Category Archives: Psychedelics

Denise Vidot, a University of Miami epidemiologist who has studied the impact of cannabis on well-being for a decade, has broadened her laboratorys research to include psilocybin, aiming to explain a surge in use of both substances during the pandemic.

Denise Vidot, who began researching the impact of cannabis on health and well-being long before the stigma against its medicinal use had diminished, has earned a new designation for her lab that incorporates the study of psychedelics, which she defines as psilocybin, ketamine (a legalized synthetic variation), and ayahuasca (a plant-based psychedelic).

The overarching focus of the psychedelic branch of her International Cannabis and Psychedelic Research Lab is to assess how psilocybin is independently affecting mental health amid the pandemic and how psilocybin in conjunction with cannabis affects mental health symptoms and cardiovascular disease risk, said Vidot, an assistant professor in the School of Nursing and Health Studies.

What were trying to do is study mental health and cardiovascular health through the use of plants and fungi psychedelics, she explained, noting that most existing studies on these substances focus solely on psychological health, including depression, anxiety, and trauma.

Our approach uniquely seeks to add understanding of the impact on the brain, heart, and gutthe three are interconnected, she said. When the brain is stressed, the heart rate increases and hormones are secreted into the microbiome (gut/stomach), which prompts negative implications for health, Vidot noted. The consequences for the heart and gut are much less known.

The idea for her new research focus sparked on March 11, 2020the day the World Health Organization declared a pandemic. She started working nonstop to design the COVID-19 Cannabis Health Study, as it was unclear if the cannabis dispensaries were going to stay open to serve medical cannabis consumers.

Luckily, a few months later, the dispensaries were designated an essential business, she said, noting the irony of the transformation. How did cannabis go from being an illegal substance with a stigma to an essential business that stayed open during the pandemic?

To that study, for the first time, she added questions about the co-use of cannabis with other substances, one of which was psilocybin. I didnt realize that Id be stumbling on such important findings, she said.

While she was pleased with the initial batch of 17 survey responses, she sought to broaden its outreach and turned to her many contacts within the field. The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws proved especially helpful.

Collaborator support in circulating the survey garnered 3,000 respondents from around the globe.

It was such a shock, but it shows the importance of the question to the general public: What can cannabis and psilocybin actually do? she said.

Vidot noted that the responses were self-reportedvoluntary and anonymous and therefore less prone to biasand that respondents received no compensation, contrary to what many suggest about surveys relating to substance use, she said. Respondents were motivated to know the true benefits or possible harmful effects of the substances.

The findings showed that a significant number of patients eligible for medicinal cannabis started or increased use of psilocybin during the pandemic and that a portion who were co-using with cannabis also increased their use without physician oversight.

While the results are preliminary, Vidot believes those using the substances are seeking to manage pain and to cope with mental health symptoms. Early data indicates that those consuming psilocybin exhibited lower evidence of severe depression and anxiety compared with the other groupsa finding that has prompted Vidot and her research team to dig deeper.

Her lab is conducting five ongoing studies of psychedelics. Two are related to the pandemic scenario and the co-use of cannabis and psilocybin; a third explores the health effects of psilocybin used together with poly-substancesalcohol, tobacco, and cocaine, among others; and the other two examine the use of ketamine, the synthetic version of psychedelics.

Vidot noted that psilocybin remains illegal, and that ketamine [legalized] is therefore easier to study.

Her current lab includes student researchers, ranging from first-semester undergraduates to postdoctoral fellows.

Cannabis, psychedelics, and other types of alternative medicine approaches are the future, Vidot said. Being able to train this next generation of scientists or health care professionals, even if they dont move into this field, is vital. Just the awareness of replacing the stigma with knowledge is extremely important.

Vidot said she aims to be the mentor that I wish that I had as an undergraduate on my first day, and is grateful for the opportunity to advance a research field that is gaining traction, especially during the pandemic.

A lot of media outlets have started highlighting psilocybin as a mental health treatment option, and the stigma of the two substances [cannabis and psychedelics] has lessened, thus prompting more people to respond to a survey like ours, she said. I think my lab had the right timing.

At the Miller School of Medicine, Dr. Michael E. Hoffer, professor of otolaryngology and neurological surgery, has been studying mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) for the past 15 plus years. Last year, his laboratorywas funded to study if the useof a pill form of cannabidiol (CBD) in combination with microdoses of psilocybin would effectively treat and possibly prevent symptoms of conditions relating to concussions and other similar mTBI injuries.

Hoffers research has documented that60 to 70 percent of those with concussive type injuries generally suffer no lingering effects beyond 7 to 10 days, yet 30 to 40 percent suffer side effects that may persist for weeks or months, or even longer.

Absent a crystal ball to know which are the 30 to 40 percent, weve been researching something to treat everyone that is innocuous for the 60 to 70 percent, but effective for the 30 to 40 percent, Hoffer explained.

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Increased psychedelic use during pandemic prompts new research - University of Miami

Microdosing psychedelics like psilocybin may enhance your mental health and overall well-being. Heres how.

