations in activity levels of the claustrum are associated with different states of consciousness.For example, the claustrum coordinates synchronized slow-wave activity in the brain. This particular state of consciousness is a feature of certain deep sleep stages during which the brain maintains synapses and consolidates memories. Neuroscientist Yoshihiro Yoshihara and colleagues of the RIKEN Center for Brain Science recently published a compelling study in Nature Neuroscience. They showed in mice that increased neural activity in the claustrum mediates a global silencing of brain activity through resting state slow-waves.

Psilocybin likely subdues the so-called gate-keeper function of the claustrum, causing a loss of organized, constrained brain activity, according to neuroscientists Robin Carhart-Harris and Karl Friston. Such desynchronization increases connectivity between brain regions that are otherwise not engaged with one another, producing a change in consciousness.

Combined with supportive psychotherapy, such expansive, unconstrained cross-talk between brain regions is believed to help break habitual patterns of thinking and behavior, leading to psychological breakthroughs. This mechanism may also explain how psilocybin can affect positive change in such a wide variety of psychiatric conditions. Neuropsychopharmacologist David Nutt and colleagues of the Centre for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College London discuss these ideas in a paper published in Cell.

Though anecdotal, Albert Einstein believed that his most profound scientific breakthroughs happened because he played the violin. He said this practice encouraged communication between different parts of his brain in unique ways that were otherwise inaccessible to his conscious mind. Is it possible that Einstein was describing a state of consciousness invoked by creative pursuits that mimic, albeit to a far lesser extent, the effect of psychedelics in the brain?

Barrett believes that listening to and playing music require a similar presence of mind to deep meditation a connection to the here and now. Barrett says that one of the unique anecdotal effects of psychedelics is said to be complete absorption in the present moment, and to this degree, I do believe that musical experiences can involve similar states of consciousness (albeit to a far lesser extent) to the effects of psychedelics.

Regarding the role of the claustrum, Barrett adds that its function during musical experiences has not yet been studied.Theoretically, this brain structure would be necessary for helping to coordinate brain states during musical experiences. He points out that the claustrum would need to function like a highly controlled orchestra conductor in order to support musical experiences unlike psychedelics, which undermine claustrum activity.If musical experiences and psychedelic experiences both involve the claustrum he says, they may do so in very different ways.

Psychedelic-like experiences and altered states of consciousness can occur in the absence of mind-altering drugs. For example, sensory deprivation is known to trigger hallucinations. In fact, sensory deprivation therapy may help treat some of the same psychological disorders as psychedelic therapy, such as depression and anxiety. Given the claustrums role in integrating multisensory inputs, investigating its function in drug-free, psychedelic-like experiences may answer some intriguing questions in the future.

Barrett suggests that the claustrum probably plays a fundamental, yet different, role in all of these experiences: Lack of sensory input may indeed lead to an imbalance in or disruption of the typical networks and circuits that are involved in claustrum function, however the mechanism by which this might happen is unclear.

While we have yet to crack the code of human consciousness, incremental discoveries from different disciplines may stimulate scientific creativity and enable ongoing progress.Perhaps it is precisely such expansive, unconstrained communication between research areas that will lead us towards the most profound breakthroughs.

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What Psychedelic Mushrooms Are Teaching Us About Human Consciousness - Discover Magazine

Would you do a ketamine-assisted therapy session? Ever considered microdosing magic mushrooms? As research mounts on the health benefits of psychedelic drugs like psilocybin, ayahuasca, ketamine and mescalineand government restrictions on them begin to easewere taking a look at whether psychedelics are the next cannabis in our Psychedelics Now series.

Its amazing the difference a few years makes. Remember when cannabis was mostly seen as a seedy street drug that belonged in stoners basements? Now, sleek storefronts sell slickly marketed CBD oils and edibles like fizzy drinks and gourmet chocolates purporting to do everything from improve your sex life to enhance your at-home movie night. So dont be surprised if what comes to mind when you think of psychedelic drugs shifts just as much in the next few years. In cannabiss wake, a movement to decriminalize and perhaps ultimately legalize psychedelic substances such as psilocybin (which is responsible for the psychedelic effect of magic mushrooms), ayahuasca and mescaline is gaining steam in Canadawith the focus, for now, on what they can do for our mental health.

The process is well on its way. In August, federal health minister Patty Hajdu granted four end-of-life patients exemptions from current drug laws to use psilocybin to help deal with the anxieties of their terminal illness. (Fifty-three-year-old Laurie Brooks, who has colon cancer, was one of themread her story next in our Psychedelics Now series). Three more exemptions quickly followed, perhaps a harbinger of restrictions being eased.

We might see an even bigger shift on psychedelics status this fall: The government is currently considering a petition that calls for the decriminalization of psychedelic drugs, which was signed by 15,000 people and sponsored by a Green Party MP; a Liberal MP is also introducing a private members bill that aims to decriminalize possession of small amounts of illicit drugs. These efforts have been strongly supported by the Canadian Psychedelic Association, which aims to usher psychedelics into the mainstream in a conscious and considered way. I feel more strongly than ever that decriminalization will happen, says Trevor Millar, its executive director. Were 10 years ahead of where I thought wed be at this stage of the game five years ago.

An episode of Goop Lab on Netflix showed staffers travelling to Jamaica, where psilocybin is legal, and sampling it on-camera

Perhaps the main reason psychedelics are gaining public acceptance is because of the mounting clinical research showing their effectiveness at treating a range of mental health conditions, from PTSD and addiction to treatment-resistant depression and anxiety. There are studies out of Harvard and NYU, the University of British Columbia and University of Toronto. Johns Hopkins University in Maryland, often credited with kicking off the research renaissance in this area after its 2006 publication on psilocybins safety and long-lasting positive effects, is now studying its effectiveness as a therapy for even more conditions, like Alzheimers disease, anorexia nervosa and chronic Lyme disease.

While widespread acceptance of psychedelics therapeutic potential is fairly recent in North America, substances such as ayahuasca have long been used traditionally in many cultures, often as part of ceremonies guided by shamans. Theres a Western fascination with this practice and a tourism aspect, too: Gwyneth Paltrows wellness-trend-hunting site, Goop, published a travel guide to psychedelic retreats in Peru, Mexico and the Netherlands, and recently an episode of Goop Lab on Netflix showed Goop staffers travelling to Jamaica, where psilocybin is legal, and sampling it on-camera. A Goop endorsement may not necessarily propel the case for psychedelics as either a sacred traditional ritual or an evidence-based mental health aid, but it certainly helps demystify themand thats something advocates are hoping for.

Most people assume that psychedelics are not available because theyre dangerous or addicting and thats fundamentally not the truth, says Dr. Pamela Kryskow, a medical doctor in Vancouver who works in chronic pain, functional medicine and ketamine assisted psychotherapy. All of these substances were available at one point as a medicine and they were moved out of public usage because of racism and political control reasons, not because of danger. Shes referring to the fact that racialized communities are much more heavily penalized and controlled by drug laws, and the political war on drugs that saw to it that promising research on psychedelic medicine that began in the 1950s was halted by the mid 1970s. It has taken decades for psychedelics to rebuild their reputation.

Being the generation that I am, mid Gen X, I had deeply absorbed all of the messaging of the war on drugs, which were messages of fear and control that I took to be true

Kate Browning, a Vancouver psychotherapist and registered nurse who specialized in mental health and substance abuse, knows what it is to be suspicious of psychedelic drugs. I was not interested in psychedelics at all beforebeing the generation that I am, mid Gen X, I had deeply absorbed all of the messaging of the war on drugs, which were messages of fear and control that I took to be true. So I did assume that these substances were dangerous, and when I learned otherwise it was a complete revelation. Now, shes among the many mental health professionals who want to see psychedelic substances widely available for therapeutic use. We know that making things illegal, withholding information about them, increases the danger of them tremendously, she says. I want to see my psychotherapy patients who really need these medicines have them available to them without risk, without stigma, without secrecy and to just to have a higher quality of life.

That quality of life could include not being dependent on medication long-term. The psychiatric medicines that we use right now are considered lifelong, not curative, says Kryskow. We just dont see that with a psychedelic medicine. It might be one, two or three sessions and thats it. In a therapeutic context, a patient would take a dose of a psychedelic substance such as psilocybin or ketamine with a trusted mental health professional who would help guide and support them through an hours-long trip to help them gain new insights or clarity into the emotions or traumas that underlie their issues. Theyd then talk about their experience with the therapist to help integrate those insights into their life.

Psychedelics tend to be a more intense and unpredictable experience than cannabis, so theyre generally less frequently used and have less commercial potential. But cannabis legalization was similarly helped along by the discussion of its wellness benefits, because its easier to argue that people should have access to a drug to help ease their pain or anxiety. Taking a drug for recreational purposes is typically seen as criminalization-worthy, with one notable exception: alcohol. Compared to alcohol, magic mushrooms are far less dangerous by multiple measures on the personal and societal level, says Millar.

While there is still a lot we dont know about psychedelics, the only way to remedy that is with more research, more funding and more openness. Id like to see a very robust research program across the country so that we can figure out what medicine should be used for what reason for what person, says Kryskow. But she and other psychedelics advocates believe these substances are so safe that they should be available for non-medical purposes, too, like personal growth or simply pleasure. I want us to have an adult conversation on how we can use these plants responsibly in our society to be happier, healthier and more creative.

