Category Archives: Psychedelics

The University of California, Berkeleys Center for the Science of Psychedelics (BCSP) is benefitting from five philanthropic gifts announced today that provide a total of $7million to initiate a robust national conversation about psychedelics and society, to commence novel research studies on how psychedelic compounds alter our brain and behavior, and to launch a unique training curriculum for facilitators of the psychedelic experience.

Recent years have seen a renaissance in scientific, medical, and public interest in the use of psychedelic drugs such as psilocybin, MDMA (Ecstasy), and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD). Many clinical trials have demonstrated that pairing psychedelic compounds with psychotherapy can effectively treat several mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, addiction, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Psychedelic-assisted therapy has shown great promise for improving mental health, but there is still much to learn about the mechanisms of actions of psychedelics on the mind and brain, said Michael Silver, a UC Berkeley neuroscientist and the BCSPs inaugural director.These philanthropic gifts will enable the BCSP to conduct multiple studies of the effects of psychedelics and to serve as a reliable source of information about all aspects of psychedelics. Together, they will allow the BCSP to become a global leader in public education and scientific knowledge about psychedelics.

Launched last fall, the BCSP will accomplish basic scientific research on the underlying mechanisms for psychedelics cognitive and neural activity in healthy human volunteers and experimental animal models. Unlike psychedelics centers at other universities, Berkeleys approach is distinctively broad and interdisciplinary, incorporating the diverse expertise of neuroscientists, psychologists, educators, and journalists.

This surge in philanthropic support permits the BCSP to pursue its first phase of programming. The largest gift, from an anonymous donor, provides $1million annually for five years to advance the centers mission of research, training, and public education about psychedelics and their roles in society.

Funds from this anonymous gift will be combined with a $250,000contribution from a second anonymous donor to initiate and evaluate training of cohorts of facilitators, who will guide novices through safe and supportive psychedelic experiences. In a first-of-its-kind, university-based experiential learning program, Berkeley will partner with the Graduate Theological Union to train chaplains, clinicians, and social workers in providing mental health and spiritual care with psychedelic therapy.

Participants in the training program will be eligible to volunteer in the BCSPs research studies in order to gain firsthand experience with psychedelic journeys and to assist more junior trainees. Initially, the BCSP intends to conduct studies with psilocybin, the principal psychoactive chemical inmagic mushrooms, contingent on federal, state, and university regulatory approvals. Researchers in the BCSP will characterize the neural basis for psilocybins therapeutic efficacy as well as its ability to improve cognitive flexibility, alter visual perception, and engender feelings of awe.

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Psychedelics research and public education elevated by multiple gifts - UC Berkeley

Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy is a Proven Wellness Approach for Candidates Seeking Impactful Relief from All Types of Chronic Pain

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 15, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- September is Pain Awareness Month. Affecting more than 50 million Americans, chronic pain - both unmanaged and unmanaged, physical and emotional - is the number one cause of adult disability in the US. As treatment options expand in the areas of mental and emotional trauma medical areas, theres been an increase in candidates seeking information on the use of psychedelics as medicine to treat pain. Psychable, the #1 most trusted and comprehensive online community, is dedicated to connecting those interested in legally exploring psychedelic-assisted therapy with practitioners in the space.

Psychedelic-assisted therapy is the use of psychedelics for healing purposes, often taking the form of a psychedelic being administered under the supervision of a therapist. Recent studies have shown psychedelic-assisted therapy can have long-lasting, fast-acting, and impactful results when it comes to treating those suffering with pain, including migraines, depression, PTSD, trauma, and addiction. When administered under the supervision of or with the aftercare of a therapist, evidence shows that substances such as MDMA, psilocybin, and ketamine are successful at reducing fear and defensiveness, enhancing introspection and breaking traumatic thought patterns to provide rapid and lasting relief.

Psychable is committed to connecting those interested in legally exploring psychedelic-assisted therapy with practitioners in the space. Candidates looking for treatment and practitioners will find support for every stage of the psychedelic journey through the Psychable community at http://www.Psychable.com.

Pain management - or the lack thereof - is one of the most complex issues in medicine. Pain can manifest in a variety of physical and emotional ways and can contribute to long standing mental and emotional health issues such as depression, anxiety, and addiction. As treatment options expand in this space, were filled with hope by the existing and continued research that shows the transformative power of using psychedelics as medicine, said Jemie Sae Koo, Co-Founder and CEO of Psychable. Psychable is the supportive and comprehensive online community that connects those seeking legal, psychedelic-assisted therapy options with practitioners in our area. Its our hope that candidates interested in this alternative wellness approach have safe access to the resources they need at every part of their journey with the Psychable community.

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Psychable was founded by serial entrepreneurs Jemie Sae Koo and Matt Zemon, a pair united in a belief that psychedelics can provide meaningful and transformative treatments for not only those struggling with a myriad of ailments, but also those looking to transform their lives for the better. With both having transformative experiences with psychedelic medicine that led them to pursuing a Master of Science Degree in Psychology with a focus on Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy, theyve curated a team of experts with deep experience to lead the Psychable community to support all phases of the journey from information to integration.