When you think of magic mushrooms, you might think of vibrant colors, hippies, and trippy visuals. But recent research (and centuries of anecdotal evidence) indicates that psychedelics may have greater potential to help improve mental health.

Whats more, you may not have to take high doses of psychedelics to tap into their perks. Microdosing substances like psilocybin can offer mental health benefits without experiencing hallucinations. However, it still may be possible to experience hallucinations or even negative side effects like a bad trip while microdosing.

Psych Central interviewed Oregon-based psychotherapist and co-founder of Yale Psychedelic Science Group Peter H. Addy, PhD, LPC, LMHC, who specializes in psychedelic harm reduction and integration work. Addy discussed how microdosing psilocybin can impact your mental well-being.

Microdosing describes using a psychoactive substance at a dose lower than whats needed for recreational use. With such low amounts, the substances effects arent felt strongly enough to impair your senses.

With microdosing, approximately 1/10th to 1/20th of a recreational dose is taken, usually with the intention of improving your well-being and enhancing cognitive and emotional processes.

For dried, well-preserved Psilocybe cubensis mushrooms, a recreational dose might be 1 to 5 grams. So, a microdose might be 1/20th to 1/10th of 1 gram, Addy explains. Its very small, and you need a scale accurate to 0.001 g to measure such a small amount of material.

Microdosing can also involve participating in multiple dosing sessions.

In addition to psilocybin, you can microdose LSD, MDMA, and other psychedelics, as well.

According to Addy, microdosing doesnt actually feel like anything which is ultimately the point.

On the off days day 2 and 3 when you arent taking a microdose, you might feel more focused and productive, he adds.

On the other hand, higher doses of psilocybin may induce the following experiences:

The most common way is to microdose every third day for 30 days. You take a dose in the morning on day 1, nothing for day 2 and 3, and microdose again on day 4, Addy explains. This is also known as the Fadiman protocol.

Another strategy is the Stamets protocol, named after the famous mycologist Paul Stamets. [Youd] microdose 4 days in a row then take 3 days off (microdose Monday through Thursday then take a break Friday through Sunday, for example), says Addy.

With microdosing, the substance youre using is typically taken in the morning on an empty stomach or with a light snack.

Addy notes that possessing and using psilocybin mushrooms in the United States is illegal (yes, even in Oregon where its recently been decriminalized).

To take psychedelics as safely and legally as possible, you can consider:

There may be many potential short- and long-term benefits of taking low doses of psychedelics like psilocybin.

A 2020 study suggests that less than 1 to 3 milligrams (mg) of LSD and psilocybin can subtly improve cognitive processes, like:

Another 2020 survey conducted with people who have had psychedelic experiences as a form of self-therapy suggests the following short-term benefits of microdosing:

A 2020 analysis compiling anecdotal evidence from a subreddit on self-reported experiences of microdosing psychedelics shares similar benefits:

Addy adds that long-term benefits at the end of a 30-day microdosing procedure might include:

Microdosing studies are limited at this time. But the research we do have suggests that it may offer relief for people who live with anxiety and depression.

A common question is whether mushrooms have placebo effects. Addy highlights the following three studies that do a good job of examining this concept:

We dont know very much about microdosing, but at least some of the time it might be expectation and intention that leads to change, not microdosing, he explains.

Whether it is a placebo effect at play, people have been known to report relief after microdosing psilocybin.

According to Addy, those who may be best suited to try microdosing psilocybin include people:

A 2020 study suggests that small doses of psychedelics are generally well tolerated and have none-to-minimal effects on your body. But there are still potential risks that you may want to be aware of before you try microdosing.

According to the same study, some participants also experienced negative side effects, like increased anxiety and a cycling pattern between depressive and euphoric moods.

If youve never tried microdosing before, considering some safety reminders and harm reduction strategies may be helpful as a precaution.

First and foremost, psychedelics arent totally legal yet.

The main risk is that psilocybin is illegal to have and use, despite having a low potential for abuse and currently accepted as medical use, says Addy. Being arrested, fined, imprisoned, or losing work arent conducive to mental health or personal growth.

Its important to be careful of your set, setting, and dosage. Plant medicines arent like taking Tylenol, reminds Addy. Each dose is a little different, and you might accidentally take a little too much and then have to go to work or interact with your family.

In terms of the potentially negative side effects of microdosing, Addy says people sometimes report experiencing:

He notes that moving, stretching, or exercising right after microdosing can help reduce anxiety and physical discomfort. Meditating afterward can also help with focus and creativity, too.

One survey asked people who have microdosed if they talked about it with their doctors or therapists, and only 18% had done so, says Addy.

If youre microdosing or thinking about microdosing in the future, it can be beneficial to find a doctor or therapist you trust enough to discuss your intentions and use. However, its important to understand that these substances are still illegal in most countries and remain unapproved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Studies on the therapeutic benefits of microdosing psychedelics are limited and in progress. But research suggests that microdosing psilocybin may help improve mental health and help treat some mental health conditions, like anxiety and depression.