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Are Psychedelic Drugs Canada the Next Wellness Trend? - The Kit

The cofounders of Toronto-based Field Trip Health. From left to right: Mujeeb Jafferi, Hannan Fleiman, Ryan Yermus, Joseph del Moral, and Ronan Levy.

Welcome to the era of psychedelic stocks. Toronto-based Field Trip Health became the third psychedelic therapy and drug development company to hit the public markets on Tuesday.

Field Trip went public through a direct listing on the Canadian Securities Exchange after it completed a reverse takeover of oil and gas company Newton Energy Corporation.

Ronan Levy, a cofounder and the executive chairman of Field Trip, says psychedelic drugs, which are currently illegal under federal law but show promise in clinical mental health studies, will become the next blockbuster pharmaceutical products.

As you look at psychedelics, these molecules stand poised to fundamentally revolutionize how we consider mental, emotional and behavioral health, says Levy.

Before going public, Field Trip closed a $12 million private placement deal, which brought the total amount it has raised since founding to $20 million. On Tuesday, the stock opened at 3.50 Canadian Dollars and closed at 2.70 Canadian Dollars. After the first day of trading, Field Trips market cap was $102 million.

MindMed, a psychedelic drug development company based in New York, was the first company of its kind to test the public markets in March on Canadas NEO Exchange and the Peter Thiel-backed Compass Pathways, which is pursuing FDA approval for its synthetic version of psilocybin, went public on the Nasdaq in September. Compass Pathways has a market cap of $1.37 billion, while MindMed is approaching $200 million.

Field Trip, which is not profitable and incurred a net loss of $2 million, has a three-pronged approach to the psychedelics markettreatment clinics, drug development, and drug manufacturing.

The company currently operates three ketamine-assisted psychotherapy clinics in Toronto, Los Angeles, and New York. Field Trip plans to scale up to 75 clinics in the next few years, says Levy.

Tripping In Style: Patients receive intramuscular ketamine injections at Field Trip Health's high-end clinics in Los Angeles and New York. Patients are given ketamine lozenges in Toronto.

Patients receiveketamine, a dissociative psychedelic approved by the FDA as a fast-acting anesthetic, at Field Trips clinics off-label to treat anxiety and depression. Ketamine is the only legal psychedelic drug at this moment. The FDA approved Johnson & Johnsonsketamine-derived nasal spray Spravato for suicidal ideation and treatment-resistant depression last year, but Field Trip sells intramuscular ketamine injections in the U.S., which produces a more intense psychedelic experience. (A program of six ketamine injections and 11 therapy sessions costs nearly $5,000. In Canada, the therapy involves ketamine lozenges.)

Field Trips big plan is bring its own hallucinogenic compound to market. Its developing its own novel psychedelic molecule, FT-104, and plans to pursue FDA approval. Field Trip is being tight-lipped about which mental disorder FT-104 will target, but the compound does engage the serotonin 5HT2A receptor in the brain, which is believed to be responsible for psychedelic experiences.

Levy says FT-104 is similar to the chemical structures of known psychedelic substances like psilocybin. Field Trip filed a provisional patent and the company hopes to launch clinical trials by the end of 2021.

The third strategy Field Trip is pursuing is psilocybin cultivation. It partnered with the University of the West Indies in Mona, Jamaica, where psilocybin is legal, to build a magic mushroom research and cultivation facility.

For the time being, Field Trips clinics only offer ketamine-assisted psychotherapy. Eventually, as certain compounds gain FDA approval or become legal through state initiatives, Levy says the companys clinics will expand to other psychedelic therapies. (In Oregon, psilocybin could be legalized for therapeutic use through a ballot measure in November.)

Youll see a robust suite of psychedelic molecules available to people, whether its MDMA, psilocybin, DMT, peyote, or synthetic molecules like FT-104, all of these will be incorporated into our system, says Levy. Through our clinical hubs, well be agnostic as to which molecules we use as long as they lead to the best outcomes for patients.

Field Trip was founded by Levy, Joseph del Moral, Hannan Fleiman, Ryan Yermus and Mujeeb Jafferi in April 2019. All of the cofounders except for Jafferi worked together previously in Canadas cannabis industry, where they cofounded medical marijuana companies Canadian Cannabis Clinics and CanvasRx, the later of which was acquired by Aurora Cannabis for $37 million in 2016.

Dieter Weinand, former head of Bayers pharmaceutical division, has joined Field Trip as a member of the board. Over a 30-year career, Weinand worked at Sanofi, Otzuka and Pfizer. Weinand helped bring to market drugs like Liptor and Abilify, which is used to treat schizophrenia, depression and bipolar disorder. Weinand says hes been convinced by the studies coming out of academic institutions including Johns Hopkins and Imperial College London that psychedelic drugs have significant potential in treating mental health disorders.

When you look at people who have major depression or schizophrenia, each time they have an episode there are structural and chemical changes in the brain that become permanent, says Weinand. That has to be reversed somehow and we have nothing right now that changes that. There seems to be clinical evidence that psychedelics can intervene in that progression and potentially reverse these structural changes over time.

Nearly 30% of people with major depression dont respond to current medications, says Weinand. A drug that could help this patient population could be quite significant, he says.

The psychedelic renaissance underway is creating an industry worth around $100 billion, according to a report written by Canaccord Genuity Corp. analyst Tania Gonsalves. From depression to post-traumatic stress disorder, addiction tochronic pain, about one billion people are afflicted by disorders that studies have found could be treated by psychedelic-assisted therapy.

The legal cannabis market, which is expected to hit $19 billion in annual sales this year, has nothing on the hallucinogenic drugs, says Levy.

Psychedelics as an industry is much larger and more significant than cannabis, he says. The way to frame the psychedelic industry is what chunk of the $240 billion U.S. mental health market are psychedelics going to take? I think itll be most of it.

Link:

Field Trip Health, Another Psychedelic Therapy Company, Goes Public - Forbes

October7, 20205 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

After attending Burning Man in 2018, I decided to leave the cannabis space and create the first psychedelic wellness brand, Delic. My partner, Jackee Stang, and I are seasoned executives in the cannabis space, but we felt it was time to transition and use the lessons learned in cannabis and apply them to the emerging psychedelic space. Burning Man, 2018, is when Delic journeyed from fun idea to brick and mortar.

Here are five reasons why I decided to leave cannabis and move to psychedelics.

Psychedelics have always been a part of my adult life, including my professional history. Most notably, my partner and I were both executives at High Times, which originated in the 70s as a place to get people high, not just as a magazine to disseminate information about cannabis.

In my personal experience, psychedelics have done more for my wife in a few years of using them in a clinical setting than 20 years of traditional psychotherapy or SSRIs did for her. My first-hand experience of watching her positive change in anxiety and depression has been extremely motivating to help others achieve the same benefits. My love for the plants and the potential value they can bring to our society has turned into a deep passion for educating people and helped destigmatize and normalize the substances.

If we look at the state of the Universe, it is quite remarkable that humans exist in the first place and can communicate and love one another. Despite the cosmic beauty of our existence and the amazing things that happen in the world every day in front of our eyes, we are stuck in a societal mental health epidemic.

Even beforeCOVID, our society has been living in a mental health epidemic. A person commits suicide every 40 seconds around the globe. Mental health issues like anxiety and depression are pervasive throughout our society, affecting people regardless of age or background. Not only is the issue widespread, but the current treatments are not adequate and oftenonly cover up the symptoms rather than treat the underlying cause.

More university and government-backed studies are looking into the benefits of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy in the U.S. than studies are looking into cannabis. These studies have had remarkable results for treatment-resistant depression, PTSD, anxiety, and other mental health conditions. The data shows us that the medical and research fields are taking this seriously, which tends to be an early sign of something becoming mainstream and universally accepted.

Related:Psychedelics: The Next Wave For Investors?

Everyone in the US universally agrees with the First Amendment freedoms, but cognitive freedom is not one of those fundamental freedoms. By cognitive freedom, we mean the freedom for individuals to control their consciousness, including psychoactive substances like psychedelics. If we dont have the freedom to control our consciousness, how can we ever truly have freedom of speech?

The caveat to cognitive freedom is we live in a civilized society and need to keep each other safe. To do this, rules, boundaries, limitations, and regulations are sometimes necessary. In cannabis, we saw rapid regulations created mainly by people who didnt understand cannabis or the experience it creates. We want to take this lesson learned and make sure the psychedelic industry doesnt make the same mistake, which is why were proud to be one of the leaders in psychedelic education. We are striving to make sure everyone can have cognitive freedom to maximize safety between all of us.

While some analysts were still predicting a bullish market for cannabis, we became aware that the green bubble was getting ready to burst several years ago, in a similar parallel to the dot com bubble. Cannabis companies had massive losses, advertising and branding dollars werent generating brand awareness, especially in Canada, and high valuations didnt accurately reflect companies performance.

The public markets were dropping with investors losing confidence, and smaller companies felt the strain of the regulatory hurdles and lack of access to standard business services like banking. In our eyes, the next natural step from cannabis was the psychedelic industry, and we wanted to take our lessons learned and apply them to the new market, so we dont make the same mistakes.

