Category Archives: Psychedelics

AN NHS DOCTOR is set to deliver a talk discussing the possibility of using psychedelics to tackle mental health conditions.

Dr Jonathan Iliff will speak about the history and future of the practice at the University of Reading on Thursday, October 27.

A background into how psychedelics produce their effects in the brain will be provided, also touching on how people might benefit from consuming compounds such as psilocybin and LSD.

His research focused on the use of psychedelic compounds, like LSD and psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, in the treatment of mental health disorders.

He has expressed his desire to remove the stigma from speaking about mental health and change attitudes which persist in even the most tolerant parts of our society.

The founder of the UCL Society for the Application of Psychedelics hopes to improve the lives of billions of people who suffer directly and indirectly from mental health disorders.

The event is part of the Seed Talks series, which connects top thinkers with audiences across the UK.

Its stapline is: Learn something new. Plant an idea. Watch it grow.

This talk takes place at the Palmer G.10 Lecture Theatre, Pepper Lane.

Doors open at 6.45pm, with the event running from 7.30pm-9.30pm.

There are various ticket options available, starting from 10.90.

For more information or to book tickets, search Seed Talks on http://www.eventbrite.co.uk

Link:

Talk set to explore psychedelics and mental health - Reading Today

Springfield, Oregon--(Newsfile Corp. - October 17, 2022) - Silo Wellness Inc. (CSE: SILO) (OTCQB: SILFF) (FSE: 3K7A) ("Silo Wellness" or the "Company"), Oregon's only publicly traded psychedelics company, is pleased to announce it has closed its acquisition of 100% of Dyscovry Science Ltd. ("Dyscovry"), a Toronto-based biotechnology company focused on biosynthetic manufacturing of psilocybin and its derivatives targeting a physiological condition, irritable bowel syndrome.

"Bringing the Dyscovry team into the Silo Wellness family is a key component to our pharmaceutical vision which began with our July 2019 priority date for our patent-pending metered-dosing modalities for psilocybin, mescaline, DMT, and 5-MeO-DMT," stated Silo Wellness founder and CEO Mike Arnold, an Oregon attorney. "With our presence and founding in Oregon along with our psychedelic retreat operational experience in Jamaica [with psilocybin and 5-MeO-DMT] and Oregon [with ketamine], Dyscovry's portfolio will allow us to further our goal of covering both tracks of the psychedelic industry under one roof: psychedelic healing now via jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction "adult use" and pharmaceutical biotech."

Terms of the transaction, which was an arm's length acquisition with no finder's fees paid, can be found in the Company's September 27, 2022 press release announcing the signing of the September 26, 2022, definitive agreement. Upon closing of the transaction, CFO Winfield Ding has resigned from the board of directors and Dyscovry founder Gerard Lee of Toronto has been appointed director. Winfield Ding will continue as Chief Financial Officer.

ABOUT DYSCOVRY

DYSCOVRY SCIENCE LTD is an innovative Toronto-based biotechnology company conducting research to establish a world-leading position in the development of fungal- and plant-derived therapeutics through its proven drug discovery and development processes, its growing intellectual property portfolio, and regulatory and manufacturing expertise.

Story continues

Dyscovry is led by an experienced team with government, university and private collaborations focusing on biosynthesis of psilocybin and investigating a quantifiable anti-inflammatory effect of psychedelics - believed to be mediated through 5-HT2A activation - and how this relationship pertains to disorders that affect the large intestine. Dyscovry is focused on indications such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) that inflict suffering on a double digit percentage of the entire human global population. This suffering includes the physiological symptoms but also the secondary psychological symptoms from living with this disease.

http://www.Dyscovry.com

ABOUT SILO WELLNESS

Silo Wellness is a growth-oriented holding company focused on psychedelic opportunities that benefit from a unified ecosystem and exceptional leadership. Founded in 2018 in Oregon and headquartered in Toronto, Silo Wellness has a presence in both Jamaica and Oregon. Silo Wellness is a publicly traded company on the Canadian (CSE: SILO) and Frankfurt (FSE: 3K7A) exchanges and trading on the OTCQB Venture Market (OTCQB: SILFF).

For more information about Silo Wellness or to book a Jamaican psychedelic retreat, please visit http://www.silowellness.com.

Silo Wellness Company Contact:

Mike Arnold, President541-900-5871IR at silo wellness dot com

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION: This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates, and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information may relate to anticipated events or results including, but not limited to Dyscovry's development of certain technologies and products; Dyscovry's initiation of research, clinical trials and timing thereof; Dyscovry's successful completion of clinical trials; the Company's ability to fund Dyscovry's as well as the company's pre-existing capital requirements; and any potential success in perfecting any patent claims. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, regulatory, political and social uncertainties and the potential impact of COVID-19. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, the risk factors included in Silo Wellness's continuous disclosure documents available on http://www.sedar.com. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements.

Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. Silo Wellness assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law.

NEITHER THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/140629

See the rest here:

Silo Wellness Closes Acquisition of Dyscovry Science and Its Psilocybin Pharmaceutical Biosynthesis and Research Portfolio - Yahoo Finance

Psilocybin, a naturally occurring psychedelic prodrug compound produced by more than 200 species of fungi, rewires the brain in depressed people and has the potential to cure them of their depression, study finds.