There are still potential benefits and risks to be aware of before microdosing, though.

Firstly, its important to remember that psychedelics like psilocybin are not legal in the United States just yet, even in places like Oregon where the substance has been decriminalized.

If youre considering microdosing psilocybin, talking with a doctor or therapist about whether microdosing or psychedelic therapy may be right for you can be a good starting point.

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What Is Microdosing and Can It Help Mental Health? - PsychCentral.com

There are thousands of ways in which one could describe Zappy Zapolin. Boring is not one of them.

Mike Zappy Zapolin is an award-winning filmmaker, entrepreneur and investor in the expanding psychedelic space. But while the man they call Zappy has managed to involve himself in almost every area of the industry, it is perhaps his role of psychedelic concierge to the stars that has amplified his voice in the push to expand human consciousness through the use of psychoactive chemicals.

With interest in experimenting with psychedelics at an all-time high, Zappy has become the go-to resource for celebrities seeking their first experience. His knowledge and insight into the space has seen him work with everyone from Deepak Chopra to Joel Osteen as he aims to further introduce the world to the hidden potential of psychedelics.

Today Zappy joined The Dales Report to discuss the space and the current outlook for psychedelic investors. The financial world is nothing new to the psychedelic guru, as Zapolin spent years holding down a prominent role with one of Wall Streets most reputable investment banking firms.

While his Wall Street ventures and marketing endeavors made him millions, it was the emptiness he felt inside that ultimately led him down the path of psychedelic therapeutics.

Seeking a spiritual and personal breakthrough, Zapolin hopped on the next plane to Peru to participate in an ayahuasca ritual. The ancient psychoactive plant ceremony was a life-changing experience for the former Wall Street banker, and his experience was so profound that it led him down the same path he continues to walk today.

The Dales Report is happy to bring you this interview with one of the most interesting voices in the space, and while he might be most recognisable for his celebrity interactions, this conversation focuses on his thoughts in regards to investing in psychedelics and the outlook of the industry.

Watch our inaugural interview with Lamar Odom, former NBA Star, and Zappy Zapolin, award-winning filmmaker, by clicking here

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Investing In Psychedelics In 2022 With Zappy Zapolin - The Dales Report

According to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Exeter, a combination of ketamine and psychological therapy could help those with severe alcohol use disorder stay on the wagon.

The project is named Ketamine for Reduction of Alcohol Relapse (KARE), and it determined that former drinkers were more two-and-a-half-times more likely to remain abstinent over a six-month period after taking small doses of ketamine compared to the placebo control group.

Even at low doses, the studys volunteers experienced psychedelic effects from ketamine. They talked with their future selves, jumped down the hole into Wonderland, met God, etc. But those ludicrous, dreamlike situations can have a profound impact on patients, essentially rewiring ones relationship to alcohol.

When administered by an expert (and accompanied by psychotherapy) ketamine acts on the lateral habenula, a part of the brain that often contributes to anxiety, fear and depression. The drug might be able to reset this disappointment center, by minimizing the stress and damage of previous or ongoing trauma.

One patient said in a statement: The sense of oneness that I felt and the sense of moving away from focusing on the worries and the small stuff is helpful in terms of improving my relationship with alcohol I think I used alcohol as a self-medication and as a blocking and avoiding mechanism. And I think feeling that those issues are less prevalent or at least less important means I feel less motivated to drink.

The KARE study is coming at a time where attitudes around psychedelics are changing, and practical application of them for clinical therapy has been fast-tracked.

Over the last two years, treatment (administered via ayahuasca, psilocybin, or ibogaine, in addition to ketamine) has helped combat veteransgrapple with PTSDand retired football playersconfront CTE. A recent report promised thefirst ever studyof psilocybin-assisted therapy for clinicians.

Meanwhile, the buzzy Field Trip Health now offers ketamine-enhanced therapy in eight locations throughout the United States. (Prospective patients can find out if theyre eligible for treatment after filling out a simplequestionnaire.) And the FDA recently stamped a ketamine-infused nasal spray, meant to treat severe depression.

While this study was a success for the patients involved those that got ketamine stayed sober 162 out of 180 days, on average there are still some concerns. Namely, is it smart to cure ones addiction to a drug with another addictive drug? Freethink reached out to Dr. John Krystal at Yale, a ketamine expert, for comment.

Heres what he had to say: I think that this is an exciting study that highlights a novel potential therapeutic action of ketamine for the treatment of addiction, which is somewhat paradoxical, given the significant abuse liability associated with recreational use of ketamine We will need to see this work replicated and extended to fully understand the clinical impact of this intervention.

In other words its a promising start, and that question (including how ketamine may interact with people already on antidepressants), will need to be fully examined in later studies. For now, though, we can celebrate the open minds and pioneering research of those working to help treat alcohol addiction.