When looking at cannabis, were talking about a single plant that can be broken down into over 100 different cannabinoids, each with their own physiological effects and potential medical and health and wellness benefits.

Most people think of psychedelics as only a handful of substances, but the sky is the limit for this unique class of drugs in reality. Within psychedelics, we can look at different categories like tryptamines, phenethylamines, lysergamides, or dissociatives. Each of these distinct categories has dozens of substances and analogs within them. Each of those substances has its unique effect, similar to how every cannabinoid has its outcome.

This market will need to approach regulating many different substances that do other things for different people. It will behoove us to take our time and learn about each substance in various trials and experiments. We are excited to be at the forefront of educating people about all psychedelic substances, not just the popular ones.

Related:Will Cannabis Entrepreneurs Switch To Psychedelics?

See the article here:

5 Reasons I Switched To The Psychedelic Business - Green Entrepreneur

Oftentimes, the best way to score enormous returns in the stock market is by buying leading stocks in emerging megatrends before those megatrends go mainstream.

Thats why you should consider buying psychedelic stocks today.

Arguably the most defining pharmaceutical megatrend of the 2020s will be what we like to call the Shroom Boom or the mass de-stigmatization, legalization and utilization of psychedelic-inspired medicines for the treatment of various mental health disorders.

Antiquated beliefs that psychedelics like magic mushrooms and MDMA are bad for you are being thrown out the window, and replaced by a wave of academic research which shows that the active ingredients in these psychedelics can actually provide meaningful benefits for patients suffering from depression, anxiety, anorexia, addiction, etc.

Over the past few months, the Shroom Boom has started to go mainstream.

Multiple Netflix documentaries like Have a Good Trip: Adventure in Psychedelics and The Business of Drugs have shone a favorable light on psychedelics in 2020.

Last month, UC Berkeley launched a new center for psychedelic science and education, with its media relations department saying in a press release:

Fifty years after political and cultural winds slammed shut the doors on psychedelic research, UC Berkeley is making up for lost time by launching the campuss first center for psychedelic science and public education.

Last week, widely followed Freakonomics did a podcast on psychedelic-inspired medicines.

Also last week, Joe Rogan the king of podcasts highlighted psychedelics in a segment.

The barriers are being broken. It has started. The Shroom Boom is going mainstream.

This is a $30+ BILLION market in the making and multiple stocks will score 1,000%-plus returns over the next decade as this market disrupts the mental health treatment status quo.

There is a small-cap stock that is pioneering a new era of psychedelic-inspired medicines. Like others in the sector, it could soar by much more than 1,000% over the next few years.

A few months ago, MindMed (OTC:MMEDF) was the most established public company pushing forward on psychedelic-inspired medicines.

I say at the time because thats no longer true.

In mid-September, the true leader of the Shroom Boom COMPASS Pathways (NASDAQ:CMPS) finally came public via an IPO that was a huge success.

For a few reasons, COMPASS Pathways is the unrivaled leader in psychedelic-inspired medicine commercialization and, by extension, the best bet on the Shroom Boom.

First, the company has a leading, proprietary psychedelic treatment that is already going through clinical trials.

COMPASS is hyper-focused on using the active ingredients in magic mushrooms something called psilocybin to treat treatment-resistant depression, or TRD.

The company has created a proprietary psilocybin formulation dubbed COMP360 which completed Phase 1 trials in 2019, in which the treatment was shown to be well-tolerated. Phase 2 trials have commenced in 2020. Results are expected in late 2021.

Importantly, this timeline puts COMPASS miles ahead of everyone else in this space. Most of COMPASSs peers are in the experimentation phase, still trying to come up with their own proprietary psychedelic-inspired medicines meanwhile, COMPASS is in the midst of clinical trials.

Second, COMPASSs board includes some of the pharma industrys brightest stars, and its early backers include some of the worlds most well-respected VCs.

The former Chairman of Johnson & Johnson sits on COMPASSs board. So does the former Director of the US National Institute of Mental Health. And the former executive director of the EMA. The board also counts leading psychiatry professors from Stanford, Harvard, and Imperial College London as members.

As if that roster werent enough, legendary VC investor Peter Thiel best known as Facebooks first investor also owns a 7.5% stake in COMPASS.

So if anyone is going to crack the code of making a best-in-market psilocybin treatment for depression its going to be these guys.

Third, the company has a clear pathway to being first-to-market and first movers advantage matters in the Shroom Boom.

Because COMP360 is already in Phase 2 trials and because the team here knows a thing or two about commercializing therapeutics, COMPASS has a clear pathway to being first-to-market with an FDA-approved psychedelics-inspired treatment.

Thats a big deal, because FDA approval takes a long time, meaning that COMPASS will likely have a two- to three-year window in the 2020s in which COMP360 will be the only psych treatment out there a period long enough for COMPASS to establish dominance in the market.

How big is this market?

Well, the global anxiety and depression treatment market measures somewhere around $20 billion. Plus, COMPASS can leverage its psilocybin treatment to address other markets like addiction and ADHD, which together comprise a $12 billion treatment market.

So, youre talking a total addressable market north of $30 billion.

COMPASS projects as the leader in that market.

Is 20% market share doable? Absolutely. That would put COMPASS annual sales at $6 billion.

Pharma stocks today fetch around a 5-times sales multiple. That implies a potential future market cap for COMPASS of $30 BILLION.

The companys current market today is $1.2 billion.

Not many stocks out there have a realistic chance to rise 30X over the next several years COMPASS is one of them and for that reason alone, this stock should be on your radar today.

On the date of publication, Luke Lango did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article.

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Continued here:

Thanks to the Shroom Boom, This Small Stock Could Soar - InvestorPlace

Science is finally telling us something that a lot of us already knew. Psychedelics are good for us! Mushrooms for mental health! Ah, the healing powers of Mother Earths wonder drug psilocybin! What an incredible world we live in where the best medicines are right at our fingertips! LSD-advocating psychologist, Timothy Leary, had it right after all. Perhaps thats why Nixon thought he was the most dangerous man in America. Tom Robbins called Leary a brave neuronaut for taking steps into psychedelic mind expansion, back in the 1960s.

Back in the 60s the idea of mind expansion wasnt good for business. The last thing anyone wanted back then was people tripping off their nut, getting well, thinking outside the box(wow, you should feel this box, I can hear the colours) and questioning authority. It was when we were busy making lots of lovely pills. Pills that made us quiet. Pills that helped us stay under the line. The system doesnt want you taking substances that make you question its shit! They want to hurry up the sedation! Knock us out. They dont want to turn us on and turn us up. Nope. Numb us. Turn us down. Make us less dangerous. More compliant.

Sixty years ago, Leary, who famously dosed himself a lot, believed that LSD had potential for therapeutic use in psychiatry. We are only just talking about it with seriousness now. Psychedelics scare people. By people, I mean straight people. Its ironic because theyre the people who probably need it the most. It used to be one of my favourite things in my twenties going tripping with a straight person. I just loved watching their mind bend. Better than anything on Netflix.

But research is showing that psychedelic assisted therapy is very effective in treating depression, anxiety and addiction. It is also extremely effective in helping people who suffer with post-traumatic stress disorders. In the US, the treatment is expected to receive regulatory approval by 2021. That bodes well for us. But it needs to happen now. If treatments like these are shown to have such huge success rates, then isnt it cruel or inhumane not to extend them to those suffering, asap?

Perhaps there really is magic in the mushrooms.

Thought leaders in Silicon Valley are mad for micro dosing. Its the way they stay ahead of the creative curve and boost their work performance. In one article, I read that you can pay $2k a month and you get your own psychedelic-trip coach guru to guide you through the windy pathways of your mind. Kind of like a cerebral sherpa. Steve Jobs was rumoured to love the limit-busting power of psychedelics, ribbing his rival Bill Gates for being unimaginative. I mean how much better would Windows have been if Gatesy tripped out! Wed be running Wormholes 10 Zooming our meetings into parallel universes.

Its often the social uses and consequential bad PR of prohibited substances like psychedelics that hinder them being approved for medicinal use. Even if it means lots of people get well, its not good politics. Which seems pretty crazy. You have to be brave to push for change. And if theres one thing our current leaders arent, its brave. Or interesting. Or able to think beyond the next election into that hazy thing on the horizon called a fucking future. Shit, please dose parliament. Lets micro dose Canberra and see if we cant bring on some compassion, some vision and some bloody awesome live streaming when they speak from the floor!

Madame speakerwhy is Mr Morrison curled up in the foetal position?

Hes feeling into the budget.

To find out more about psychedelic assisted therapy and what world leading experts have to say go to mindmedicineaustralia.org

Keeping the community together and the community voice loud and clear is what The Echo is about. More than ever we need your help to keep this voice alive and thriving in the community.

Like all businesses we are struggling to keep food on the table of all our local and hard working journalists, artists, sales, delivery and drudges who keep the news coming out to you both in the newspaper and online. If you can spare a few dollars a week or maybe more we would appreciate all the support you are able to give to keep the voice of independent, local journalism alive.