Psilocybin, the compound found in magic mushrooms, improves connections between different regions of the brain in depressed people.

This allows the individual to escape excessive rumination and self-focus, says a study by scientists at UC San Francisco and Imperial College London.

60 people participated in two psilocybin trials and had their fMRI brain scans analysed by scientists.

In the first psilocybin trial, all the participants were considered to have treatment-resistant depression and were aware that they were being given psilocybin.

In comparison, the participants in the second trial were depressed but not as severely. They were also not told whether they had been given psilocybin or a placebo that turned out to be escitalopram, an SSRI antidepressant. In addition to the substances, all the participants received the same type of psychotherapy.

Scans were taken before and after treatment. The results showed that the psilocybin treatment reduced connections within brain areas that are tightly connected in depression.

This included:

Moreover, study volunteers were also less emotionally avoidant and found that their cognitive functioning improved drastically.

According to this research, scientists found that psilocybin rewires the brain for up to three weeks after the second psilocybin dose.

In the individuals who received escitalopram, there were no such changes. This strongly suggests that psilocybin acts differently on the brain.

Psilocybin and other serotonergic psychedelics like ayahuasca affect 5-HT2A receptors, which are plentiful in brain networks that become overactive in depression.

One hypothesis is that the drugs briefly disrupt these connections, giving them a chance to reform in new ways in the ensuing days and weeks.

In previous studies we had seen a similar effect in the brain when people were scanned whilst on a psychedelic, but here were seeing it weeks after treatment for depression, which suggests a carry-over of the acute drug action, commented Robin Carhart-Harris, PhD, who directs the Neuroscape Psychedelics Division at UCSF and is the senior author of the study, which appears in Nature Medicine.

We dont yet know how long the changes in brain activity seen with psilocybin therapy last

We dont yet know how long the changes in brain activity seen with psilocybin therapy last, and we need to do more research to understand this, said Carhart-Harris, who is the Ralph Metzner Distinguished Professor of Neurology, Psychiatry, and Behavioral Sciences and a member of the UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences.

We do know that some people relapse, and it may be that after a while their brains revert to the rigid patterns of activity we see in depression.

The authors add that whilst they feel very encouraged by these findings, they warn that patients with depression should not attempt to self-medicate with psilocybin.

The trials took place under controlled, clinical conditions, using a regulated dose formulated in a laboratory, and involved extensive psychological support before, during, and after dosing.

Psilocybin rewires the brain in such a way that it may help alleviate depression and other debilitating psychiatric conditions. And it is not the only type of psychedelic effective against mental health issues and psychiatric conditions that are marked by fixed patterns of thinking.

For the first time we find that psilocybin works differently from conventional antidepressants making the brain more flexible and fluid, and less entrenched in the negative thinking patterns associated with depression, concluded David Nutt, DM, head of the Imperial Centre for Psychedelic Research.

This supports our initial predictions and confirms psilocybin could be a real alternative approach to depression treatments.

Editor's Recommended Articles

Continue reading here:

How does psilocybin rewire the brain? - Open Access Government

HYTN Innovations Inc.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 17, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HYTN Innovations Inc. (HYTN or the Company) (CSE: HYTN), a leading cannabis company focused on creating consistent, natural and delicious cannabis products, is pleased to announce that its wholly owned subsidiary, HYTN Cannabis Inc., has been awarded a Controlled Drugs and Substances Dealers Licence (the License) by Health Canada allowing for the sale, possession, production, assembly and transportation of psilocybin, a naturally occurringpsychedelicprodrugcompound produced by a number of fungi.

This announcement follows several license achievements including a Standard Processing License and its Amendment for Sale, a Cannabis Research License, a Standard Cultivation License, and a Medical Sales License (with possession). The Company notes that this achievement has not been widely accomplished by Canadian cannabis licence holders and demonstrates the Companys ability to work with regulators to enhance licenced activities within its purpose-built ISO 9001:2015 accredited Kelowna production facility.

This is a considerable achievement, said Elliot McKerr, HYTN Chief Executive Officer. The emerging regulated psychedelics market is taking form and we have seen considerable interest from researchers, physicians, and potential pharmaceutical partners in obtaining products containing psilocybin. We believe this license, combined with the intellectual property that HYTN possesses in formulating and manufacturing cannabis products, ensures HYTN is well-positioned for future growth driven by increasing access to psilocybin in Canada and around the world. Anticipating the evolving landscape of controlled substance access is paramount to ensuring HYTN is at the forefront of product development and future revenue opportunities.

HYTN Chief Operating Officer, Jason Broome, adds, This license further demonstrates HYTNs sophisticated operational capacity and the strength of our well scaled multi-purpose facility and quality systems. We are now able to begin formulating and testing products containing psilocybin. This work will provide a strong foundational competitive advantage, ensuring HYTN is well positioned to service the current clinical trial market and future medical and recreational markets should they open.

Story continues

Under the License, the Company may possess up to 300 grams of psilocybin or its equivalent in biomass at any time and can sell or transfer extracted material or final drug products to other licenced dealers or authorized markets outside of Canada. HYTN intends to begin researching and developing psilocybin-based products that complement its current offerings of cannabis beverages and edibles.

