Psychedelic research center launched at New York’s Mount Sinai
Named the Center for Psychedelic Psychotherapy and Trauma Research the institution is first focusing on MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD.
Drugs & Entheogens
This archive covers progress in drug policy reform, psychedelic-assisted therapy, harm reduction, and the science behind entheogenic substances. From clinical trials to legal milestones, these stories track how researchers, policymakers, and communities are rethinking humanity’s relationship with mind-altering compounds.
U.N. reclassifies cannabis as a less dangerous drug
Cannabis is no longer classified as a Schedule IV drug as per WHO’s recommendation. The declassification opens up the door for more research into its medicinal and therapeutic uses.
MDMA-assisted couples therapy shows promising initial results in landmark pilot trial
The new study reports the addition of MDMA to the couples therapy protocol resulted in effects that were, “on par with, or greater than, those achieved with CBCT [cognitive-behavioral conjoint therapy] alone.”
First of-its-kind study suggests psilocybin can help treat migraines
A first-of-its-kind exploratory study, led by researchers from Yale School of Medicine, has found a single dose of the psychedelic psilocybin can reduce migraine frequency by 50 percent for a least two weeks.
Oregon becomes the first state in the U.S. to legalize access to magic mushrooms
Measure 109 apart it distinct from decriminalization efforts in that it offers a legal pathway to psilocybin therapy. It will establish a state-regulated program for using and obtaining them. In essence, accessing psilocybin as an adult in Oregon would be about as easy as signing up for counseling.
Arizona, New Jersey, South Dakota vote to legalize recreational marijuana
Voters have approved ballot measures to legalize recreational marijuana in Arizona and New Jersey, and both recreational and medical use in in South Dakota. Results have not yet been determined for Montana’s ballot questions on recreational marijuana and Mississippi’s medical marijuana measure.
Microdosing LSD improves mood and cognition, according to new study
In the placebo-controlled study, published in European Neuropsychopharmacology, scientists from University of Basel and Maastricht University gave volunteers either a small dose of LSD or a placebo, then measured their ability to pay attention and process information, as well as keeping an eye on their mood.
Ann Arbor, Michigan decriminalizes all psychedelic plants and fungi
The city will now allow banned substances including ayahuasca, peyote, mescaline, and psilocybin, better known as “magic mushrooms,” in the area.
UC Berkeley launches new center for psychedelic science and education
With $1.25 million in seed funding from an anonymous donor, the new UC Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics will conduct research using psychedelics to investigate cognition, perception and emotion and their biological bases in the human brain.
Microdosing LSD leads to “remarkable” acute pain relief, according to new study
The researchers saw “remarkable” results for the 20 microgram dose compared to the placebo, comparable to those seen from many common opioid painkillers, such as morphine and oxycodone.