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Mandy Nolan's Soapbox: The Magic of the Mushroom Echonetdaily - Echonetdaily

TORONTO, Oct. 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -NEW WAVE HOLDINGS CORP. (the "Company" or "New Wave") (CSE: SPOR)(FWB: 0XM2) (OTC: TRMND) an investment issuer that provides capital and support services, announced it will provide sponsorship for the next phase of the upcoming Microdose Psychedelic Insights documentary "The World on Drugs", a Bold Commentary On Drug Policy, Psychedelic Medicine & Mental Health.

At this critical intersection of the pandemic, the opioid crisis and the mental health epidemic, the team at New Wave Holdings is proud to sponsor this international effort to shift policy and public opinion surrounding these major public health concerns. The project is aimed at reframing the context of psychedelic medicines and illuminating the radical hope they offer to humankind during this critical juncture of disruption and evolution.

With exclusive content filmed by the Microdose team in Mexico in the first phase of this project, New Wave Holdings is pleased to announce funding for the film to carry this message in the next step of its journey in Vancouver, British Columbia. As new research emerges to reinforce the idea that psychedelic compounds are poised to revolutionize mental healthcare, so are the powerful and compelling stories of the people who have healed from them. With powerful commentary from prominent voices across Mexico, the next step in production of "The World on Drugs" aims to speak with leading experts in Vancouver - another highly relevant location to this discussion.

The team at New Wave Holdings believes in providing robust mental health treatments to the world and that psychedelics hold immense promise for humanity through this crucial moment in our history. They are proud to support the novel efforts by the Microdose team to explore psychedelics and mental health across borders and through a rich, diverse lens. "The World on Drugs" is meant to not simply just inform, but to inspire actionable change and tangible impact. The team at New Wave Holdings is proud to play a direct role in this necessary effort and feels it to be their corporate social responsibility during these trying times.

ABOUT NEW WAVE HOLDINGS CORP.

New Wave Holdings Corp. (CSE: SPOR, FWB: 0XM2, OTC:TRMND) is an investment issuer focused on the burgeoning psychedelic and esports sectors. In the psychedelic sector, New Wave will focus on supporting research on active psychedelic compounds, creation of consumer products based on functional mushrooms, and developing an IP portfolio focusing on psilocybin, LSD, MDMA, and ketamine derived treatments for neuropsychiatric diseases.

Investors interested in connecting with New Wave Holdings can learn more about the company and contact the team at http://newwavecorp.com

ABOUT MICRODOSE PSYCHEDELIC INSIGHTS

Microdose Psychedelic Insightsaims to unlock the potential of psychedelics through Industry events, market intelligence, original, evidence-based content, strategy and community. They enable and empower society at large to make better, more mindful decisions about psychedelics and its intersection with healthcare, medicine and personal growth. Microdose work with the industry's most influential stakeholders, some of the world's best-known brands and an unrivalled network of scientists, researchers, analysts, innovators, investors and advisors.

To request media accreditation, or to arrange interviews with key personnel please contact: Kristina Spionjak / [emailprotected]/ https://microdose.buzz

Information relating Microdose Psychedelic Insight contained in this news release was provided by Microdose Psychedelic Insight and/or its agent and has not been independently verified by the Company. The Company does not take responsibility for the accuracy of such information.

The CSE has not in any way passed on the merits of the Acquisition, and neither has approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. Neither the CSE nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION DISCLAIMER

Certain statements contained in this news release may constitute forwardlooking information, including but not limited to, applicable regulatory approval in connection with the Acquisition, the closing of the Acquisition, expansion of operations, size and quality of future tournaments and projections regarding attendance at future events. Forwardlooking information is often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "intend", "should", and similar expressions. Forwardlooking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forwardlooking information. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in this forwardlooking information as a result of competitive factors and competition for investment opportunities, challenges relating to operations in international markets, transaction execution risk, changes to the Company's strategic growth plans, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. The Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forwardlooking information are reasonable based on current expectations and potential investment pipeline, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forwardlooking information should not be unduly relied upon. Any forwardlooking information contained in this news release represents the Company's expectations as of the date hereof and is subject to change after such date. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forwardlooking information whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities legislation.

SOURCE New Wave Holdings Corp.

Original post:

/REPEAT -- New Wave: To Provide Sponsorship for the Documentary "The World on Drugs"/ - PRNewswire

For the better part of two years, Stockhouse has been covering the steady growth of the psychedelics market and how the mental health & wellness sector has benefited from the scientific and medical development of so-called magic mushrooms.’ Now, the investment community is beginning to drive capital markets in this space to heights few could’ve imagined even two years ago.

Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy is currently being widely studied as a treatment for a range of mental health conditions including depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders.

Just over a year ago, Stockhouse covered an intriguing forum at the Extraordinary Future Conference in Vancouver, BC entitled: From the Plant Medicine Frontier - How Psychedelics like Psilocybin could upturn the mental health industry.” Keynote speaker and author, pioneering research pharmacognosist, lecturer, and one of the world’s leading authorities into the medicinal properties and mental health benefits of psychedelics, Dr. Dennis McKenna, had this to say:

Psychedelics are unlike any other kind of medicine that’s ever been introduced into biomedicine. Of all the new drugs discovered that eventually make it through clinical trials and eventually becomes available to people, these (psychedelic) drugs are not like them. They can’t be reduced to just another pill’ because they are connected with history and a cultural context and even a co-evolutionary aspect. No one wants to discourage the research on psychedelics and the development of high quality psychedelics for therapeutic uses, but should also not turn our backs on nature.”

Today, massive amounts of capital are entering the psychedelic health & wellness space. And the biggest splash was recently made by Compass Pathways PLC (NASDAQ: CMPS) a U.K. unicorn start-up backed by tech billionaire Peter Thiel and lead investor Christian Angermayer. Labelled as the industry’s most anticipated psychedelic IPO”, Compass became the first psychedelic medical company to go public on a major U.S. exchange. The drug-maker's shares promptly rose by an eye-popping 70% during their first day of trading on the Nasdaq. At press time, Compass Pathways’ market cap had ballooned to over $1.42 billion, making it the most valuable psychedelics company in the world.

Even celebrity businessmen like former Canopy Growth CEO Bruce Linton and Dragon’s Den and Shark Tank star Kevin O’Leary have gotten into psychedelics the game.

But where real value and opportunity often reside is in the domain of small capitalization companies. Now, savvy investors are looking at a number of aggressively positioned small caps that are moving rapidly to grab attention and gain traction within capital markets.

One such company is Numinus Wellness Inc. (NUMI) (TSX-V.NUMI, OTCMKTS: LKYSF, Forum) a relatively new player in the space that is advancing psychedelic laboratory testing, therapy, and research, and hope to create a lifelong relationship between the Company and its clientsa journey to heal and be well.”

NUMI’s unique ecosystem of health solutions is centered around developing and supporting the safe, evidence-based, accessible use of psychedelic-assisted therapies to treat a myriad of mental health ailments, primarily depression and drug & alcohol addiction. The Company recently announced announce it has commenced cultivating psilocybin mushrooms at its 7000 square-foot Health Canada-licensed facility.

In a recent Stockhouse article, our investor audience was introduced to a soon-to-be-CSE-listed Company that’s advancing psychedelic and nutraceutical-based products. Cybin Corp. (P.CYBN, Forum) is launching psilocybin-based products in jurisdictions where the substance is not prohibited. Simultaneously, Cybin is structuring and supporting clinical studies across North America and other regions, through strategic academic and institutional partnerships.

Vancouver BC-based Universal Ibogaine Inc. (UI) (P.IBO, Forum) has a slightly different business model, currently focussed on addressing the opioid epidemic through proven plant medicine ibogaine. The Company operates franchise clinics with a safe and effective, seven-day treatment with ibogaine to deal with the opioid crisis, changing attitudes towards vibrant new medical solutions.

The detox treatment has been developed and tested by Cancun MX-based Clear Sky Recovery and has proven to be a superior alternative to standard treatments, pharmaceuticals, natural medicines, and recovery centreswith success rates estimated between 45 to 60%. With standard treatment centres achieving a typical recovery rate of about 4%, the ibogaine / Clear Sky Recovery method has demonstrated a ten-fold improvement over traditional treatment programs.

With its corporate motto, from Underground to Mainstream” Red Light Holland Corp. (TRIP) (CSE: TRIP, OTC: ACPQF, Forum) has carved out its niche in the magic truffle’ business. With a distinctly different business model from aforementioned treatment-based psychedelics companies, TRIP is now positioned to engage in the production, growth and sale of a premium brand of magic truffles to the legal, recreational market within the Netherlands.”

In addition, Red Light Holland recently reached several distribution arrangements for their iMicrodose packs which will be sold in several locations around the Netherlands for adult usage. Todd Shapiro, CEO and Director of Red Light Holland is very proud to be able to say that they are selling the first legal psilocybin product in the world and he looks forward to reaching new markets in the future, which he doesn’t think is too far off.

The Company is currently growing three different strains of magic truffles and expects to have an initial batch of approximately 100,000 grams of magic truffles available in late October 2020.

Stockhouse investors are gaining increasing insight into the scientific and medical marvels that psychedelic treatment can effectively provide people suffering from a wide variety of debilitating mental health issues, along with drug dependency and abuse.