About HYTN Innovations Inc.

HYTN formulates, manufactures, markets, and sells premium cannabis goods. With the mission to be the leading provider of consistent, natural, and delicious cannabis products, HYTN focuses its efforts on identifying category opportunities and takes an innovative approach to delivering elevated cannabis experiences to a discerning customer base.

Please visit http://www.hytn.life for more information or contact:

Elliot McKerrChief Executive Officer1.866.590.9289

HYTN Investor Relations1.866.590.9289investments@hytn.life

The Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) has not reviewed, approved, or disapproved the contents of this press release.

Certain information contained herein may constitute forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, statements regarding: (i) expected developments in the emerging regulated psychedelics market; (ii) expected benefits of the License; and (iii) HYTNs intention to begin researching and developing psilocybin-based products that complement its current offerings of cannabis beverages and edibles. Factors that could cause actual results to vary from forward-looking statements or may affect the operations, performance, development and results of the Companys business include, among other things: the Companys ability to generate sufficient cash flow from operations to meet its current and future obligations; the Companys ability to access sources of debt and equity capital; competitive factors, pricing pressures and supply and demand in the Companys industry; general economic and business conditions; and the effects and impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the extent and duration of which are uncertain at this time, on the Companys business and general economic and business conditions and markets. Any statements that are not statements of historical fact are deemed to be forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release, and, except to the extent required by applicable law, the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements made herein or otherwise, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary note.

See the rest here:

HYTN Awarded Controlled Drugs and Substances Dealers License Allowing for Production and Sale of Psilocybin - Yahoo Finance

Your Super ranked #1 in the food and beverage category on Inc.'s 2021 5000 fastest growing company list, placing 25th overall with three-year revenue growth of 11,477 percent and $180M in cumulative revenue

The Healing Company and Your Super will partner to capitalize on two high-growth wellness sectorssuperfoods and plant-based nutrition

Acquisition financed through a combination of cash and equity in The Healing Company. Previous investors in Your Super include PepsiCo and Beyond Meat investor, PowerPlant Partners

$150M credit facility from i80 Group will fuel further acquisitions

The Healing Company is co-founded by former IMG Model and supplements entrepreneur Anabel Oelmann, and exJet.com and Equinox Media President Simon Belsham

Investors and advisors of The Healing Company include global wellbeing icon Dr. Deepak Chopra, MD, renowned investor and psychedelics entrepreneur Christian Angermayer, and Social Chain & Thirdweb founder and Dragons Den member Steven Bartlett

NEW YORK, Oct. 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- (OTC: HLCO)- The Healing Companyhas achieved a major milestone in its mission to bring integrated healing to the world, acquiring leading plant-based superfoods brand, Your Super. In parallel with the closing of the transaction, The Healing Company also announced the closing of a $150 million credit facility provided by i80 Group.

With previous fundraising from PepsiCo and Beyond Meat investor, PowerPlant Partners, Your Super has demonstrated the ability to grow quickly, while maintaining strong margins and a positive EBITDA outlook. The company has sold more than 5M products across the US and Europe, ranking 25th on the 2021 Inc. fastest growing companies list with three-year revenue growth of 11,477 percent and $180M in cumulative revenue, and is focused on two high-growth wellness sectors, superfoods and plant-based nutrition, representing more than $200bn of global market potential.The acquisition was financed through a combination of cash and HLCO equity, and will focus on expanding the impact and accessibility of Your Super's leading portfolio of healing products, building on the company's traction to date.

Story continues

The wellness industry is predicted to reach $7 trillion by 2025, with the supplement category historically showing stability in a downturn, growing 8% through the 2007-2009 recession. The new credit facility provided by i80 Group will fuel The Healing Company's plans to drive consolidation in a fragmented market, with the objective of buying and scaling more than 15 supplements and nutraceuticals brands over the next few years. The market is favorable for M&A, with valuations dropping considerably from 2021, creating substantial tailwinds for The Healing Company's roll-up strategy.

Co-founded by former IMG Model and supplements entrepreneur Anabel Oelmann, and ex Jet.com and Equinox Media President Simon Belsham, The Healing Company launched earlier this year. It is backed by a group of disruptors, entrepreneurs, and healers including world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation Dr. Deepak Chopra, eminent investor and psychedelics entrepreneur Christian Angermayer, and Social Chain and Thirdweb founder and Dragons Den member Steven Bartlett.

Simon Belsham, Co-Founder and CEO of The Healing Company, says: "Your Super is the perfect first acquisition for The Healing Company. With great founders, a powerful brand, robust margins, and a fantastic product portfolio in a large and growing sector, Your Super couldn't be better positioned to succeed in this challenging economy. With 100 million Americans in medical debt and facing a likely recession, preventative healthcare has never been more relevant or important. I couldn't be more excited to partner with Kristel and Michael on this next phase of growth."

Michael Kuech, Co-Founder of Your Super, says "We are thrilled to enter this new chapter alongside The Healing Company and look forward to growing the healing impact of Your Super with the guidance of such a pioneering team; there couldn't be a better partner to take us to the next level."