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Could Psychedelic Ketamine Therapy Cure Alcohol Addiction? - InsideHook

Vancouver TheNewswire - British Columbia, January 31, 2022. Lexston Life Sciences Corp. (the Company or Lexston) (CSE:LEXT) (CNSX:LEXT.CN) (OTCQB:LEXTF) a biotechnology company focused on the development of analytical services and production of botanically derived psychedelics, is pleased to announce that, on January 17, 2022, its wholly-owned subsidiary, Egret Bioscience Ltd., was granted a two year long Section 56 exemption by Health Canada, pursuant to which the company can now possess up to 100 grams of psilocybin mushrooms for scientific purposes for their project entitled Establishing best practices and analytical methods for the rapid detection, quantification and traceability of botanically derived classical psychedelics.

Egret scientists will leverage their expertise in High Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and will collaborate with NIRLab AG (www.nirlab.com) in the development of a rapid and portable Near Infrared Spectroscopic tool for the identification and quantification of naturally derived tryptamines found in Psilocybe mushroom such as Psilocin, Psilocybin, Baeocystin, Norbaeocystin and Aeruginascin. The team will also implement large scale genotyping-by-sequencing to validate a 100000 marker assay that will be used to uncover the genetic basis of different tryptamine profiles from a varied list of accession supplied by participating Licensed Dealers.

We are excited to add Psilocin and Psilocybin to our existing tryptamine analytics platform which currently includes the uncontrolled compounds bufotenine, 5-Meo-DMT and 4-Aco-DMT. Our ability to collect chemical and genetic profiles from a suite of psychedelic mushrooms with unique attribute will enable our team to discover the genetic basis underlying particular chemical profiles. This information will be invaluable for future developments of biosynthetic production pipelines for botanically derived psychedelics Stated Philippe Henry PhD, Director and Chief Science Officer of Lexston.

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Near infrared Spectrometer used for the rapid detection and quantification of mushroom compounds.

About Lexston Life Sciences Corp.

Lexston Life Sciences Corp. is a Canadian biotechnology company providing cannabis testing and research services. Lexston has recently secured licensing under the exemptions prescribed by section 56 of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (Canada) to enable the expansion of its services into the psychedelic industry with an initial focus on the detection and quantification of psychedelic molecules in the lab and point of care. Lexston intends to develop and validate methods for standardized manufacturing of plant derived psychedelics in support of burgeoning trials in the field of mental health and wellness.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

LEXSTON LIFE SCIENCES CORP.

Jagdip Bal Chief Executive Officer

Telephone: (604) 928-8913

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements and information within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of words such as plans, expects or does not expect, is expected, estimates, intends, anticipates or does not anticipate, or believes, or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward looking statements or information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of LEXT to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements or information contained in this news release.

Risks, uncertainties, and other factors involved with forward-looking information could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects, and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news release.

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Lexston Life Sciences is Granted Section 56 Exemption from Health Canada and embarks on the development of portable technology for quantification and...

About a week after Colorado activists filed revised versions of 2022 ballot initiatives to legalize psilocybin and create healing centers in the state, a second campaign has submitted their own competing proposal to legalize psychedelics.

Activists with Decriminalize Nature Boulder County filed the new, one-page initiative on Friday. It would allow adults 21 and older to possess, cultivate, gift and deliver psilocybin, psilocyn, ibogaine, mescaline and DMT.

Further, the measure says that it would be lawful to conduct psychedelics services for guidance, therapy and harm reduction and spiritual purposes with or without accepting payment. It would not be legal to sell any of the psychedelics, however.

The campaign is being headed by activists Nicole Foerster and Melanie Rodgers, a proponent of Denvers 2019 psilocybin decriminalization initiative who also petitioned for a successful Washington, D.C. decriminalization measure.

Without decriminalization and the security it allows for affected communities to more effectively organize, regulatory models will make it difficult for the most disadvantaged groups of our population to continue to access the natural medicines they safely use to heal, Foerster said in a press release. To address this we are advocating for a simple change to existing laws around these controlled substances.

The new filing is a sign of splintering between Colorado advocates who share the objective of ending psychedelics criminalization and ensuring access but who apparently disagree about the regulatory approach.

The separate, recently revised initiatives filed by the well-funded national New Approach PAC and supported by people like philanthropist David Bronner of the soap company Dr. Bronners is much more thorough and contains key differences from the simple adult-use legalization proposal that have now been introduced.

Under the revised measures, which are titled the Natural Medicine Health Act, there would be a two-tiered regulatory model, where only psilocybin would be legalized and regulated for therapeutic use until June 2026, after which point regulators could expand the policy change to include other psychedelics that are listed in the proposal like ibogaine, DMT and mescaline thats not derived from peyote.

The decision to add additional psychedelics to the program would be made by the Department of Regulatory Agencies in consultation with a Natural Medicine Advisory Board that would be established. The board would be comprised of 15 members, including people who have experience with psychedelic medicine in a scientific and religious context.

There would be no possession limits for the entheogenic substances, unlike the initial measures that were filed by the campaign last month.