Psychable is the holistic solution to connect psychedelic-assisted therapy practitioners with candidates seeking services. The platform streamlines the research period for candidates by offering filters for search including geolocation, treatment type, training or credentials, and other preferences to match with practitioners of their choosing. A true one-stop community for discovering and booking psychedelic-assisted treatments, Psychables network allows practitioners and patients to communicate directly with one another to discuss the best possible treatment plans and allows users to share recommendations and reviews of practitioners. Psychable also hosts an extensive library of proprietary, medically reviewed articles on all aspects of psychedelics as part of its mission to continue to inform and educate the world about the power of psychedelics as part of holistic health.

Psychable is open to all those who seek information on psychedelic-assisted therapy and practitioners who can help. For more information, to create your profile or secure your listing, please visit http://www.Psychable.com. Follow along via social media on Linkedin, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

About PsychablePsychable is the #1 most trusted and comprehensive online community connecting those who would like to legally explore the healing power of psychedelics with medically and peer-reviewed practitioners. The community offers support for those seeking information, current patients and practitioners wherever they are in their journey with psychedelic-assisted therapy. Our mission is to transform the lives of millions of people suffering with conditions such as depression, PTSD and addiction by connecting them to psychedelic-based treatments, including integration, psychedelic-assisted therapy and retreats. Psychable was launched in 2021 by Jemie Sae Koo and Matt Zemon, successful entrepreneurs whose transformative experiences with psychedelic medicine led them to each pursue a Master of Science Degree in Psychology with a focus on Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy. The platform is supported by a passionate team of experts in psychology, business, medicine, and law. For more information on our mission and community, visit https://psychable.com/, or follow us on Linkedin, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

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Psychable, Inc.Media@Psychable.com

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Pain Awareness Month: Psychable Educates Patients on Transformative Power of Using Psychedelics as Medicine for Pain Treatment, Management and Healing...

Toad venom is hitting the mainstream as a promising treatment for anxiety and depression. The venom found in Colorado river toads, also known as Sonoran Desert toads, is currently being studied by a research team to see if the chemical compound 5-MeO-DMT can treat depression.

Beckley Psytech, a private clinical-stage biotech company dedicated to finding new psychedelic treatments for neurological and psychiatric disorders based out of Oxford, just raised over $80 million from investors to support the clinical research and development of the psychedelic compound.

"My life's passion has been to unlock the therapeutic potential of psychedelics as I believe these compounds could help millions of people around the world," Beckley Psytech Chief Executive Cosmo Fielding Mellen said in a press release.

"As we embark on our next phase of growth, our strong syndicate of expert investors will support us in bringing much-needed innovative treatments to patients suffering from neurological and psychiatric conditions," Fielding Mellen continued.

In recent years, researchers have been studying various psychedelic compounds to see if they could be successfully used to treat depression, addiction and anxiety. The current research into psychedelics for depression treatment currently focuses on ketamine, ecstasy, and psilocybin, the psychoactive compound found in some mushrooms.

The research is promising, but scientists are interested in studying other psychoactive compounds that result in a much shorter high. For psilocybin, the high can last up to eight hours whereas the compound found in toad venom only lasts up to an hour. This would reduce the cost of treatment since guided psilocybin trips require a therapist to stay with the patient until the high ends, which could take up to eight hours.

"Requiring a therapist to sit with a patient for the entire duration of a psilocybin, MDMA or LSD experience which is, say, six to eight to 10 hours long, is going to be resource intensive and expensive," Fielding Mellen told Sifted.

"What we're trying to show is that we can induce similar levels of treatment response with 5-MeO-DMT that you're seeing with psilocybin, but the treatment takes an hour rather than a day. If you can do that then there's a huge patient access advantage," Fielding Mellen said.

Fielding Mellen also said that 5-MeO-DMT is attractive as a new treatment option because it produces far fewer visual and auditory hallucinations than LSD or psilocybin treatments. He said the strong hallucinations tend to distract from the therapy sessions and take away from the overall treatment.

Fielding Mellen and his startup are hoping to use their grant to design a synthetic 5-MeO-DMT compound that could save on cost and reduce harm. It is important to note that these psychedelic treatments should always be assisted with a trained guide or therapist and that toad poison is actually considered a Schedule 1 controlled substance in the United States.

When the toad venom is ingested, the psychedelic effects only take about 30 seconds to kick in and then leaves the person physically incapacitated for about 30 to 90 minutes, according to Johns Hopkins psychedelics researcher Alan Davis.

This is why it is so important to be with a trained professional during the administration of the powerful compound. For some, the perception of time, vision, and self goes out the window during the psychedelic experience. The experience tends to only last an hour and many patients express a mood-altering perspective and little to no overwhelming anxiety.

"Because 5-MeO-DMT is short-acting and lasts approximately 30-90 minutes, it could be much easier to use as an adjunct to therapy because current therapies usually involve a 6090-minute session," Davis wrote on the official Johns Hopkins Psychedelic Research Center Twitter account.

In recent years, people have been turning to the venom in these toads as a psychedelic trip. Some recreationally, some to reap the potential therapeutic benefits with a guide. Even celebrities have started to openly discuss their use of toad venom, including professional boxer Mike Tyson and HGTV's Christina Haack. Tyson told podcaster Joe Rogan in 2018 of his experience, "it's almost like dying and being reborn," and that it helped him return to his boxing career.