Stay tuned to Stockhouse in the upcoming months for continuing news updates and investors alerts surrounding the burgeoning psilocybin / psychedelics marketplace.

FULL DISCLOSURE: Red Light Holland Corp., Numinus Wellness Inc., Cybin Corp. and Universal Ibogaine Inc. are clients of Stockhouse Publishing.

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Opening the Door to the New Psychedelics Revolution | 2020-10-09 | Investing News - Stockhouse

Over the course of the last two weeks, Mind Cure Health (CSE: MCUR) has slowly released to the public the makeup of their advisory board. The mental health and wellness firm has managed to amass a series of high profile names as a part of this advisory team, bringing together some of the biggest names within the mental health and wellness space to advise the firm on its path forward.

In connection with this series of announcements, we thought it would be fitting to peer into the latest additions to the team of advisory board members to better understand what they bring to the table for Mind Cure Health.

The first announcement made this month in relation to the advisor team is that of Dr Dan Engle, a world renowned physician that has extensively studied both psychiatry and neurology. Notably, he is known for his psychedelic research, wherein he combines functional medicine with integrative psychiatry. Currently, he is the Medical Director at the Kuya Institute for Transformational Medicine.

Given his vast experience in the field, Engle will work towards advancing Mind Cure in the area of psychedelic research, treatment, and integration. His trans-disciplinary approach to medicine, wherein he brings together psychiatry, neurocognitive restoration, and psychedelic research, is expected to push forward Mind Cure in the areas of psychedelic product research and discovery, tech integration, and clinical research.

Engle has had his work featured on a number of platforms given his outspoken advocacy for alternative medicines, with appearances including on well known Youtube channels and podcasts, such as Onnit, Human Biography, and The Joe Rogan Experience.

The announcement of Dr Dan Engle joining the board was shortly followed up by another high profile appoint that of Hamilton Morris. A chemist, filmmaker, and science journalist by trade, Morris is the director of the Viceland documentary series known as Hamiltons Pharmacopeia, wherein he explores the chemistry and traditions involved within psychoactive drugs.

His extensive research had included the study of fungi, chemicals, and psychoactive plants, in addition to the culture that is heavily involved with their use. He currently takes a science-first approach to the topic, serving as an active member of the scientific community while conducting research at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia.

Much like Dr Engle, Hamilton has become a known advocate on the topic of psychedelics, having placed himself in a position of frequent consultation. Aside from his own documentary series in which he directs, he has been a high profile guest on the popular Joe Rogan Experience Podcast, with one of his episodes garnering over 7.5 million views.

Announced the day following the appointment of Hamilton Morris, it appears to be little coincidence that Wallach was also appointed to the advisory board of Mind Cure. Wallach currently teaches in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Substance Use Disorders Institute at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, where he also holds a PhD in pharmacology from. Notably, this is the same facility in which Morris conducts his research.

Acting as an advisor to Mind Cure, Wallach will focus on advising research and drug discovery for both psychedelic and nootropic purposes. Given his interest in how drugs can alter a persons reality while also causing a lasting impact, he currently spends his time researching how existing drugs and new formulations can best help patients, which will be of benefit to Mind Cure as it looks at new ways to treat mental health.

Much like his peers, he has been heavily involved in the psychedelic renaissance. Dr Wallach currently has over 20 peer-reviewed publications to his name, while also being a featured guest on numerous podcasts and seminars related to psychedelics. Notably, he has a history of working with Morris as well given their mutual interests.

The final announcement as of late related to Mind Cure Healths advisory board, is that of Jon Bier. A step away from the trend, Bier is an experienced PR professional, having found Jack Taylor PR, a boutique public relations firm based out of New York with additional offices in LA. Bier also serves as a marketing professor at New York University.

Having served with world leading health and wellness brands, Bier will be tasked with bringing the mission of Mind Cure to life through telling the story of functional medicine and psychedelics. He intends to craft the Mind Cure story in a manner that builds an iconic brand with integrity.

With over fifteen years of experience in marketing and public relations, Bier is said to be an expert storyteller and brand builder.

Our industry needs people like Jon to tell the story of the revolution in mental health care, the value of nootropic products and the momentum in psychedelic research in the right way. We are committed to building Mind Cure the right way, and Jon will help us to share this message of trust and integrity with the market and connect with our future customers.

Collectively, the latest additions will provide guidance to Mind Cure as it continues on its path of enhancing mental health and wellness. The firm aims to identify, develop and bring to market products that work towards this mission of easing suffering, increasing productivity and improving mental health, in both the areas of psychedelics as well as that of nootropics. This enhanced advisory team will look to further push Mind Cure along this path.

Mind Cure Health last traded at $0.76 on the CSE.

FULL DISCLOSURE: Mind Cure Health is a client of Canacom Group, the parent company of The Deep Dive. The author has been compensated to cover Mind Cure Health on The Deep Dive, with The Deep Dive having full editorial control. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security.

As the founder of The Deep Dive, Jay is focused on all aspects of the firm. This includes operations, as well as acting as the primary writer for The Deep Dives stock analysis. In addition to The Deep Dive, Jay performs freelance writing for a number of firms and has been published on Stockhouse.com and CannaInvestor Magazine among others.

Original post:

Mind Cure Health: A Glance At The Latest Additions To The Advisory Team - The Deep Dive

UC Berkeley recently announced the launch of its center for psychedelic research and education, thanks to an anonymous $1.25 million donation. This follows Imperial College London's 2019 founding of The Centre for Psychedelic Research and Johns Hopkins's Center for Psychedelic & Consciousness Research. The U.S. company, MindMed, which is working on clinical studies on ibogaine's efficacy in treating addiction, is planning an IPO. A host of similar Canadian companies have already entered that country's stock market.

What a long, strange trip it's been.

As psychedelics are catapulted into the mainstream, the following eight books cover a range of related topics, including clinical research and anecdotal tales. Whether you're an advocate, a newbie, or just curious, these books provide a great education on the therapeutic and spiritual potential of the psychedelic ritual.

Science journalist James Kingland takes a broad view of altered states of consciousness, including lucid dreaming, virtual reality, hypnotic trances, and microdosing (and larger doses) with psychedelics. His journeys with ayahuasca, LSD, and psilocybin recount intense personal experiences and are worthwhile for anyone interested in the science behind these substances. In the end, Kingsland reminds us the real work of any trip is done in sobriety.

"In some ways the trip is the easy bit. The hard work starts when you try to integrate the lessons you have learned into ordinary life."

Northwestern pharmacology professor Richard J Miller was exposed to the power of psychedelics while attending Woodstock. This "religious experience" inspired his career in pharmacology. He wanted to discover how substances can alter neurochemistry this profoundly. In "Drugged," Miller investigates a range of mind-changing substances, including coffee, opium, cannabis, and antidepressants. The chapters devoted to psychedelics provide a great overview of their clinical and spiritual applications.

"The powerful effects of natural products such as Amanita muscaria or ergot suggest that they contain important chemical substances that, if isolated and understood from the structural point of view, might provide us with new insights into disease mechanisms or potential therapeutic opportunities for treating diseases."

UCLA Medical Center professor of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, Charles Grob, was the first researcher approved to clinically study MDMA and ayahuasca in the '90s. His pioneering (and continued) work in these fields has pushed the field of psychedelic research forward. This 2002 collection features the writings of Ralph Metzner, Terence McKenna, Huston Smith, Rick Strassman, and an interview with Dr. Andrew Weil. The book closes with three exceptional essays by Grob on the psychology of ayahuasca, the politics of MDMA research, and psychiatric research with hallucinogens.

As Weil says of his experiences with psychedelics,

"It can give you a vision of possibility, but then it doesn't show you anything about maintaining that possibility. When the vision goes, the drug wears off, you are back where you were, you haven't learned anything but you have seen that something is possible. It is then up to you to figure out how to manifest the possibility.

This 1998 encyclopedia of psychedelic plants and fungi is the bible of cosmonauts. Everything is covered: history, culture, pharmacology, therapeutic applications, regional distinctions, chemistry, maps, and tons of photos. This resource should be in any serious cosmonaut's library. While grounded in research and respectful of the cultures that practice plant medicine, the trio of experts also understand their broader context.

"The psychic changes and unusual states of consciousness induced by hallucinogens are so far removed from similarity with ordinary life that it is scarcely possible to describe them in a language of daily living. A person under the effects of a hallucinogen forsakes his familiar world and operates under other standards, in strange dimensions and in a different time."

American writer William Seward Burroughs (1914-1997), author of the cult novel "Naked Lunch."

Credit: Evening Standard/Getty Images

Richard Louis Miller has been a clinical psychologist for over a half-century. He's also the host of a popular syndicated talk radio show, where he discusses health, mindfulness, and politics. This platform led him to explore psychedelics in a broad scientific and political context.

This book is a collection of interviews from his show, featuring David Nichols, Stanislav Grof, Charles Grob, Roland Griffiths, Amanda Feilding, and Dennis McKenna. They cover a range of issues, such as MDMA as a therapy for PTSD, the efficacy of the current psychiatric paradigm, and psilocybin in depression treatment. These invaluable conversations include this important insight from MAPS founder, Rick Doblin.