Dr. Deepak Chopra, MD, Chief Scientific Advisor of The Healing Company, says "Food is medicine, and we now know definitively that plant-based nutrition has immense healing potential as it combats inflammation, which causes more than 80% of chronic disease. Your Super has developed clean, plant-based, superfood mixes that help more people benefit from the healing power of plants, and we're excited to help increase access to their products through this acquisition."

Marc Helwani, Founder and CIO of i80 Group,says,"The Healing Company's targeted acquisition strategy is highly attractive in the currently challenged economic environment as we've seen declining asset prices this year, and we expect them to fall further. The Healing Company's experienced and visionary team is perfectly positioned to capitalize on this, and we're proud to partner with them on this venture."

Anabel Oelmann, Co-Founder of The Healing Company, adds: "Over the past 6 months we've met with hundreds of businesses and inspirational founders. Our strong mission alignment, immense conviction in the opportunity to scale this business and tremendous founders in Kristel and Michael, make us proud to have Your Super as our marquee first acquisition"

All press imagery can be found here, with a link to the launch video available here.

About The Healing Company

The Healing Company Inc. was founded with a bold aim: Bring integrated healing to the world. Compelled by the global healthcare crisis and a deep belief in a different wayone which draws on conventional medicine and ancient wisdom, science and naturethe company looks to democratize access to integrated healing methods, while helping the world evolve how it thinks about health and healthcare.

To do so, the company is building a community of integrated healing brands, identifying, acquiring, and helping scale the reach and impact of healing practices & products.

The Healing Company's common stock is quoted for trading on the OTC Markets under the ticker symbol HLCO, and its investors and advisors include global wellbeing icon Dr. Deepak Chopra, MD, renowned investor and psychedelics entrepreneur Christian Angermayer, and Social Chain & Thirdweb founder and Dragons Den member Steven Bartlett. For more information, visit http://www.healingcompany.com.

About Your Super

Los Angeles-based health and wellness brand and certified B-Corp Your Super is a next-gen industry leader in plant-based living. After Co-Founder Michael Kuech was diagnosed with cancer at age 24, his Co-Founder and partner Kristel de Groot began developing superfood and plant protein mixes to boost his immunity, and the company was born out of the couple's mission to improve people's health with the power of super plants. Your Super's plant-based superfood and protein mixes contain 5-6 naturally dried superfoods. Every ingredient is grown, harvested, 3rd party tested, and packaged 100% sustainably. The ingredients are certified organic, Non-GMO certified, Glyphosate-Free, plant-based and gluten-free. You'll never find any sweeteners, stevia, artificial flavors, fillers, preservatives or additives.

About i80 Group

i80 Group is an investment firm designed to propel the innovation economy forward by empowering growth. The firm provides bespoke financing solutions that are unique to each partner's needs, advancing them through critical growth milestones. Like the I-80 freeway from which it takes its name, the firm operates at the intersection of Silicon Valley innovation and traditional Wall Street finance. For more information, please visit http://www.i80group.com.

Forward-looking statements:

This release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Statements which are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. The Company makes forward-looking public statements concerning its expected future financial position, results of operations, cash flows, financial requirements, business strategy, products and services, potential future financings, acquisition and scaling of future brands and or project and its anticipated financing plans, growth opportunities, plans and objectives of management for future operations, including statements that include words such as "anticipate," "if," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "could," "should," "will," and other similar expressions that are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are estimates reflecting the Company's best judgment based upon current information and involve a number of risks and uncertainties, and there can be no assurance that other factors will not affect the accuracy of such forward-looking statements; foreign exchange and other financial markets; changes in the interest rates on borrowings; hedging activities; changes costs of goods; changes in the investments and expenditure levels; litigation; legislation; environmental, judicial, regulatory, political and competitive developments in areas in which The Healing Company operates. There can be no assurance that The Healing Company will achieve the above stated brand acquisitions and scaling of those brands or the closing of financing stated herein. The reader should refer to the risk disclosures set out in the periodic reports and other disclosure documents filed by The Healing Company from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Sources:

Statista; Imarc, May 20, 2022, "Value of the superfoods market worldwide from 2021 to 2027"

Meticulous Market Research Pvt. Ltd., June 2022, "Plant-based Food Market by Type, Source, Distribution Channel - Global Forecast to 2029"

Grandview Research (2022), "Dietary Supplements Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Ingredient (Vitamins, Minerals), By Form, By Application, By End User, By Distribution Channel, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2022 - 2030"

PwC, 2002, Global M&A Industry Trends: 2022 Mid-Year Update

New York Times, Williams, April 2009, "As Economy Is Down, Vitamin Sales Are Up"

Photo -https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1921603/The_Healing_Company_and_Your_Super_Co_founders.jpgVideo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1921602/The_Healing_Company_Acquires_Your_Super.mp4Logo -https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1921604/The_Healing_Company_Logo.jpg

The Healing Company Co-founders, Simon Belsham and Anabel Oelmann and Your Super Co-founders, Michael Kuech and Kristel De Groot

The Healing Company Logo

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-healing-company-acquires-leading-superfoods-business-your-super-and-lands-150m-credit-facility-to-expand-community-of-brands-301650739.html

SOURCE The Healing Company

More:

The Healing Company acquires leading superfoods business, Your Super, and lands $150M credit facility to expand community of brands - Yahoo Finance

Markian Hawryluk and Matt Volz

Colorado could become the second state after Oregon to allow the use of certain psychedelic substances that are illegal under federal law.