These latest filing comes more than two years after Denver became the first city in the U.S. to decriminalize psilocybin mushrooms. Kevin Matthews, who served as campaign director of that local push, is now a chief petitioner for the wider ranging statewide ballot effort. Various activists involved in the 2019 campaign have signaled interest in building upon the reform.

The initiatives must still be assigned an official ballot title and summary from the state before theyre approved to begin signature gathering. The broader measures are scheduled to receive a review and comment hearing on February 3, whereas the new initiative filed on Friday is set to be heard on February 11.

If approved by state officials, activists will need to collect 124,632 valid signatures from registered voters to achieve ballot access.

The Colorado ballot initiatives seek to accomplish something similar to what California activists are actively pursuing. California advocates are in the process of collecting signatures for aballot initiative to legalize psilocybin mushroomsin the state.

Meanwhile in Colorado, Sen. Joann Ginal (D) and Rep. Alex Valdez (D) filed a modest bill this month to create a one-year plant-based medicine policy review panel that would be tasked with studying the use of plant-based medicines to support mental health, according to a summary. The ballot campaign is not affiliated with that legislative effort.

The policy review panel shall submit a report on its findings and policy recommendations to the House of Representatives Public and Behavioral Health and Human Services Committee and the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, or any successor committees; the governor; and the Department of Human Services, it says.

Meanwhile, legislative efforts to enact psychedelics reform are also underway in other states across the country.

For example, a bill to decriminalize a wide array of psychedelics in Virginia was taken up by a House of Delegates panel on Monday,only to be pushed off until 2023. A separate Senate proposal to decriminalize psilocybin alone was defeated in a key committee on Monday.

In Oregon, where voters approved a historic 2020 initiative to legalize therapeutic psilocybin program, as well as another to broadly decriminalize currently illicit drugs, lawmakers introduced a bill last week meant to promote equity into the program.

Two Republican Oklahoma lawmakers recently filed bills meant to promote research into the therapeutic potential of psilocybin, and one of the measures would furtherdecriminalize low-level possession of the psychedelic.

A GOP Utah lawmaker also introduced a bill this month that would set up a task force to study and make recommendations on the therapeutic potential of psychedelic drugsand possible regulations for their lawful use.

In Kansas, A lawmaker also recently filed a bill tolegalize the low-level possession and cultivationof psilocybin mushrooms.

A Republican Missouri lawmaker introduced a bill this month to give residents with serious illnesses legalaccess to a range of psychedelic drugslike psilocybin, ibogaine and LSD through an expanded version of the states existing right-to-try law.

California Sen. Scott Wiener (D) told Marijuana Moment in a recent interview that his bill tolegalize psychedelics possessionstands a 50/50 chance of reaching the governors desk this year. It already cleared the full Senate and two Assembly committees during the first half of the two-year session.

In Michigan, a pair of state senators introduced a bill in September tolegalize the possession, cultivation and deliveryof various plant- and fungi-derived psychedelics like psilocybin and mescaline.

Washington State lawmakersalso introduced legislation this monththat would legalize what the bill calls supported psilocybin experiences by adults 21 and older.

In Vermont, a broad coalition of lawmakers representing nearly a third of the House introduced a bill todecriminalize drug possession.

New Hampshire lawmakers filed measures todecriminalize psilocybin and all drugs.

Last year, the governor of Connecticut signed legislation that includes language requiring the state tocarry out a study into the therapeutic potentialof psilocybin mushrooms.

At the congressional level, bipartisan lawmakers sent a letter to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) this month, urging that the agencyallow terminally ill patients to use psilocybinas an investigational treatment without the fear of federal prosecution.

Schumer Gives Update On Federal Marijuana Legalization And Banking In Meeting With Equity Advocates

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Climate Workforce Would Be Protected From Marijuana Employment Testing Under New Congressional Bill - Marijuana Moment

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Cybin (NEO: CYBN)(NYSE American: CYBN)is starting off the new year right the company has received approval from an Institutional Review Board (IRB) for a feasibility study using Kernels quantitative neuroimaging technology, Kernel Flow. Enrollment for the study begins early this year (https://ibn.fm/XTXAe).

By leveraging the Kernel Flow technology, we may have the ability to measure longitudinal brain activity before, during and after a psychedelic experience, and collect quantitative data as opposed to

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NOTE TO INVESTORS:The latest news and updates relating to CYBN are available in the companys newsroom athttps://ibn.fm/CYBN

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Cybin Inc. (NEO: CYBN) (NYSE American: CYBN) IRB-Approved Study Could 'Lead to New Frontiers,' Begins Enrollment This Year - StreetInsider.com

The Mexican magic mushroom is a psilocybe cubensis, a specie of psychedelic mushroom whose main ... [+] active elements are psilocybin and psilocin - Mexican Psilocybe Cubensis. An adult mushroom raining spores. red and blue color. horizontal orientation

A new study conducted by The Harris Poll and Delic Holdings Corp found that 65% of affected Americans want access to psychedelics for mental health.

Respondents who self-reported that they suffer from a mental health condition say that psychedelic medicine including ketamine, psilocybin mushrooms, and MDMA, should be made available to patients with treatment-resistant anxiety, depression, or PTSD.