"The fundamental problem with our drug policy is that it ascribes good and bad qualities to drugs themselves"this is a good drug, that's a bad drug"when really it's the relationship that you have with the drug that determines the value of it and whether it's harmful or helpful."

Aldous Huxley's landmark 1954 book on mescaline remains fundamental to psychedelics advocates. Huxley wanted to experience mystic visions, a feat mescaline offered. Yet he never fell prey to the whims of useless metaphysics. This stunning essay details a political and spiritual thinker applying pragmatic as well as transcendental understandings of the psychedelic vision.

"The other word to which mescalin admitted me was not the world of visions; it existed out there, in what I could see with my eyes open. The great change was in the realm of objective fact. What had happened to my subjective universe was relatively unimportant."

When you get the message, hang up the phone. That summates the British philosopher's take on psychedelics. While his lane was more meditation and philosophy than drugsthough he was known for enjoying a drinkWatts has plenty to offer on altered states. Watts applies a critical eye to the slacker looking to get off on drugs, yet also recognizes the essential need for connection to nature in an ever-speedy societythis book was published in 1962. That's the thing about reading Watts: it always catches up to you, wherever you happen to be, trademark humor and all.

"It is not really healthy for monks to practice fasting, and it was hardly hygienic for Jesus to get himself crucified, but these are risks taken in the course of spiritual adventures."

This correspondence between two of the Beat generation's top writers is a gem. Burroughs spent months traveling around South America looking for the legendary ayahuasca (yage), long before private planes shuffled Silicon Valley execs to glamping retreats. That meant purchasing bootleg ayahuasca and having colorful run-ins with locals. Many remember Burroughs as a junkiehe had his momentsbut the writer also meticulously documented the pharmacology of his drugs. Kerouac owned the road, but Burroughs claimed the sky.

"Yage is not like anything else. This is not the electric euphoria of coke which activates the channels of pure pleasure in the brain, the sexless, timeless, negative pleasure of opium. It is closer to hashish than to any other drug. There are also similarities between Peyote and yage. But while hashish intensifies all sensual impressions, yage distorts or shuts down ordinary sensations, transporting you to another level of experience."

When you buy something through a link in this article or from our shop, Big Think earns a small commission. Thank you for supporting our team's work.

--

Stay in touch with Derek on Twitter, Facebook and Substack. His next book is "Hero's Dose: The Case For Psychedelics in Ritual and Therapy."

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These 8 books will school you in psychedelics - Big Think

September 17, 2020 (Source) Red Light Holland Corp. (CSE: TRIP) (FSE: 4YX) (OTC: TRUFF) (Red Light Holland or the Company), an Ontario-based corporation positioning itself to engage in the production, growth and sale of its brand of magic truffles to the legal, recreational market within the Netherlands, is pleased to announce that Red Light Hollands Science and Innovation division, Scarlette Lillie Science and Innovation (Scarlette Lillie), has joined the Medical Psychedelics Working Group (MPWG), a consortium of drug science experts, leading academics and researchers, policy specialists and industry partners. MPWGs aim is to create a rational and enlightened approach to psychedelic research and clinical treatment. MPWG will explore innovation within the psychedelic space with a specific focus on how psychedelics can be integrated into primary and secondary healthcare. The Company believes that evidence-based science, sharing data, and strong partnerships are keys to success for the psychedelic community.

We are elated to join the most respected experts in the industry. To be able to have open communication with leading academics like Professor David Nutt, Dr. Robin Carhart-Harris and Dr. Jo Neill is a major development for Scarlette Lillie Science and Innovation. Access is key in life and having access to the top minds in this sector is something we are all very excited about, said Red Light Holland CEO and Director, Todd Shapiro.

When we were approached by Red Light Hollands Scarlette Lillie Science and Innovation, we were more than happy to include them in this very important working group. We are grateful for their support and we recognize the Companys genuine and authentic approach to helping make positive change in this world through psilocybin research, education and information. We are thrilled to have Scarlette Lillie join our very MPWG, stated Professor Jo Neill.

Both Sarah Hashkes and I are pleased to be able to brainstorm and continue developing these important synergies with our peers in the field of Medical and Science Research to help elevate the Psychedelic Sector as a whole, added Dr. Joe Geraci, Scarlette Lillies Scientific Advisor and CEO of Netramark.

About MPWG

MPWG is a working group of experts, policy makers and scientists. Its primary role is to campaign for the rescheduling of all psychedelic drugs for research and medical purposes.

About Red Light Holland Corp.

The Company is an Ontario-based corporation positioning itself to engage in the production, growth and sale (through existing Smart Shops operators and an advanced e-commerce platform) of a premium brand of magic truffles to the legal, recreational market within the Netherlands, in accordance with the highest standards, in compliance with all applicable laws.

For additional information on the Company:

Todd ShapiroChief Executive Officer & DirectorTel: 647-204-7129Email:[emailprotected]Website:https://redlighttruffles.com/

Forward-Looking Statements

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange (the CSE) nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This press release contains certain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Such forward-looking information and forward-looking statements are not representative of historical facts or information or current condition, but instead represent only the Companys beliefs regarding future events, plans or objectives, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of the Companys control.

Generally, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as plans, expects or does not expect, is expected, budget, scheduled, estimates, forecasts, intends, anticipates or does not anticipate, or believes, or variations of such words and phrases or may contain statements that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, will continue, will occur or will be achieved. The forward-looking information and forward- looking statements contained herein include, but are not limited to, MPWG and the Companys intention and aim in researching psychedelics in the healthcare space. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing, and the expectations contained in, the forward-looking information and statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and statements, and no assurance or guarantee can be given that such forward- looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information and statements. In particular, there is no guarantee that MPWG or the Company will be able to continue researching psychedelics in the ways described in the press release. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information and/or forward-looking statements that are contained or referenced herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

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Red Light Holland's Science and Innovation Division, Scarlette Lillie Joins Medical Psychedelics Working Group with Leading Academics; Professor David...

Doug, a 43-year-old startup CFO in San Francisco, attended several ayahuasca ceremonies during the COVID-19 quarantine but he didnt leave his home for them. Instead, the leader shipped him and other experienced participants the ayahuasca, and they prepared over Zoom calls and Signal threads. Then, they all held their own ceremonies at the same time, physically solo, but energetically together, he explains. I sure miss the physical container, and you can feel the difference in terms of energy, but you can build a different level of intimacy with the medicine.

John White, owner of the online cannabis resource CNBS.org, attended a virtual ayahuasca ceremony during the pandemic as well after receiving the ayahuasca at an in-person ceremony in anticipation of lockdown. In his case, the participants actually communicated with one another over Skype. Having to set up your own space is quite therapeutic in itself, as you can tailor the conditions for yourself, he says.

Its not just clandestine ceremonies that are adapting their operations to the digital age in the face of the coronavirus. The New York City mental health clinic Mindbloom began offering remote ketamine therapy sessions before the pandemic, and social distancing imperatives motivated the company to further develop it. Patients are prescribed ketamine tablets that they can take at home, and a clinician video-chats with them while theyre under the effects.

With the onset of COVID, weve seen an astounding increase in both the number of people seeking treatment and severity of their symptoms, says Mindblooms founder and CEO Dylan Beynon. This pandemic has changed the paradigm for increasing access to mental healthcare. Telehealth is the future, and harnessing the dual powers of technology and psychedelic medicine has allowed us to help more people in more places than we could have imagined.

Virtual ceremonies and treatments constitute several of many ways the psychedelic community has responded to the coronavirus pandemic. Some practitioners, in fact, have continued their operations and made modifications to protect clients. The Inscape Recovery program, an ibogaine aftercare drug and alcohol rehabilitation program in Central Mexico that uses ayahuasca as part of their treatment protocol, restricted guests to those already in Mexico and required that they sit spaced apart during ceremonies, according to David Wagner, who runs the program.

David Mahjoubi, MD, founder of Ketamine Healing Clinic of Los Angeles, similarly decided to keep his clinic open, but he spread out appointments to minimize the number of people in the reception area, required that staff wear face masks, and asked patients who had recently traveled, felt sick, or come in contact with someone who was sick to wait two weeks before coming in.

I realized the quarantine was becoming very difficult for many people based on the calls we were getting, he says. So we decided to stay open to offer infusions for depression and anxiety exacerbated or caused by the quarantine and world events. Additionally, I have many patients who come in for maintenance infusions every month. Leaving these patients without a much-needed treatment wasnt something I was willing to do.

Whether a psychedelic ceremony or healing session can be safely carried out amid the virus depends on how effectively social distancing guidelines are upheld, says James Giordano, professor of neurology and biochemistry at Georgetown University Medical Center. Practitioners would need to make sure that participants were spaced apart, that there was no smoke being blown into the air, and that no utensils were being shared.

The other problem with ceremonies is that sometimes the emotionality of the ceremony is such that people might become cavalier in some of their precautions, which is why its important to have a mediator whos able to enforce that level of non-exchange, he adds.