But while Oregon voters in 2020 approved the supervised use of psychedelic mushrooms, the citizen initiative on the Colorado ballot in November goes further. Proposition 122 would allow the personal use of psilocybin mushrooms and certain plant-based psychedelic substances by adults 21 and over but would ban sales except in licensed healing centers, where people could ingest them under the supervision of trained facilitators.

The psychedelic substances, which can alter a persons perception and cause hallucinations, are Schedule I controlled substances, which is the federal classification given to drugs deemed to have a high potential for abuse and serve no legitimate medical purpose. However, a still-developing body of research has found that psychedelic mushrooms may have health benefits, such as treating depression.

As of June, 15 cities and other local U.S. jurisdictions have decriminalized possession of psilocybin or deprioritized the policing, prosecution, or arrest of users. Denvers 2019 voter-approved initiative made the adult possession and use of psilocybin mushrooms the citys lowest law enforcement priority, and it prohibited the spending of resources on enforcing related penalties.

Here are five key things to absorb about the initiative in Colorado:

1. What does the Colorado initiative do?

Proposition 122 is one of 11 statewide ballot measures that Colorado voters will decide in the Nov. 8 general election. The measure would allow adults to grow, possess, and use mushrooms containing the chemicals psilocybin and psilocin, and decriminalize three plant-based psychedelics: mescaline (though it specifically excludes the peyote cactus), ibogaine (from the root bark of the iboga tree), and dimethyltryptamine (a compound in ayahuasca brew). It also would require the state to create regulations for facilities where adults 21 and older can buy and take the psychedelics under supervision. Selling the drugs outside of those facilities would remain illegal.

The measure sets a timeline for the regulatory process and facilities to be operational by late 2024 for psilocybin, and the state could expand the list of psychedelic substances to include mescaline, ibogaine, and dimethyltryptamine in those facilities starting in 2026. If voters approve the initiative, people who use those psychedelics would be protected from professional discipline or losing public benefits, and criminal records of past convictions for offenses made legal under the measure could be sealed.

The measure goes beyond the Oregon law voters approved in 2020 allowing people to be treated with one variety of psilocybin, called psilocybe cubensis, in supervised facilities. In Oregon, no facilities have opened yet and state health officials are still finalizing regulations.

2. What are the potential health benefits?

Supporters primary argument for the measures passage is that psychedelic mushrooms and plants have potential mental health benefits. Emerging research and clinical trials are studying the substances effectiveness as an alternative treatment for conditions such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Proponents of the measure say regulation would increase access for people struggling to find effective mental health care. They also say psychedelic mushrooms are not addictive and pose no public safety risk.

3. What are the risks and unknowns?

Opponents caution that the measure is too far ahead of the science, and that the still-developing research should not be used to legitimize the legalization of psychedelic mushrooms and plants for medical or recreational use. They also point out that much of the research conducted has involved psychedelic mushrooms, and that relatively little is known about the effects of mescaline, ibogaine, and dimethyltryptamine.

According to officials at the Justice Departments National Drug Intelligence Center, ingesting psilocybin can produce negative physical effects, such as vomiting, weakness, and lack of coordination, along with negative psychological effects, such as being unable to distinguish fantasy from reality. Psilocybin can trigger episodes of psychosis, so people with a personal or family history of psychosis are generally excluded from studies. Psilocybin can also exacerbate heart conditions.

Many people claim that because psilocybin is derived from plants (technically, fungi) it is safer than pharmaceutical drugs created in a lab. This distinction has no basis. Many plants are poisonous, and many pharmaceutical drugs are derived from natural substances.

4. What does the science say?

Initial studies have found that psilocybin can help treatment-resistant depression or anxiety and depression in patients with terminal illnesses. While the findings are promising, researchers caution that larger sample sizes and additional research are needed to understand psilocybins neurobiological factors and long-term effects. In 2019, the FDA called psilocybin a breakthrough therapy, a designation meant to speed up development of promising drugs. No psychedelics have been approved for medical use so far.

Of the drugs being considered in the Colorado initiative, psilocybin is the most studied. Clinical trials have tested psilocybin in combination with therapy. Unlike antidepressants, which must be taken regularly, psilocybin has been shown to have durable treatment effects after just one, two, or three doses. It is unclear whether psilocybin has any health benefits outside the psilocybin-assisted therapy protocols used in clinical studies.

Some research findings show that psilocybin-assisted therapy can be useful in treating substance use disorders, including nicotine and alcohol addiction. Clinical trials for mescaline, ibogaine, and dimethyltryptamine are still in preliminary stages.

5. Will this sprout another industry like marijuana?

Because psilocybin is naturally occurring, people tend to assume its path to legalization will follow that of cannabis. However, the compounds have key differences in the way they affect people. Psilocybin is unlikely to win approval as easily as marijuana, which is legal for medical use in 39 states and the District of Columbia. Nineteen of those states and D.C. also allow recreational use.