The pandemic has skyrocketed the need for psychedelic wellness, says Delic CEO Matt Stang. We're at a tipping point where the data and science regarding psychedelic therapies have become undeniable in treating a variety of serious conditions.

As it stands, ketamine is legal in the U.S. for medical use. Ketamine is an FDA-approved anesthetic and can be prescribed for a myriad of ailments in a regulated setting by licensed clinicians. Psilocybin, like cannabis, is still considered a Schedule 1 drug in the eyes of the federal government. Therefore, its sale and use is illegal, despite some states and cities that have begun to decriminalize mushrooms. Beginning in 2019, psilocybin has been decriminalized in Denver, Oregon, and Santa Cruz. The state of California even has a measure on the 2022 ballot that would decriminalize psychedelic medicine in the state.

Psychedelic wellness companies like Delic are eager for this legal movement. It echoes the beginning of the weed industry we know today, as states began decriminalizing prior to legalization several decades ago. The largest clinical study to date affirms psilocybins efficacy in treatment-resistant depression. Ketamine has even more substantial clinical research backing up its use for depression, anxiety, and PTSD.

A patient at Ketamine Wellness Centers.

Delic acquired Ketamine Wellness Centers (KWC) in November 2021. Today, Delic runs the largest chain of psychedelic mental health clinics in the U.S., operating 12 ketamine wellness clinics. The company has plans to open an additional 15 clinics in the next 18 months. Stang says his team founded Delic in order to improve peoples lives and offer access to lifesaving medicine.

The Harris Poll study found 83% of Americans experiencing anxiety, depression or PTSD would be open to pursuing alternative treatments. Respondents said that if plant medicines were proven more effective than prescription medication with fewer side effects, 66% would try ketamine, 62% would try psilocybin, and 56% would try MDMA.

18% of people surveyed said that traditional pharmaceutical medication did not improve their condition or even made it worse. The survey was conducted from December 6 to 8, 2021, polling 2,037 adults ages 18 and older. Among them, the survey polled 953 people who suffer from anxiety, depression, and/or PTSD.

Delic Labs is developing analytical capabilities that will help form a complete picture of psychedelic medicine and ensure drug safety, says Dr. Marcus Roggen, President & Chief Science Officer of Delic Labs.

In the area of medical developments, psilocybin and other plant-based compounds show great promise, but also have their limitations, says Dr. Roggen. With our medicinal chemistry expertise as the foundation, we will continue to explore these novel psychedelic compounds and other drug candidates with the goal of adding them to this exciting field of medicine.

Psilocybin in Delic's lab.

The group demographics varied. Of the people who participated, 48% identified as male and 50.9% identified as female. In regard to age, we saw a wide variety of respondents with 28.4% aged 18-34; 16.7% aged 35-44; 15.9% aged 45-54; 16.6% aged 55-64 and 21.5% over the age of 65. In regard to race, 61.8% identified as white, 16.5% identified as Hispanic and 11.8% identified as Black, says Stang.

The survey is not comprehensive, and the respondents self-reported, which can leave room for potential bias. This survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated, says Stang.

We truly believe the world will look back on this moment right before full global acceptance and remark how much more effective treatment has become, in a very short time, says Stang. This promising family of new medicines has the potential to be more effective than traditional medicines with minimal side effects.

In 2021, the company hosted its inaugural Meet Delic psychedelic medicine conference, one of the largest psychedelic wellness industry conferences in the world, which welcomed 2,500 attendees. Tickets are on sale for its 2022 event which will take place November 5 and 6, 2022, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Delic is listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE:DELC), the OTC Markets Group (OTCQB:DELCF) as well as Germanys largest stock exchange market called the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FRA:6X0).

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Study Finds 65% Of Americans With Mental Health Conditions Want Access To Psychedelics - Forbes

Mind & Matter is a monthly column by Nick Jikomes, PhD, Leaflys Director of Science and Innovation.

Microdosing is the practice of ingesting small amounts of a psychoactive substanceenough to get some kind of perceived benefit, but not enough to become intoxicated or feel the psychoactive effects of a full dose.

Microdosing psychedelics has become a popular new wellness trend. You can allegedly get various mental health benefits such as enhanced mood and creativity. Everyone from health-conscious young professionals to high-powered tech executives have credited this as a powerful brain hack: a cognitive boost with no obvious side effects.

Psychedelics have long been associated with creativity and have been scientifically shown to stimulate neural plasticity, the ability of brain cells to rewire themselves, which is thought to underlie their therapeutic mental health effects.

This has led to the alluring idea of microdosing: What if you can get the benefits of enhanced neural plasticity without the ego-dissolving hallucinatory experience? Just pop a magic mushroom gummy and watch your spirits lift.

Theres big commercial interest here. In the language of startups, microdosing could increase the Total Addressable Market (TAM) for psychedelics, widening the pool of potential consumers. If microdosing has demonstrable benefits, it could help scale up psychedelic medicine. Large doses of psilocybin may have therapeutic effects, but patients require preparation and supervision before, during, and after their experience. Smaller doses with sub-psychedelic effects dont require such time- and resource-intensive oversight.