For this reason and others, some have made the choice to play it safe and cease operations until the pandemic is over. Dimitri Mugianis, who facilitates iboga retreats through his company Iboga Revolution, finds it concerning that some have continued holding plant medicine ceremonies during the pandemic. Youre talking about really close quarters, he says. Often, you have to touch someone to comfort them. Theyre not aware of normal boundaries, and some people are vomiting. And the reality is, its not an emergency situation.

Mugianis says his business has been down 70 percent since hes canceled ceremonies. To compensate, hes been running an online version of his Psychedelic Disintegration group, where people discuss their experiences with psychedelics, and counseling people regarding their psychedelic and addiction recovery experiences over the phone.

Tricia Eastman, whose company Psychedelic Journeys organizes psychedelic retreats, made a similar decision to halt retreats and focus on counseling work that can be done remotely. She was concerned that participants could either spread the virus to one another or have to miss the retreats if they got sick.

The fact that Eastmans retreats require travel also would have complicated matters and increased risk. It really doesnt make sense to have people going through airports when things are very stressful. Its not a good energy, she says. We want the experience to be as comfortable as possible because youre going to do hard work with yourself.

While many psychedelic therapy and ceremony providers businesses have taken a hit, the pandemic has also forced people to innovate in ways that can help people long after its over. Virtual ceremonies, remote psychedelic therapy sessions, and online integration groups have opened up the potential to make these services available to people all over the world who might not otherwise access them.

Eastman, in fact, believes this is an opportunity to exercise the attitude of surrender that psychedelics teach us, and we will come out better on the other side. This is a time of global reset, she explains. This is a time where we kind of already are in a plant medicine journey. This is an initiation. It has a lot of the same qualities that you would experience in terms of the different things that are being purged out of the collective and the inner reflection that is happening by shutting down the planet and having to sit and be with yourself. Im just listening to what I feel is the trajectory that were on, and I really have learned from this work that when you trust, you dont resist whatever is happening and how that wants to happen.

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How COVID-19 Has Impacted the Psychedelic Community | High Times - High Times

Sex Ferguson and Chad 2 Badd wrestled in a Boneryard Match during the main event of Talk N Shop A Mania. That match ended with Ferguson getting buried by Chad in a hole dug for one. Now Ferguson is back as Doc Gallows dropped a new video to hype Talk N Shop A Mania 2.

Click here for our complete coverage of Talk N Shop A Mania.

Gallows uploaded a new video where he was in a bathtub drinking on some wine straight out of the bottle. He said that Sex Ferguson is back with the help of psychedelics. He didnt reveal what he took, but he was apparently having a good trip in the tub.

Rocky Romero recently appeared on Wrestling Observer Live where he revealed that Gallows is already coming up with plenty of ideas for their pay-per-view sequel. Talk N Shop A Mania 2 is going to happen which was made pretty clear by Karl Anderson on the morning after the initial pay-per-view event.

Well have to see what The Good Brothers have planned for the second installment of Talk N Shop A Mania. It certainly looks like Gallows is getting some premium inspiration.

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Doc Gallows Resurrects Sex Ferguson Character With The Help Of Psychedelics - Ringside News

Washington D.C. voters will decide in November whether to deprioritize law enforcement of psychedelics. (Courtesy of Flickr)

'Shrooming in Washington, D.C., will still be illegal after November, but you might have less of a chance of getting arrested for possessing and using psychedelic plants if Initiative 81 gains voter approval.

Initiative 81 is a non-binding referendum to deprioritize enforcement against mushrooms and psychedelic plants. Decriminalize Nature D.C., the group behind the initiative, breaks down the effort:

The proposal will appear on the November ballot in Washington, D.C., which would become the third state nationally to pass such a measure, if approved. Denver and Oakland approved their own pro-mushroom measures last year, according to DCist.

Before anyone starts tripping at a national monument, know this movement is actually an effort to legalize medicinal mushrooms that could help veterans and other patients diagnosed with PTSD. More research like work being done at the Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic & Consciousness Research could spur other uses for these plants.

Decriminalize Nature D.C. collected more than 35,000 signatures in support of the measure, and about 25,000 of those signatures were deemed valid. That was just enough to qualify Initiative 81 for the November election ballot, and based on a poll from April, D.C. voters narrowly favor the measure with 51-percentsupport.

Will you vote for the psychedelics reform measure? Tell us below in the comments.

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Magic Mushrooms Might Not Be Legal Yet, But DC Could Be Heading That Direction - Our Community Now at Colorado

Cybin Corp. applauds the efforts of TheraPsil, a non-profit coalition that advocates for legal, Special Access Programme (SAP) access to psilocybin therapy for palliative care of Canadians.

Cybin Corp. (Cybin or the Company), Canadas leading-edge mushroom life sciences company, is proud to applaud the efforts of TheraPsil, a non-profit coalition that advocates for legal, Special Access Programme (SAP) access to psilocybin therapy for palliative care of Canadians.

Recently, four Canadians battling incurable cancer were approved by the federal Minister of Health, Patty Hajdu, to use psilocybin therapy in the treatment of their end-of-life distress. According to TheraPsil, these four patients mark the first publicly-known individuals to receive a legal exemption from the Canadian Drugs and Substances Act, under Section 56, to access psychedelic therapy. They are also the first known patients to legally use psilocybin since the compound became illegal in Canada in 1974.

This is a watershed moment for the patients involved who deserve the right to manage their health challenges with dignity, said Paul Glavine, Co-founder of Cybin. Everyone at Cybin applauds the efforts of TheraPsil and these brave individuals, and we thank the Minister of Health for her foresight.

Former Ontario Health Minister and Cybin advisor, Dr. Eric Hoskins, praised Minister Hajdus approval. I am pleased to see this important step towards considering psilocybin as a natural compound with a growing body of experience of therapeutic uses for patients in need, rather than strictly a prohibited substance, Hoskins said. I joined Cybin because of their dedication to patients who need and benefit from psilocybin-assisted therapy.

Dr. Jukka Karjalainen, Cybins Chief Medical Officer concurs: This landmark recognition of the benefits of psilocybin is tremendous validation for our sector. Cybin is proud to applaud TheraPsils efforts, while continuing to focus on the development of a psilocybin oral film delivery system which will potentially alleviate the burden of pill consumption for seniors and patients in palliative care, who often have difficulty swallowing.

About Cybin

Cybin is a life sciences company advancing mushroom-based psychedelic and nutraceutical products for various psychiatric and neurologic conditions. Cybin is developing technology that seeks to improve bioavailability to achieve the desired effects of psychedelics at lower dosages. Cybin is developing products with new delivery systems and intends to support clinical trials to evaluate efficacy to potentially combat major depressive disorder and addiction and improve cognitive flexibility.

Forward Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release constitute forward-looking information. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this press release, including, without limitation, those regarding the ability to receive all necessary approvals, the bioavailability and potential use of the oral film delivery system, the potential safety and efficacy of psilocybin administered in an orally-dissolving film, research and clinical trial programs, statements regarding Cybins future, strategy, plans, objectives, goals and targets, and any statements preceded by, followed by or that include the words believe, expect, aim, intend, plan, continue, will, may, would, anticipate, estimate, forecast, predict, project, seek, should or similar expressions or the negative thereof, are forward-looking statements. These statements are not historical facts but instead represent only Cybins expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events. These statements are not guaranteeing future performance and involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual results may differ materially from what is expressed, implied or forecasted in such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements included in this press release are made as of the date of this press release. The Company does not undertake an obligation to update such forward-looking information or forward-looking information to reflect new information, subsequent events or otherwise unless required by applicable securities law.

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Cybin Applauds TheraPsil's Advocacy to Bring Psilocybin Therapy to Palliative Care of Canadian Patients | INN - Investing News Network

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cybin Corp. (Cybin or the Company), Canada's leading-edge mushroom life sciences company, is proud to applaud the efforts of TheraPsil, a non-profit coalition that advocates for legal, Special Access Programme (SAP) access to psilocybin therapy for palliative care of Canadians.

Recently, four Canadians battling incurable cancer were approved by the federal Minister of Health, Patty Hajdu, to use psilocybin therapy in the treatment of their end-of-life distress. According to TheraPsil, these four patients mark the first publicly-known individuals to receive a legal exemption from the Canadian Drugs and Substances Act, under Section 56, to access psychedelic therapy. They are also the first known patients to legally use psilocybin since the compound became illegal in Canada in 1974.

This is a watershed moment for the patients involved who deserve the right to manage their health challenges with dignity, said Paul Glavine, Co-founder of Cybin. Everyone at Cybin applauds the efforts of TheraPsil and these brave individuals, and we thank the Minister of Health for her foresight.

Former Ontario Health Minister and Cybin advisor, Dr. Eric Hoskins, praised Minister Hajdus approval. I am pleased to see this important step towards considering psilocybin as a natural compound with a growing body of experience of therapeutic uses for patients in need, rather than strictly a prohibited substance, Hoskins said. I joined Cybin because of their dedication to patients who need and benefit from psilocybin-assisted therapy."

Dr. Jukka Karjalainen, Cybins Chief Medical Officer concurs: This landmark recognition of the benefits of psilocybin is tremendous validation for our sector. Cybin is proud to applaud TheraPsils efforts, while continuing to focus on the development of a psilocybin oral film delivery system which will potentially alleviate the burden of pill consumption for seniors and patients in palliative care, who often have difficulty swallowing."