The Colorado measure expressly forbids the sale of psychedelics outside of licensed facilities. However, the potential for legalization in the state and elsewhere in the U.S. has spurred the launch of dozens of companies eager to commercialize the sale and treatment of psilocybin. Some are organizing retreats to Jamaica, Peru, or Mexico, where they conduct ceremonies that reflect the traditional use of psilocybin and other natural psychedelics that date back centuries.

KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation.

This story can be republished for free (details).

Read more:

5 Things to Know About Colorados Psychedelics Ballot Initiative - Kaiser Health News

Psychedelics are experiencing a meteoric rise in public awareness. In the midst of a mental health crisis, researchers around the world have intensified their study of psilocybin, MDMA and other psychedelics along with their ability to relieve problems such as anxiety and depression.

With growing public acceptance comes a desire for those without mental health diagnoses to improve general wellness at psilocybin retreats around the world and soon in the USA. The cost of psychedelic therapy leaves many concerned about equitable access but retreats present an opportunity for the psilocybin curious to have transformative experiences in groups.

The results are undeniable. Psychedelic therapy is one of the most promising areas of research in the world right now for mental health. And while science has a long way to go before understanding exactly what psychedelics can and cannot do, early results largely discredit the anti-drug campaigns of our childhoods.

Psilocybin and Ayahausca Retreats are Legal Around the World

For years plant medicines like psilocybin, ayahuasca, san pedro, and ibogaine have been operating legally in countries like Mexico, Peru, Costa Rica and Jamacia. A wide range, from high-end luxury retreats in Costa Rica to bare-bones ayahuasca centers in the Amazon, have been attracting wellness seekers to war veterans looking for cures to PTSD.

In South and Central America, plant medicine retreats have become a tourist industry unto themselves, with now hundreds of centers in existence. Despite psychedelics being a largely underground phenomenon for decades, the demand for safe and transformative experiences has been growing steadily.

Now, with society in the midst of a psychedelic renaissance, we can expect to see retreat centers opening closer to home as psilocybin leads the way to access in Western countries.

Psilocybin Retreats in the USA

The positive press has led the Biden administration to announce that psychedelic therapies like MDMA and psilocybin will be available by 2024. However, some states are already in motion, with new jurisdictions decriminalizing psychedelics each month, with Oregon leading the way with decriminalized drugs and legal psilocybin.

Official laws will be established in 2023 in Oregon, which create licenses to grow magic mushrooms, required training for therapists, and psychedelic retreats. Following suit is Colorado, which is drafting up plans for psychedelic retreats after Denver decriminalized psilocybin and voting for state-wide policy changes is up for a vote.

The centers will allow groups to be facilitated by trained professionals, and it will not be necessary to have a medical diagnosis to access psychedelic mushrooms. Current research around psychedelics is centred around those who need it most. Yet, the desire for a meaningful life will no doubt attract many tourists and wellness enthusiasts to emerging psilocybin retreat centers.

Psilocybin Retreats Will Expand Access

With psychedelic therapy expensive and directed at more serious mental health concerns, retreat centers could offer group rates allowing for more inclusive access to psychedelics. Group work, peer support, and community have all been connected to effective outcomes of psychedelics like psilocybin, positioning retreats to be staples of the emerging psychedelic market.

While optimism is warranted, psychedelics are only to be used in specific set and setting, often with trained professionals. Decriminalized or legal use of psychedelics is not yet common in most parts of the world. If you are curious about psychedelics, be sure to get expert opinions from mental health professionals or at safe and reputable retreat centers.

Jerry Doby Editor-in-Chief of The Hype Magazine and internationally published arts & entertainment journalist. Connect with Jerry on Twitter and Instagram at @jerrydoby_ Member of the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture and the United States Press Corps. Partner at THM Media Group, Inc.

Excerpt from:

Psilocybin Retreats - a Focal Point of the Growing Psychedelic Market - The Hype Magazine

Check out this list of books to deepen your weed knowledge and open your mind to the world of psychedelics.

Its National Book Month! Yes, thats right, a whole month dedicated to one of the greatest, most time-honored activities reading! Its the perfect excuse to crack open the pages of a new book and learn something new about cannabis or psychedelics. Below, discover ten of the best books for weed and psychedelics lovers over the last decade.

Treat yourself to one (or a few ) of them to catch up on different methods, topics, and aesthetics within the psychedelic and ganja genres.

This gorgeous guide is the first ever to focus exclusively on home-growing cannabis in your own garden. The book says it brings cannabis out of the dark, into the sunlight by focusing on outdoor growing.

It features gorgeous photography and is a fully comprehensive guide, leading you from seed to harvest. Silvers growing insight can also be found right here on Leafly.

Barely making the decade cut but nevertheless insightful comes this book by investigative journalist Martin A. Lee. With a dramatic tone that engages the reader, the book explores cannabis from its most ancient origins to the multibillion-dollar industry plant it is today.

Related

12 cannabis books that changed the game

Along the way, Lee explores cannabis political, legal, medicinal, and scientific history.