Compared to macrodosing with supervision and integration, microdosing more cleanly fits the standard pharmaceutical treatment template in psychiatry: diagnose the patients issue, prescribe a non-ego-dissolving drug, add talk therapy as needed. Repeat.

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Besides, going on a multi-hour psychedelic trip is simply too intimidating for many people.

What if we can turn millions more people on to psychedelics in less time and with fewer side effects by using lower doses of these drugs? And can we sell low-dose consumer packaged goods?

Life advice: When something sounds too good to be true, assume it is until proven otherwise.

Almost all evidence for the benefits of psychedelic microdosing in humans is anecdotal. The few human studies out there rely on self-reported data, which is hard to draw reliable conclusions from, especially when youre measuring something subjective.

People are prone to expectancy effectsthey are biased to report what they expect to experience, especially when they really want a particular outcome. This is why double-blind, placebo-controlled studies are the gold standard.

When evaluating self-reported microdosing data, apply a macrodose of caution. For example, this recent study showed that adults who microdose psychedelics self-report lower levels of anxiety and depression. While thats good to hear, the reported effects were small. Moreover, the data are from people who were motivated by mental health concernspeople who really wanted that result.

These are perfect conditions for expectancy effects. Because the data are self-reported and theres no real control group, we cant bank on these results.

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Mushrooms / Psilocybin

An interesting psychoactive phenomenon in themselves, placebo effects are widespread in medicine: A persons expectations can drive measurable physiological change. Placebo effects are common in situations where the measured outcome is subjective, which is exactly what microdosing enthusiasts claimmild subjective effects. Placebo effects are common in the world of pain medicine: Give someone a sugar pill that they think is a pain drug, and they actually experience reduced pain.

Taken to its lowest extreme, microdosing becomes homeopathy: The dose is so low that its zero. Imagine collecting data from health-conscious homeopathy enthusiasts who want to lower their anxiety levels with homeopathy. You give half of them a homeopathic product and the other half a placebo, then ask how they feel. Theyre all likely going to report an improvement.

Indeed, this is exactly what was found in the only placebo-controlled study Im aware of on psychedelic microdosing. The people who microdosed reported improvements, but so did the placebo group, with no difference between them.

Placebo effects are real. But if your mood boost is caused by the mere belief that a 0.1g mushroom chocolate is an antidepressant rather than a pharmacological effect from psilocybin, so what? Theres nothing wrong with a placebo-induced mood boost so long as theres no downside risk.

But there could be downside risks.

I spoke to medicinal chemist Dr. David Olson, whose lab studies the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which psychedelics and other psychoplastogens work in the brain. On the subject of microdosing, he offered the following words of caution:

In the interview, he referenced homeostatic plasticity, a known brain phenomenon, in which our bodies regulate crucial bodily functions to maintain balance, or homeostasis. Think of it as biologys Goldilocks Principlewhen you get too hot, automatic mechanisms kick in to cool you down, such as sweating; when youre too cold, there are automatic mechanisms for generating heat, such as shivering. Our systems have to stay in balance for our cells to work properly; not too hot, not too cold.

When our ability to homeostatically regulate breaks down, many systems can dysfunction. Diabetes is a good example. Normally, blood sugar is tightly regulated. When it spikes after a meal, our body automatically senses this and brings down blood sugar levels to restore balance, or homeostasis.

But the process isnt perfect. Biology is messy. When your body pulls blood sugar back down to normal, it often overshoots. This can result in fatigue, which is why a food coma can follow a big meal.

When this process goes awry, as in diabetes, blood sugar levels drift out of the Goldilocks range for extended periods, which can have a variety of negative physiological consequences.

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Psychedelic medicine: The benefits of psychedelics

In the brain, neural plasticity, the ability of brain cells to rewire themselves, is under homeostatic control. Plasticity is crucial for learning, but if your brain became too plasticif you cranked up the plasticity thermostat all the wayyou would, in some sense, have the mind of an infant. Your existing memories would destabilize. You would have difficulty taking coherent action.

Conversely, if you turned the plasticity thermostat in the opposite direction, you would become rigid, with little ability to learn and adapt.

As with blood sugar, so with plasticity: not too much, not too little. Your brain has built-in controls to sense when theres too much growth, and when that happens, it can turn down the growth thermostat, causing neurons to shrivel up by trimming back their connections.

In other words, stimulating the growth of too many neural connections can trigger an automatic process that results in the exact opposite. This is the risk with regular microdosing of psychedelics.

In one experiment, rats were given a small dose of DMT, below the threshold thought to cause psychedelic effects, every third day for several weeks. Similar to single, large doses of psychedelics, antidepressant and anti-anxiety effects were observed. Unlike single doses, which cause robust neuronal growth, small doses of DMT every few days resulted in either no change in growth or a decrease.