About Cybin

Cybin is a life sciences company advancing mushroom-based psychedelic and nutraceutical products for various psychiatric and neurologic conditions. Cybin is developing technology that seeks to improve bioavailability to achieve the desired effects of psychedelics at lower dosages. Cybin is developing products with new delivery systems and intends to support clinical trials to evaluate efficacy to potentially combat major depressive disorder and addiction and improve cognitive flexibility.

Forward Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release constitute forward-looking information. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this press release, including, without limitation, those regarding the ability to receive all necessary approvals, the bioavailability and potential use of the oral film delivery system, the potential safety and efficacy of psilocybin administered in an orally-dissolving film, research and clinical trial programs, statements regarding Cybins future, strategy, plans, objectives, goals and targets, and any statements preceded by, followed by or that include the words believe, expect, aim, intend, plan, continue, will, may, would, anticipate, estimate, forecast, predict, project, seek, should or similar expressions or the negative thereof, are forward-looking statements. These statements are not historical facts but instead represent only Cybins expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events. These statements are not guaranteeing future performance and involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual results may differ materially from what is expressed, implied or forecasted in such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements included in this press release are made as of the date of this press release. The Company does not undertake an obligation to update such forward-looking information or forward-looking information to reflect new information, subsequent events or otherwise unless required by applicable securities law.

More information about TheraPsil may be found on their website https://therapsil.ca/.

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Cybin Applauds TheraPsil's Advocacy to Bring Psilocybin Therapy to Palliative Care of Canadian Patients - Business Wire

Welcome to theCannabis Countdown. In This Weeks Edition, We Recap and Countdown the Top 10 Marijuana and Psychedelics Industry News Stories for the Week of July 27th August 2nd, 2020.

Without further ado,lets get started.

*Yahoo Finance readers, pleaseclick here to view full article.

10. Discovering New Physical Connections in the Brain About How Psychedelics Work

Ego-Death Has Many Definitions and Means Different Things to Different People Once They Have a Psilocybin-Induced Experience

One of the outcomes that is still not fully understood in usingPsilocybinin psychotherapy is the Ego-Death or Ego-Dissolution experience of those who take it during a controlled therapy session. It is this experience that has profoundly changed lives.

READ FULL EGO DEATH ARTICLE

9. 2020 Cannabis Sales Surpass 2019 Despite Pandemic, Report Finds

The State of the Cannabis Industry 2020 Reviews Data Points Around B2B Ordering, Consumer Preferences, Purchasing Habits and Human Resources Management

After the largest spike, shown in 4/20, sales stabilized as states deemed dispensaries essential. This stabilization, however, settled at much higher rates than the previous year, from late April through May and the first part of June.

READ FULL 2020 CANNABIS SALES ARTICLE

8. The Resurgence of Medicalization and Why Thats a Good Thing for Psychedelics

Should Drugs Be Considered as Treatments for All Types of Newly Outlined Nonmedical Human Health and Wellness Issues, Including Mental Health?

What needs to happen is more of a dialogue globally on why thesePsychedelicscan be medicines and why they can be beneficial to society, based on science and data, JR Rahn, founder and CEO ofMindMed (OTCQB: MMEDF).

READ FULL MEDICALIZATION PSYCHEDELICS ARTICLE

7. U.S. Cannabis Industrys Economic Impact Could Hit 0 Billion by 2024

Marijuana Businesses Could Pump up to $130 Billion Annually into the U.S. Economy by 2024, a Staggering Figure That Highlights the True Reach of the Nations Cannabis Industry

Estimates published in the newly releasedMarijuana Business Factbookshow the total economic impact of legal cannabis sales increasing from $38 billion-$46 billion in 2019 to $106 billion-$130 billion by 2024 a 181% increase.

READ FULL U.S. CANNABIS INDUSTRY ARTICLE

6. Magic Mushrooms Have Been Consumed for Centuries. Heres Why

Most Study Participants Said They Would Want to Take Psilocybin Again

Psilocybin, the active substance inMagic Mushrooms, has been consumed for centuries, although it does not seem to exhibit the same addictive traits as other psychoactive substances. According to a new study, users seek psilocybin for its ability to produce unique changes in the human conscious experience, giving rise to meaning, insight, the experience of beauty and mystical-type effects.

READ FULL MAGIC MUSHROOMS ARTICLE

5. House Votes to Protect State Marijuana Laws From Federal Interference

The House of Representatives on Thursday Voted in Favor of an Amendment to Protect All State, Territory and Tribal Marijuana Programs From Federal Interference

The measure, which would prevent the Department of Justice from using its funds toimpede the implementation of cannabis legalization laws, passed in a 254-163 vote on the floor. Earlier in the day, it had been approved in an initial voice vote.

READ MARIJUANA VOTE ARTICLE

4. Psilocybin & OCD: Can Psychedelics Treat Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?

A New Review From Neuroethicist Eddie Jacobs is Suggesting Psilocybin May Have Great Potential as a Treatment for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Jacobs, from Kings College London and the University of Oxford, says it is surprising how little focus has been on the therapeutic potential ofPsilocybinin treating OCD, and he points to a number of new clinical trials that are finally exploring this promising treatment.

READ FULL PSYCHEDELICS OCD ARTICLE

3. The Pandemic is Eating Away at the Illicit Marijuana Market

Legal Sales Have Boomed Since March, Though its Hard to Say How Many Customers Previously Bought From Illegal Dealers

The legal marijuana industry has spent years battling illegal sellers who have eaten away at its market share and undercut its prices. But the coronavirus has proven to be a boon for legal pot shops, as customers fear the risks associated with inhaling questionable products and are nervous about letting sellers into their homes.

Story continues

READ FULL CANNABIS MARKET ARTICLE

2. Election 2020: Oregon Psilocybin and Drug Decriminalization Initiatives Guide

The Latest News on IP 34 and IP 44, Oregons Drug Reform Initiatives

Oregonvoters could break new ground in drug reform this November, as they will consider a measure to legalize the medical use ofPsilocybinand a measure to decriminalize all drug possession.

READ FULL OREGON REFORM ARTICLE

1. Senator Files New Bill to Federally Legalize Marijuana and Regulate it Like Tobacco

A Democratic Senator Filed a New Bill to Federally Legalize Marijuana on Thursday, Creating Yet Another Potential Avenue Through Which Congress Could Enact the Policy Change

This piece of legislation, sponsored by Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN), would remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act and direct several federal agencies to develop regulations for the plant.

READ FULL MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION ARTICLE

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Cannabis Countdown: Top 10 Marijuana And Psychedelics Industry News Stories Of The Week - Yahoo Finance

Gasser has pioneered the legal, medical use of psychedelics through clinical research and compassionate access in Switzerland and has served as the President of the Swiss Medical Society for Psycholytic Therapy since 1997

Mind Medicine (MindMed) Inc. (), the leading psychedelic pharmaceutical company, has engaged renowned psychedelic-assisted therapy expert Dr Peter Gasser as an advisor to its LSD experiential therapy program Project Lucy.

Gasser has pioneered the legal, medical use of psychedelics through clinical research and compassionate access in Switzerland. He has served as the President of the Swiss Medical Society for Psycholytic Therapy since 1997.

Through compassionate access in Switzerland, Dr Gasser holds several individual treatment permissions to treat patients with MDMA and LSD.

Gasser and University Hospital Basel's Dr Matthias Liechti are conducting a Phase 2 trial of LSD assisted therapy for anxiety disorders. MindMed previously acquired the exclusive license to this ongoing Phase 2 trial through its collaboration agreement with the University Hospital Basel.

MindMed's Project Lucy intends to start a Phase 2b human efficacy trial that will focus on experiential doses of LSD to treat anxiety disorders administered by a therapist.

In a statement, MindMed co-founder and co-CEO JR Rahn commented: "Dr Gasser is one of the leading global experts on psychedelic assisted therapy and it's an honor for us to work together as we build Project Lucy into a world class commercial drug development program.

"Dr Gasser's vast experience and history treating patients as a therapist through compassionate access in Switzerland also interests the company and will have tremendous benefits to our patients."

Gasser helped pioneer compassionate access for end of life psychedelic assisted therapy in Switzerland. This week, the Canadian health minister approved compassionate access of psilocybin assisted therapy for terminally ill patients.

Rahn added: "Health Canada's recognition that psychedelic substances have medicinal value and potential benefit for patients is extremely encouraging for all of us in the psychedelic inspired medical space.

It takes a village of dedicated government officials, scientists, therapists and entrepreneurs to make impactful change for patients, and we hope additional clinical trials will compel regulators to further allow psychedelic inspired medicines to help the millions of patients suffering from mental health and addiction."

MindMed is a neuro-pharmaceutical company that discovers, develops and deploys psychedelic-inspired medicines to improve health, promote wellness and alleviate suffering.

The company has initiated or is initiating studies to evaluate potential treatments to help patients with ADHD, anxiety, cluster headaches and substance abuse.

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MindMed engages renowned psychedelic-assisted therapy expert Dr Peter Gasser as an advisor to its LSD experiential therapy program Project Lucy -...