Follow Smoke Signals with this complimentary book by historian Emily Dufton to get an even more in-depth look at the history of cannabis and the drug war in America.

Dufton examines cannabis journey of acceptance, scorn, and now acceptance again while paying homage to the thousands of grassroots activists who made it possible.

This book, by another one of Leaflys contributors, Santiago Rodriguez Tarditi, showcases the creators, brands, and designers who have evolved cannabis into the high-level en vogue business it is today.

Delve into the culture of cannabis and how it has influenced the landscape of design while enjoying stunning and immersive photography as you read.

You may already be familiar with the Netflix adaptation of the same name, but this one is worth a read.

This New York Times bestseller offers an interchanging first and third-person point of view into altered states of consciousness and dives deep into the science and medicinal benefits of psychedelics.

Related

Netflixs How to change your mind pushes psychedelics into the mainstream

Bruce Barcott is another one of our own here at Leafly, and his book is the perfect follow-up after youve delved into the history of cannabis. Barcott takes the reader on a journey into the future of cannabis in a world beyond failed prohibition.

Examining questions about cannabis etiquette in a world where its inevitably normalized, the book is both escapism into the future and a fascinating look at whats to come.

If youre looking to read something practical that will give you a skill to use later, this excellent cookbook is a great place to start. Featuring a wealth of high-end recipes for those who want to make serious, sophisticated foodwith weed.

Learn how to make the basics like butter and oils, and then put them to use in sweet and savory dishes.

If you want a visual feast, this book is the meal. Author Dan Michaels, together with photographer Erik Christiansen, delivers a stunning, high-definition look at the beauty of cannabis.

Featuring 170 strains, this weed guide explores culture, botany, lineages, flavors, and the mental and physical effects of cannabis.

Related

Just desserts: The Cookies and Cakes family genealogy

Following in the steps of her great-great-grandmother Emily Post, Lizzie Post takes the reader on a journey into etiquette, but this time centered on cannabis.

The illustrated guide explores the social norms and expectations, tackling questions such as how to act at a dispensary, bring cannabis to a dinner party, or faux pas such as canoed joints.

Explore the connection between psychedelics, human consciousness, and religious experiences in this book by clinical psychologist and psychedelic researcher William Richards. Based on three decades of legal research, the book looks at psychedelics ability to improve quality of life and advances the social and political conversation around these substances.

Rae Lland

Rae Lland is a freelance writer, journalist, and former editor for Weedist and The Leaf Online. With a focus on culture, music, health, and wellness, in addition to her work for Leafly, she has also been featured in numerous online cannabis publications as well as print editions of Cannabis Now Magazine. Follow her on Instagram @rae.lland

By submitting this form, you will be subscribed to news and promotional emails from Leafly and you agree to Leafly's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe from Leafly email messages anytime.

More:

10 must-read weed and psychedelics books from the last decade - Leafly

Despite impacting 1 in 7 women (and 1 in 10 men) postpartum depression (PPD) is still somewhat of an enigma. Understanding of what causes it is seriously lacking, as are treatment options. In fact, it was only in 2019 that the FDA approved the first ever drug for PPD (Zulresso) an infusion that costs a staggering $7450 per vial, or $34,000 per patient without insurance. Thankfully, there is new hope on the horizon for over 17% of the global population affected, as well as children, partners and entire families who experience harm as a result of PPD. As it turns out, treating postpartum depression with psychedelics may be a potentially very effective, inexpensive option as both treatment, and preventative.

A 2021 study, published in the Journal of Medicine and Life, explored the use of a single dose of intravenous ketamine, administered during caesarean section to prevent PPD. The scores of depression two and four weeks after the caesarean section (and after the dose of ketamine) were significantly lower than the control group.

Another 2-year-long study (just completed in August this year) has been undertaken to examine low dose ketamine for PPD, to be administered 40 minutes after childbirth, however the results are yet to be published.

Of course, the rationale for, treating PPD with psychedelics (or using as a preventative) is based on what we know about how psychedelics can treat depression, and depressive disorders. Not only is PPD a form of depression, but its been found that 10-20% of people who present with PPD had existing mental health conditions before childbirth.

Although theres a long way to go before we fully understand how psychedelics might best be utilized for parents in a medical setting, the tradition of parents partaking in psychedelics as a means to be better for their kids is nothing new. Through studies already performed, we know that psychedelics have the potential to increase connectedness, improve mood, self-compassion, openness, acceptance and increase oxytocin, which in turn seems likely to improve maternal (and paternal) sensitivity, parent-infant interaction and gratification.

MDMA is another psychedelic that is being explored as a potential treatment for PPD, although research is still in preliminary stages. According to a MAPS paper, MDMA-assisted psychotherapy; Possible treatment for postpartum depression?, MDMA-assisted therapy may be particularly helpful for parents experiencing postpartum depression because of its effects on affiliation, pro-sociality, openness, and compassion toward the self and others, and the relative rapidity of its therapeutic effects.

The rationale goes on to explain that MDMA-assisted therapy may permit parents to address and confront any memories and feelings of childhood adversity and increase compassion for themselves as parents while highlighting the rapid response to MDMA-assisted therapy, which in itself immediately reduces the risks experienced by children of parents with postpartum depression.