Earlier this summer, Haack created a post on Instagram recounting her guided experience smoking Bufo toad venom with a spiritual coach. She said the experience "reset her brain" and got rid of all her anxiety in less than 15 minutes.

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$80 Million Granted to Research Psychedelic Properties of Ingesting Toad Venom - Newsweek

Photo: Brent Lewin/Getty Images

The recreational use of psychedelics is on the rise in the US in the wake of COVID-19 and amid increasing acceptance of the drug as a medicine.

In the last three years the use of hallucinogens such as LSD and magic mushrooms among young people in the US has jumped, according to the latest data from the annual Monitoring the Future survey, carried out by the University of Michigan.

Last year, when the US went through COVID-related lockdowns, 8.6 percent of US college students and 7.6 percent of young adults said they had used psychedelics in the last 12 months, compared to 4.1 percent and 4.3 percent in 2017.

The use of hallucinogens, predominantly LSD, is at the highest level since 1982 and more than five times the lowest rates in the mid 2000s.

Theres been a huge rise in LSD among younger populations. I think it's getting more popular due to the macrodosing [taking trip-sized doses] phenomenon and the recent rise in knowledge about the benefits of these medicines, such as cognitive enhancement and personality development, said Andrew Yockey, Assistant Professor of Biostatistics and Epidemiology at the University of North Texas.

The pandemic has definitely taken a toll on everyone's mental health, and traditional modes of therapy are ineffective for some. You see studies showing that psilocybin, for example, is a great alternative to reducing anxiety, compared to pharmacological drugs. People report using psychedelics at home, but more and more are using these in social circles to enhance connectedness.

Results from a survey that questions the general public on drug use, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, has tracked a similar trend, with 1.2 million 18 to 25-year-olds admitted taking LSD in 2019 compared with 317,000 in 2004 almost a fourfold increase.

This uptick comes during an era where LSD, psilocybin (magic mushrooms), ketamine and MDMA are being trialed and prescribed to treat a range of medical issues such as depression and PTSD, while the legal barriers to these drugs being used in therapy are falling away.

This upward trend is likely partly due to the changing perception about the dangers and possible medicinal benefits of hallucinogen use, said John Schulenberg, lead author on the Monitoring the Future research. He said there has been a huge decrease over the last 40 years in the percentage of 19-22 year olds who perceive experimental use of LSD as carrying great risk of harm, from 50 percent in 1989 to 28 percent last year.

This rise in the use of psychedelics is an international trend. In the UK, use of hallucinogens is at the highest rate since the mid 2000s. A special psychedelics report by the Global Drug Survey (GDS), the biggest drug use survey in the world, has found the number of people using LSD, magic mushrooms, DMT and ketamine doubled between 2015 and 2020.

Apart from using psychedelics for fun, to escape the modern world, and to cope with pandemic lockdowns, the GDS also found many people used them as an aid to wellbeing, to deal with anxiety and to get relief from a psychiatric condition. A quarter of respondents who used LSD and magic mushrooms said they had microdosed the drugs. Whats more the survey found LSD was rated as the best value for money drug in the world.

Psychedelics are really versatile drugs. I can imagine for some people bigger doses may have allowed them to work through anxieties the last 18 months have raised for all of us, said Adam Winstock, a consultant psychiatrist and addiction medicine specialist at University College London, who runs the GDS.

Maybe microdosing was the baking of the drug world for lockdown, because some people saw this as an opportunity to trial microdosing and may have had the chance to see the impact on work, performance and creativity with more time away from the office. Given most people who used more drugs said it was boredom that led to escalating use, I guess fun and passing the time will be up there as well.

Winstock said he thinks psychedelics have got more popular globally because of their growing acceptance for use in therapy, their ready availability over the internet and as an escape from modern life.

There has been lots of good PR about psychedelics showing the fine line between drugs and medicines, said Winstock. LSD is ideally suited to the dark net and postal delivery. I think we are in a decade where we all want to feel more connected to ourselves and the world and we need new ways of comprehending the madness that we see around us. I think psychedelics can offer that in a way that stimulants cant. And also they are pretty safe.

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Psychedelic Use on the Rise As Gen Z Seeks To Enhance Connectedness - VICE UK

Don't expect to find many more unicorns in the cannabis industry.

That's according to Larry Schnurmacher, a managing partner at the cannabis venture fund Phyto Partners. He said that's the reason he's planning to start investing in psychedelics instead.

Schnurmacher is seeking to raise between $2.5 million and $25 million for Phyto's fourth fund, which is set to focus on backing biotech firms, clinics, and tech companies in the burgeoning psychedelics space. The fund is expected to open on October 1 for investors willing to put in a minimum of $250,000.

Schnurmacher decided to invest in psychedelics after he started getting a slew of pitches in early 2020.

"I didn't really understand why a cannabis investment fund was getting decks from companies that were doing this," he said.

Schnurmacher said he later learned that psychedelics companies were finding open minds among early cannabis investors, in large part because the cannabis industry half a decade ago and the psychedelics industry today offer many of the same risks and opportunities.

They're both new, somewhat risky, focused on federally illicit substances, and based on long-stigmatized compounds.