The idea here is that if neurons become overstimulated after multiple doses of a psychedelic, the brain might be dialing down its growth thermostat to compensate. Its conceivable this could even make the symptoms of some psychiatric disorders worse, perhaps similar to the food coma thats triggered when your body undershoots blood sugar levels after a meal-induced spike.

A similar theme emerges from animal studies that used large doses of LSD. Intermittent, high doses of LSD given for more than three months lead to persistent behavioral deficits, while a similar dose given over a shorter timespan had antidepressant-like effects.

The dose and the length of treatment are critical for determining outcomes, which can be either beneficial or detrimental.

And theres another potential risk from frequently taking psychedelics.

Psychedelics are most commonly associated with a brain receptor called serotonin 2A (5-HT2A), which is crucial for their mind-expanding effects. But many psychedelics also activate another serotonin receptor, 5-HT2B. This receptor is abundant in heart tissue and is implicated in drug-induced valvular heart disease.

The concern is that, while occasional use of a 5-HT2B drug may not cause any problems, repeated use for extended periods could trigger heart problems, even at a low dose. While this heart issue has not been directly tied to classic psychedelics like DMT, psilocin, or LSD, there is a well-documented history linking valvular heart disease to the long-term use of other drugs that activate this receptor.

One thing thats clear about psychedelics and other psychoplastogens is that both the dose and frequency of exposure matter. Unfortunately, we just dont know enough to give anyone a clear playbook on the benefits and risks of taking different doses of these drugs over different time frames.

We know that single, large doses given under appropriate conditions can be therapeutic. We also know that lots of people say that microdosing is a game-changer, and there are early indications of potential therapeutic benefits. But there may be serious concerns lurking beneath the surface.

I think adults should be treated like adults: They should be informed of the facts and be free to make their own decisions. As for myself, Im going to stick with the occasional macrodose.

To learn more about Mind & Matter and listen to the podcast that inspired this article, visit THIS link.

Nick Jikomes, PhD

Nick is Leafly's Director of Science & Innovation and holds a PhD in Neuroscience from Harvard University and a B.S. in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is the host of a popular science podcast, which you can listen to for free at: http://www.nickjikomes.com. You can follow him on Twitter: @trikomes

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What are the potential risks of microdosing psychedelics? - Leafly

In this weeks Trade To Black Podcast, Shadd Dales, Benjamin A. Smith and Anthony Varrell discuss a range of issues, ranging from the latest decline in MSOS, atai Life Sciences, crypto/NFTs and more. Our special guest in InMed Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq:INM) CEO Eric Adams to talk about the rare cannabinoid industry and why its poised to take off in 2022. Grand View Research believes the market will grow at over 20% CAGR over the next five years.

Trade To Black PodcastEpisode 20 CliffsNotes

Cannabis

@3:17 AdvisorShares Pure US Cannabis ETF MSOS is getting smashed along with the broad market meltdown. Are entry points getting to a good place for long term focused investors?

@7:13 This week marked one full year since president Joe Biden took office. To date, he has not come through with any of his policy intentions to decriminalize cannabis and enact expungements for convicted felons of non-violent cannabis crimes. Will we see meaningful reforms in the lead-up to the November midterms?

@10:54 It is very important for cannabis companies to be transparent with their shareholders. Which MSOS companies are doing the best job in this regard?

@12:55 Anthony believes the no. 1 job of a CEO is to keep investors from selling their stock.

Psychedelics

@14:17 The psychedelic sector continues churning out positive news, yet the price action continues to decline. Its at the point where not even one sector company is valued at $1 billion on an undiluted basis. Has the selling gone too far? atai Life Sciences discussed.

@16:25 Anthony is not surprised that the psychedelics market has trended so low. Retail participation is a prime culprit.

@18:09 Benjamin A. Smith theorizes the cause of the steep drawdown in COMPASS Pathways post Phase 2 results released in early November.

@19:34 The future belongs to companies that can produce drugs that are vastly different in qualities from the legacy psychedelics.

@21:01 The selling has been so acute, that sector leader Mindmed has come down to true penny stock status. Benjamin A. Smith is interested in starting positions in the sector.

@22:16 Ray Kurzweil, Neurolink and metaverse discussion.

Crypto/NFTs

@28:10 Bitcoin and Ethereum are crashing. Russias attempt to ban crypto mining in the country was a prime culprit of recent weakness. Whats next for the bellweather cryptocurrencies?

@30:55 Microsoft acquired Activision for $70 billion to build out their metaverse portfolio. Anthony opines on the significance of it all.

@32:50 Anthony breaks down what the metaverse is really about.

@34:10 The NFT market remains very strong despite the selloff in cryptocurrencies. Bored Apes are at an all-time high with big name entertainment stars buying in.

@37:00 Rumor has it that the Super Bowl halftime show could be the first to incorporate virtual reality elements in it.

To view our previous Trade To Black Podcast 19,click here.

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Trade To Black Podcast 20: Is the Selling In MSOS And Psychedelics Getting Overdone? A Frank Discussion - The Dales Report