Misc. news stories

LSD appears to induce both improvements and impairments to cognitive functioning that can be observed on the day after consumption, according to a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study published in European Neuropsychopharmacology.

Nearly third of patients on largest trial using psychedelic compound went into rapid remission.

Which factors determine what we believe about our world, ourselves, our past, and our future? Cognitive neuroscience suggests that our beliefs are dependent on brain activity, specifically on the way our brains process sensory information in order to make sense of our environment.

Germany wants to make it legal for adults to purchase and own up to 30g of cannabis for recreational use and to privately grow up to three plants, the country’s health minister has announced, saying the intended outcome could set a precedent for the rest of the European continent.

The psychedelic renaissance is responsible for easing regulations on psychedelic plants in some parts of the world, but in the Czech Republic, the ceremonial use of ayahuasca is still being prosecuted as a high crime. Last week, a Polish couple was sentenced to 8 years in prison for running private ayahuasca ceremonies at their home in the Czech Republic.

People caught with small amounts of illicit drugs, like cocaine, ice, heroin and speed, will be spared criminal charges in the Australian Capital Territory from 2023, after the territory government became the first in Australia to agree to decriminalising personal possession.

Magic mushrooms are no magic cure for society’s ills, and a substance as powerful as psychedelics can be dangerous if it falls into the wrong hands.

Not only did it create a booming avenue of tourism for Denver, but it caused a domino effect, leading to 19 states and DC legalizing recreational marijuana.

MDMA-assisted therapy reduces eating disorder symptoms in adults with severe posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to a new study published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research.

The fly agaric (Amanita muscaria) is everywhere. Just this morning, I walked past a bug collection kit in Target fashioned in the image of the unforgettable red and white-speckled mushroom…Despite this ubiquity in representation, A. muscaria is very poorly understood.

The “bad trip” is one of the most common caveats against psychedelics. Sometimes it’s mentioned as a well-intentioned warning for first-timers and a reminder for seasoned users, while others use it as a fear-mongering tool meant to discourage any and all psychedelic experiences.

Compounds in these medicinal fungi may be natural “smart drugs.”

A recent new study compares the transformational effects of NDEs and psychedelics, conducted by researchers at John Hopkins University School of Medicine in the US.

In a peer-reviewed essay published in the journal Anthropology of Consciousness, Devenot and her co-authors look forward to a culture that makes these medicines available in a safe and affordable way that respects the traditions behind them.

Recent studies have provided initial evidence that psilocybin-assisted therapy might be effective in the treatment of addiction, leading the scientists behind the new research to wonder whether it could also help those who are struggling to control food cravings.

LSD-assisted therapy could provide benefits to patients struggling with anxiety disorders, according to new research published in Biological Psychiatry. The findings suggest that the psychedelic drug can produce notable reductions in anxiety and comorbid depression symptoms.