But there are big differences. While cannabis is a consumer industry focused on getting products into retail stores and into the hands of customers, psychedelics companies generally operate within the larger biotech space and develop drugs in an effort to win approval from the US Food and Drug Administration. That can take years and hundreds of millions of dollars in investments before investors get any returns.

That isn't stopping cannabis players from jumping in. The same handful of Canadian investment firms that focused on cannabis are backing psychedelics as well. In recent months, former and current CEOs of cannabis companies and even lawyers focused on cannabis deals have shifted their attention to psychedelics.

Phyto is focusing on managers with extensive backgrounds in biotech and an intimate familiarity with psychedelics, said Jonathan Rubin, a portfolio analyst.

"We're looking for deep biotech expertise when it comes to ones that are trying to put drugs through trials, so the management team is much more important," he said.

Rubin added that Phyto also likes to see company founders who have a vested interest in the space and have been part of the psychedelics community for a long time.

Phyto has already made an investment in Wesana Health, a newly public psychedelics company that trades on the Canadian Securities Exchange.

Schnurmacher said that Phyto's fourth fund would focus on both drug-development companies and companies helping to support the industry via tech, marketing, clinics, and other functions.

Phyto entered cannabis in 2015, and Schnurmacher said that since then the fund has managed to find and invest in three to four "unicorns" of the more than 30 companies they've taken on, bringing in big returns for investors. These are the funds' gross returns:

The cannabis industry is mature now, and finding upstarts with the potential to displace bigger, more established companies and become unicorns is while not impossible much harder than it was seven years ago.

Schnurmacher said that he'd rather fortify and support the cannabis companies in his portfolio that are already doing well than try to find new players. He's doing that through a separate Phyto 3.5 fund focused on making follow-on investments.

Schnurmacher said it's now time to find winning investments in a new space.

"I want to go in early when it's most scary, most risky, and where I see the biggest opportunity," he said.

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Phyto Partners Cannabis VC on Why He's Investing in Psychedelics - Business Insider

A coalition of drug reform advocates in Washington State have announced theyll seek to qualify a decriminalization measure for the states 2022 ballot, an attempt to build on modest reforms adopted by the states legislature during its most recent session.

While a draft of the prospective measure has yet been released, the group behind the proposal said in an email to supporters on Tuesday that its currently refining its language, which will be filed as a new initiative in January for the November 2022 ballot.

At a minimum, the group said, the initiative would make the following changes:

Signature gathering to qualify the prospective ballot measure would begin in February if all goes according to plan.

The group behind the measure, Commit to Change WA, was formerly known as Treatment First WA and in 2020 attempted to qualify a decriminalization measure for that years state ballot. That initiative would have made unlawful possession of any drug a civil infraction, referred people found with drugs to a services assessment, and funded a massive expansion of outreach and recovery programs.

When the pandemicinterrupted the signature gathering effortfor that measure, organizers shifted their focus to the legislature. After months of delay, House Bill 1499, largely based on the earlier initiative, was introduced this past February but eventually died after clearing one House committee.

The group said its name change reflects the fact that it is past time to change course on the drug warand communicates the need for drug policy solutions to take a whole-person approach.

Prioritizing treatment over incarceration is one important piece of a new approach, but repairing decades of damage caused by the War on Drugs requires a fundamental shift in paradigm, the group said, and a long-term commitment to tailoring prevention and recovery strategies to the specific needs of individuals and communitieswhether those needs are for treatment, housing, job training, mental health care, or other chronically under-resourced services.

State lawmakers earlier this year downgraded Washingtons criminal penalty for drug possession from a felony to a misdemeanor, but only under duress. Months earlier, the state Supreme Court had invalidated the states decades-old felony law, leaving no valid law on the books against simple possession. While more progressive Democrats urged against reinstating criminal penalties, the legislature ultimately adopted the misdemeanor charge along with plans to create a statewide suite of treatment and recovery services. The law, widely seen by advocates as a half-step toward meaningful reform,took effect in May with Gov. Jay Inslees (D) signature.

Commit to Change wants to undo the states re-criminalization of simple possession and dedicate sustained funding for a new system. While the legislatures compromise required the development of a statewide recovery plan, the group said, it didnt dedicate any funding for the services to be provided, leaving it to the legislature to decide whether and what to appropriate each budget cycle.

Regardless of what happens with Commit to Changes latest proposal, Washingtons new misdemeanor possession is already set to expire. As passed by the legislature earlier this year, the laws criminal penalty provision will dissolve on July 1, 2023, again leaving the state without a law against drug possession. That feature was included as an incentive for lawmakers to revisit the issue in coming years. The possibility of a decriminalization ballot measure in 2022 could create further pressure to act.

Meanwhile, out-of-state advocates are also eying Washington as among the next frontiers for drug reform at the ballot box. David Bronner, the CEO of soap company Dr. Bronners and a major funder of drug reform efforts, said at an event last week that he expects statewide measures in 2024 to decriminalize all drugs in at least three states: Washington, Californiaand Colorado.

No one should be further traumatized with arrest and incarceration who is struggling with addiction, he told Marijuana Moment in an email Wednesday, adding that there are specific provisions hes hoping to see adopted into the initiatives in Washington and elsewhere.

Im advocating to allies there that the all-drug decrim policy for possession should have substantially higher (ideally no) defined limits for personal possession for plant medicines than Measure 110 in Oregon, he wrote, referring to the drug decriminalization ballot measure that voters in that state approved last November.