Knowing what causes postpartum depression could go a long way in furthering treatment options, including psychedelics. A history of mental health problems, lack of support and sleep deprivation can all contribute to post-natal depression, as can hormonal fluctuations that are inevitable at this time in your life. However, if we look a little deeper at whats going on at a molecular level in the body, there are some pretty interesting findings which might help patients find ways to support themselves naturally.

There are many potential causes of post-partum depression which include biological, nutritional, psychological and societal factors as well as vitamin D deficiency, sleep disruption, gestational diabetes, lack of social support, experiencing violence or abuse, history of mental health disorders and immigrant status (Stein et al. 2014; Zhao and Zhang 2020). Its clearly a complex picture, and rapid intervention is undoubtedly necessary to limit the harm caused to both parents and children.

Another aspect to consider is Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), an amino acid that functions as theprimary inhibitory neurotransmitter for the central nervous system(CNS). This naturally fluctuates during pregnancy and are usually low at the end of pregnancy. If these levels do not return to normal once the baby is born, its thought that this may be a likely cause for post natal depression. With this in mind, regulating GABA could make a huge difference, which is one area where cannabis might come in as an effective treatment.

Theres evidence to suggest that both Ketamine and LSD also have an impact on GABA levels, making this yet another area that may come to the forefront on research in coming years.

Honorary psychedelic, cannabis, also holds promise for treatment of postpartum depression, as another chemical player in post-natal depression is endocannabinoid, Anandamide otherwise known as the bliss molecule. This is naturally synthesized and released by the body when theres a need to bring something back into balance. Its also the neurotransmitter which increases as a result of introducing CBD to the body, as the CBD molecule inhibits the enzyme that ordinarily breaks it down. THC actually fits directly into anandamide receptors (CB1), therefore triggering the actions of anandamide even if its not present.

One study investigating the involvement of endocannabinoids in Major Depressive Disorder (a form of which being postnatal depression) states that their findings demonstrate the great level of inseparability between the components of the endocannabinoid system and the underlying circuits of major depressive disorder.

It also notes that endocannabinoid regulation plays an important role in vulnerability to stress, a major risk factor for MDD due to the fact that the ECS (including endocannabinoids such as anandamide) is responsible for regulating the HPA axis (which mediates the fight or flight response) after exposure to stress, among other mechanisms.

In an area where there are few treatments available, and so much suffering, its extremely exciting to think that psychedelics could make postpartum depression a thing of the past. Or at least far less damaging than it is now.

As with all psychedelic-assisted therapy, its likely the combination of psychedelics and psychotherapy that will yield the best results, and using psychedelics without support when struggling with mental health could cause more harm than good. To be on the safe side, if youre interested in treating PPD with psychedelics, talk to an expert, or visit a psychedelic clinic, to see what can be done for you in a supervised setting.

Go here to see the original:

Treating Postpartum Depression with Psychedelics - Psychedelic Spotlight

Clerkenwell Health, a psychedelic-specialist clinical research organisation, has raised 2.1 million in seed funding, bringing the total to date up to 2.5 million, which will be used to get the London-based startup fully operational.

Investors include Lionheart Ventures, Convergence Partners and Exceptional Ventures, which was co-founded by Paolo Pio (former MD Europe at Joyance Partners) and Matt Cooper (who was part of the founding team at Capital One Bank in the U.S., co-founder of Tandem Bank and chairman of Octopus Capital Group).

Claiming to be Europes first commercial facility dedicated to psychedelic-assisted therapies, Toronto-based life sciences company Psyence will now kick off its first trials at Clerkenwells London site, following its approval from the MHRA.

The clinical trial will assess the efficacy and safety of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy versus psychotherapy alone for the treatment of adjustment disorder due to an incurable cancer diagnosis. Data from the U.K.s Office of National Statistics suggests the suicide risk for terminally ill people is twice that of the general population.

As weve detailed before, drugs which were previously relegated to underground communities and rave culture drugs like ketamine, MDMA (commonly known as ecstasy) and psilocybin are now being studied to develop therapies to treat everything from PTSD to cluster headaches.

Tom McDonald, CEO of Clerkenwell Health, said in a statement: The UK is extremely well-placed to become the leader in psychedelics research and trials thanks to its globally competitive framework for clinical trials, which is why we chose to launch our operations in London.

Most research related to psychedelics is currently happening in universities and hospitals. Other psychedelic drug facilities are being built (Compass Pathways South London and Maudsley NHS Trust), but they tend to be built by drug developers so are designated to a single company or compound. By contrast, Clerkenwell Health says it will work with multiple drug developers.

Paolo Pio, co-founder and general partner of Exceptional Ventures, added: Psychedelics show great promise in treating mental disorders, but it is a complex and highly regulated field. Clerkenwell Health founders bring together years of experience in this area, and we believe they are the best positioned in the UK and Europe.

Clerkenwell Health is also working with North American drug discovery and biotechnology companies, notably the Otsuka Pharmaceutical-backed Mindset, which focuses on treatments for neurological and psychiatric disorders.

Read the original here:

Clerkenwell Health raises 2.1M to test the new wave of psychedelics treatments - TechCrunch