Bronner is also pushing for proposed laws to allow for aggregating personal possession limits to cover facilitated and supported use.

Group healing with plant medicines is great for people struggling with addiction, by helping people process and heal the underlying trauma and emotional pain at issue, he said.

A task force based in Seattle, meanwhile, recently issued recommendations advising that local and municipal leaders decriminalize psychedelicsand eventually consider legalizing all drugsas one of a handful of policy changes designed to reduce opioid overdose deaths. Activists at the local group Decrim Nature Seattle have also submitted a draft psychedelics-decriminalization ordinance at the request of City Councilmember Andrew Lewis. Bronner said hes hopeful that DN Seattles resolution will be voted on and passed before the end of this year.

Nationwide, states and cities across the country have reconsidered their drug laws in the wake of the 2020 election, when voters in Oregon approved two separate statewide initiatives, onedecriminalizing possession of all drugsand another to legalize psilocybin, the main component of psychedelic mushrooms, for therapeutic use. Washington, DC also passed a measure decriminalizing plant- and fungi-based psychedelics.

In May, lawmakers in Congress filed the first-ever legislation to federally decriminalize possessionof illicit substances.

In California, the Senate approved a bill this year to legalize possession of psychedelics. If also cleared two Assembly committees, but its sponsor moved to pull it from further consideration until next year in order to have more time build support within the legislature to ensure passage.

Separately, psychedelics activists in the Golden State recently filed a petition for the 2022 ballot to make the state the first in the nation to legalize psilocybin mushrooms for any use. A fiscal analysis of the proposal found that it would save the state millions in enforcement costs and also generate state and local tax revenue. OaklandandSanta Cruzhave already enacted psychedelics decriminalization.

Michigan senators introduced a bill last week to legalize the possession, cultivation and deliveryof an array of plant- and fungus-derived psychedelics like psilocybin and mescaline. Locally, the Ann Arbor City Councilapproved entheogenic decriminalization last year, and efforts are also underway in Grand Rapids to enact a policy change for psychedelics. Voters in Detroit will decide on a psychedelics decriminalization ballot measure this November.

Meanwhile, Denver activists who successfully led a 2019 campaign to make the citythe first in the U.S. to decriminalize psilocybin possessionhave their eyes set on broader reform, with plans in the works to end the criminalization of noncommercial gifting and communal use of the psychedelic.

In a setback for advocates of broader research into controlled substances, however, the U.S. House of Representatives recently voted against a proposal from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) thatwould have removed a spending bill riderthat advocates say has restricted federal funds for research into Schedule I drugs, including psychedelics such as psilocybin, MDMA and ibogaine. However, the proposal picked up considerably more votes this round thanwhen the congresswoman first introduced itin 2019.

Read a description of the proposed Washington drug decriminalization ballot measure below:

Washington Drug Decriminalization Campaign by Marijuana Moment on Scribd

World Anti-Doping Agency Reviews Marijuana Ban For Athletes Following Pushback On Richardson Suspension

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Detroit Voters Will Decide On Psychedelics Decriminalization Ballot Measure In November - Marijuana Moment

Seattle City Councilmember Andrew Lewis. (Facebook)

Seattle Councilmember Andrew Lewis hosted a panel of experts last week to provide insight into a bid to decriminalize psychedelic substances citywide.

City council working on steps to decriminalize psychedelics

Lewis is looking to develop legislation that would decriminalize possession of substances like mushrooms, LSD, and ayahuasca in Seattle, following the lead of cities like Denver and Oakland, as well as the entire state of Oregon. Last Wednesday, he brought in a panel of seven experts including doctors specializing in substance use disorders to expand on the potential benefits such a proposal could have.

As University of Washington psychiatrist Dr. Nathan Sackett clarified, the main goal surrounding decriminalization is to make it so that psychedelic substances can be used in controlled, medical settings, rather than recreationally.

When we talk about psychedelics, Im talking about psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, he described. This is not anyone going to some party on a Friday night and taking a bunch of substances of unknown origin.

This is a very intentional and organized practice where someone takes psychedelics with a therapist, they have the session with the therapist, and then have what are called integration sessions, he continued. Its in this structured environment where we have seen profound results, particularly for substance use disorders.

Dr. Sackett points to studies dating back to the 1950s researching the use of psychedelics to treat alcoholism, many of which demonstrated that they could be a catalyst for profound behavioral change.

A more recent study in 2016 administered sessions with 10 patients dealing with alcoholism where they ingested psilocybin (more commonly known as magic mushrooms). After 10 weeks, they experienced a 50% reduction in alcohol use.

A separate 2014 study out of Johns Hopkins University administered psilocybin treatments to 15 smokers after six months, 12 of the 15 had ceased smoking altogether.

These numbers are staggering, Sackett noted. Psychedelics are profoundly safe when theyre given in a controlled environment with skilled professionals, that clearly act on both a physiologic level and a psychological level, and theres growing evidence to suggest that they can have a profound impact to motivate change for substance use disorders.

Councilmember touts win-win approach to addressing homeless camps

Also on Lewis panel was Todd Youngs, a former opiate user, who was addicted to heroin and other substances for the better part of two decades. Youngs detailed dozens of arrests for offenses ranging from possession to destruction of property over the course of his addiction across both Washington and Missouri.

Now, hes 12 years sober, and credits the guided use of ayahuasca a plant-based psychedelic for helping him kick his addiction.

The letter of the law does not permit the type of approach that I took, whether it was effective or not, but I do feel quite confident that the spirit of the law is pleased that I am no longer a problem for the courts, my family, or my community, and that I am once again a joyful and contributing member of the human family, he said.

Decriminalization can also be tricky from a legal perspective, but as law professor and Harvard senior fellow Dr. Mason Marks points out, there are significant public health benefits.

I come at this from the perspective of medicine and public health, Marks said. Oftentimes people will take multiple drugs over the course of many years and still receive no benefit or adequate relief. Due in part to their ineffectiveness, weve seen suicide rates rising steadily over the last 20 years, and weve seen drug overdoses skyrocket over the same time. People want something new and different, and psychedelics do appear to fill that unmet need.

Lewis has not yet set an exact timeline, but is hoping to have his proposal fully drafted and presented to city council sometime before the end of the year.

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Seattle bid to decriminalize psychedelics could have profound effect on treating addiction - MyNorthwest.com

BAJA CALIFORNIA

After Marcus Capone completed seven tours of duty, including in Afghanistan and Iraq, he seemed like a ticking time bomb, his wife Amber says.

Capone suffered traumatic brain injuries as a specialist in setting explosive charges for U.S. Navy SEAL Team 6. After retiring in 2013, he suffered from depression, anger, debilitating headaches and violent dreams. Brain doctors and psychologists treated him with pills, which he mixed with alcohol. Neither worked.

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Amber was at a breaking point. I was just preparing myself for what my life would be like as a widow of suicide because I felt like it was inevitable, she said.

Then they discovered psychedelics.

The couple went to one of the treatment centers in Baja California that offer an underground therapy using ibogaine, a highly potent alkaloid traditionally extracted from the root of a plant native to Gabon in Africa. After the therapy, Marcus said he was able to let go of everything that had happened to him, including pain from his early childhood.

Ibogaine is a psychedelic substance extracted from the Iboga bush, which is found in West and Central Africa. The powder substance is usually packed into a pill that people swallow.

(Alejandro Tamayo/The San Diego Union-Tribune)

In its whole-plant form, the Tabernanthe iboga shrub has been used for centuries in religious ceremonies by the Bwiti people, who say the plant heals them and allows them to talk to God. Users describe their experience with the ibogaine extract as being in an intense waking dream. The plant and its effects have taken root among retired special operations combat veterans who may be suffering from blast related injuries or post-traumatic stress disorder.

But the drug is illegal in the U.S., and it poses cardiovascular health risks. Ibogaine may block channels in the hearts system, slowing down the heart rate, which can cause fatal arrhythmias.

A 2006 medical journal article noted that at least eight people have died from taking ibogaine. Experts say the true number is likely much higher because its use is unregulated.

Of all the psychedelics, its probably the one that carries the largest risk because of its arrhythmogenic (ability to cause arrhythmias) potential, said Dr. Ken Adolph, a cardiac anesthesiologist in Austin, Texas.

In 1970, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration grouped ibogaine together with LSD and psilocybin making them all schedule I substances illegal drugs which have no medical application and are not safe for use even under medical supervision.

In Mexico, ibogaine use falls into a gray zone not exactly legal, and not exactly regulated, either.

State health authorities say people can obtain licenses to use it, but it remains unclear whether they can administer it to others or what qualifications they would need to give it to someone else. There are no clinics licensed to provide medical treatments with ibogaine, according to Marco Gmez, the director of the Comisin Estatal de Proteccin contra Riesgos Sanitarios, or COEPRIS , a state health agency.

Very little data exists about ibogaines effectiveness as a treatment of trauma-related psychological issues and cognitive impairment. Because the drug is illegal in the U.S., it cant be administered to study its effects.

Tijuana, Baja California - August 27: Room for yoga and meditation in Nouvelle Vie at Colonia El Mirador on Friday, Aug. 27, 2021 in Tijuana, Baja California. (Alejandro Tamayo / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

(Alejandro Tamayo/The San Diego Union-Tribune)

One peer-reviewed study, in the Journal of Chronic Stress, found that the psychedelic-assisted therapy holds unique promise. In looking at 51 military veterans who had gone to Mexico for a psychedelic clinical program between 2017 and 2019, the study found large reductions in their suicidal ideation, cognitive impairment, symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety.

Ibogaine is currently undergoing clinical trials abroad for its viability as a treatment for addiction, which can often occur simultaneously with traumatic brain injuries and PTSD.

A 2018 study from New Zealand interviewed 11 people a year after undergoing a single ibogaine treatment and found eight of them had cut back or stopped using opioids. One of them died.

Another 2017 peer-reviewed study published in the Journal of Psychedelic Studies surveyed 88 patients, who were mostly daily opioid users, who received ibogaine treatment in Mexico between 2012 and 2015. Fifty percent reported that ibogaine reduced opioid craving and 30 percent of participants reporting never using opioids again.

Critics point out that of that 30 percent, only half were interviewed a year or more after their treatment, that the data was self-reported, and that the clinic was calling its own former patients.

Dr. Dan Engle, the founder and medical director of Austins new Kuya Institute for Transformational Medicine, and author of The Concussion Repair Manual: A Practical Guide to Recovering from Traumatic Brain Injuries, said more research is needed on ibogaine.

The success rate of traditional U.S. drug rehabs hovers around 10 to 20 percent, he pointed out. He said when the proper support systems are set-up after a ibogaine treatment, the success rate for addiction recovery he has witnessed is between 60 to 70 percent.

The standard of care hasnt changed in the last five years, Engle wrote in an email. Those numbers 10 to 20 percent are more accurate for the standard of care when aftercare and recovery coaching are not successfully engaged after traditional rehabs.

Alternative medicine and psychedelics have a long history in Mexico. If youve got an ailment, theres probably a Mexican tea or herb for it.

Mushrooms were considered sacred in the mountainous region of the Sierra Mazatec in the northern part of the state of Oaxaca. A Mazatec curandera (medicine woman), Mara Sabina, introduced magic mushrooms to a vice president for J.P. Morgan in 1955, prompting U.S. tourists by the thousands to make long, strange trips to Oaxaca.

In recent years, medical tourism in Tijuana has exploded with brand new, state-of-the-art medical skyscrapers and billboards promoting weight loss, cancer centers and chiropractic services.

Many of the estimated 1 million Americans who cross each year into Mexico for medical treatment are looking for lower-cost options. But some are seeking treatments they wouldnt be able to get in the United States.

Homeopathic shops offering herbs and botanicals are everywhere in Tijuana. Gmez, the head of the state health agency, cautioned tourists to investigate any homeopathic procedure they may undergo to make sure it is authorized by Baja California.

Jos Inzunza, the director of Nouvelle Vie Holistic & Wellness Center in Tijuana, says hes not interested in ibogaine treatment becoming part of that medical tourism boom, but rather in helping people who really need the treatment.

We dont want to create Mexico as a tourist destination for ibogaine where people think Go and have fun with ibogaine, because youre not going to have fun, Inzunza said.

He said proper screening procedures have helped prevent any deaths due to ibogaine in Baja California for 12 years, but he stressed the treatment cannot be given to everyone because those stringent screening guidelines must be followed.

In Baja California, ibogaine patients typically pay around $5,000 to stay in a large, rented villa or house that has been converted into a clinic. Depending on what the person is being treated for, those stays can range from four days to a few weeks.

Some clinics are more like spas with saunas, massage rooms and other amenities, whereas others incorporate a more traditional Bwiti ritual into the experience.

Tijuana, Baja California - August 27: Massage parlor in Nouvelle Vie on Friday, Aug. 27, 2021 in Tijuana, Baja California. (Alejandro Tamayo / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

(Alejandro Tamayo/The San Diego Union-Tribune)

Inzunza and others stressed the importance of clinics having proper medical equipment, including EKGs and other equipment to monitor the patients heart rate and vitals during their trip.

At first, Marcus Capone was reluctant. He had never taken drugs, especially psychedelics.

He was like Uh-uh. No way. Thats weird. Thats crazy. Im not doing drugs. Im not going to Mexico, Amber recalled.

But then, Amber convinced him, she says by approaching him with compassion and telling him she wouldnt stop fighting for his life.

I wanted my depression to go away. I wanted my anxiety to go away. I wanted my anger to go away ... I just wanted to be normal again, Marcus said from the couples San Diego home. (Prior to retirement, Marcus worked as a Basic Underwater Demolition/SEALs, or BUD/S, training instructor in Coronado. The family now divides time between Texas and San Diego.)

He said it worked.

Think of it as the individual is carrying around a backpack of 1,000-pounds of bricks. And its just heavy; its weighing on you. You have trouble walking and doing simple tasks because of that weight that is on your back and on your shoulders, Marcus said.

As you go through your ibogaine experience, you just take those rocks out one at a time, and by the end, you have an empty bag. You feel like all the weight has been lifted, he said.

The couple has since become big proponents of ibogaine treatment, starting a nonprofit called VETS that funds ibogaine research at Stanford and helped with the initial study in the Journal of Chronic Stress. They send other struggling combat veterans abroad for psychedelic therapies illegal in the United States and lobby for legal therapeutic use of psychedelics.

Bobby Laughlin, 32, who owns a private equity firm in Los Angeles, described his ibogaine experience as undergoing years of intense therapy in just a few hours.

At the time, Laughlin was a 23-year-old daily intravenous heroin user. Five rehabs in the U.S. were not completely useless, he said, but he was still addicted to heroin until he tried ibogaine.

I felt a very intense, real feeling of free falling ... It felt like a gigantic hand reached up through the earth and grabbed my entire body and just pulled me down ... and I could feel myself going through the mattress and through the concrete violently, said Laughlin about his experience.

During his hallucination, Laughlin said he saw demons and dragons yelling at him about the choices hed made. He was finally able to break his spirit free from this underground hell, as part of the soundtrack of the movie Mortal Kombat played in his head. When he came out, Laughlin said he felt a love, acceptance and a self-compassion for himself he had never felt before.

Laughlin says he has been sober since his treatment in 2013 and has remained involved in the recovery community.

Inzunza and Laughlin both said there isnt much concern about people becoming addicted to the ibogaine because the experience is brutal not something anyone would do for recreation.

Theres growing pushback against the U.S. ban on psychedelics. Last year, Oregon became the first state to legalize the therapeutic use of psilocybin, the psychedelic ingredient in magic mushrooms. Denver, Oakland and Washington, D.C., have decriminalized it.

Last month, the California state Legislature sidelined a similar bill that would have removed criminal penalties for the possession, use and cultivation of certain psychedelics.

In June, Texas and Connecticut enacted laws allowing research into how psilocybin might help people with post-traumatic stress disorder. Meanwhile, investment money is pouring into the hallucinogens market.

But ibogaine, considered one of the most powerful psychedelics on the planet, isnt likely to be at the front of the line for legalization.

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Lobe Sciences Ltd. today announced that Philip Young, CEO and Director, will participate in a round table discussion at the Advances in Mental Health Psychedelics and Non-Psychedelics Conference presented by Maxim Group and hosed by M-Vest taking place Sept. 22, 2021.The discussion will focus on the topics surrounding Deliver, Manufacturing, & Technology and What does it take to succeed in Psychedelics beyond drugs

Lobe Sciences Ltd. (CSE: LOBE) (OTC Pink: GTSIF) (Lobe or the Company) today announced that Philip Young, CEO and Director, will participate in a round table discussion at the Advances in Mental Health Psychedelics and Non-Psychedelics Conference presented by Maxim Group and hosed by M-Vest taking place Sept. 22, 2021.

The discussion will focus on the topics surrounding Deliver, Manufacturing, & Technology and What does it take to succeed in Psychedelics beyond drugs and clinics, beginning at 3:00 P.M. ET on Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021.

Registration for the event is accessible via https://m-vest.com/events/advances-in-mental-health.

* * *

About Lobe Sciences Ltd.

Lobe Sciences is a life sciences company focused on psychedelic medicines. The Company, through collaborations with industry-leading partners, is engaged in drug research and development using psychedelic compounds and the development of innovative devices and delivery mechanisms to improve mental health and wellness.

For further information please contact:

Lobe Sciences Ltd.Philip J Young, CEOinfo@lobesciences.comTel: (949) 505-5623

NEITHER THE CSE, NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER HAVE REVIEWED OR ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS RELEASE.

Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements relating to the future operations of the Company and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as will, may, should, anticipate, expects and similar expressions. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this release, including statements regarding the future plans and objectives of the Company, research and development using psychedelic compounds, and the development of innovative devices and delivery mechanisms to improve mental health and wellness, are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Readers are cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of the forward-looking statements may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including changes to the regulatory environment;, that the Companys drug research and development activities may be unsuccessful; that drugs and medical devices produced by, or on behalf of, the Company, may not work in the manner intended or at all, and may subject the Company to product liability or other liability claims; that the Company may not be able to attain the Companys corporate goals and objectives; and other risk factors detailed in the Companys continuous disclosure filings from time to time, as available under the Companys profile at http://www.sedar.com. As a result, the Company cannot guarantee that any forward-looking statement will materialize and the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made only as of the date of this news release and the Company does not intend to update any of the included forward-looking statements except as expressly required by applicable Canadian securities laws.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/96584

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Lobe Sciences to Participate at the Advances in Me... | INN - Investing News Network

First, it was marijuana and now its psychedelics. In an exciting move, Seattle is finally working towarddecriminalizing the possession of psychedelics like magic mushrooms, LSD, and more. Its a move thats been made in other cities across the nation like Denver, Oakland, and Cambridge. Sounds pretty great right? Heres what to know.

The process of decriminalizing psychedelics has actually been in the works for a while. On June 8th, 2021, 7 out of 9 Seattle City Council Members signeda letter to investigate the potential benefits of psychedelics for therapeutic uses. The states Overdose Emergency and Innovative Recovery (OEIR) responded with a recommendation to decriminalize psychedelic substances at the state level.

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The event is today at 3pm! I hope you can join us. RSVP here https://t.co/PjgywvStLU https://t.co/ohOQozQgaV

Councilmember Andrew J. Lewis (@CMAndrewJLewis) September 8, 2021

Yesterday, City Council member Andrew Lewis hosted an online information session with testimonials from doctors and psychedelic users on how the substances have been beneficial to them. Its a great way to learn about this issue if its something that youre unsure about and lack general knowledge in. But the general consensus of this session is that these substances in conjunction with therapy can be incredibly beneficial to those facing mental health issues.

Not to mention, psychedelics arent addictive, they dont trigger a dopamine response in the users brain. So that means both users of the therapy and Seattlites can rest easy knowing that this legalization wont create further issues down the road. Its an exciting time for Seattle and it looks like the ball will get rolling pretty quickly on legalization.

There is currently no set timeline for the drafting of an ordinance but it is possible that action could be made before the end of the year. So be sure to keep your eyes peeled because psychedelic therapy could be just around the corner in Washington.

With a curated slate of what matters in your city, Curiocity presents you with the most relevant local food, experiences, news, deals, and adventures. We help you get the most out of your city and focus on the easy-to-miss details so that youre always in the know.

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Seattle is now in the process of legalizing psychedelics, heres what to know - Curiocity