Substances Archives | Psychedelics Today https://psychedelicstoday.com/post_tags/substances/ Education and Training for Clinicians and Beyond Tue, 18 Jun 2024 17:57:59 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.1.1 https://psychedelicstoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/PSY_001-Psychedelics-Logo_v1.2_Spore-Gradient-100x100.png Substances Archives | Psychedelics Today https://psychedelicstoday.com/post_tags/substances/ 32 32 An Inside Look at the FDA and Early Drug Development https://psychedelicstoday.com/2024/06/18/an-inside-look-at-the-fda-and-early-drug-development/ https://psychedelicstoday.com/2024/06/18/an-inside-look-at-the-fda-and-early-drug-development/#respond Tue, 18 Jun 2024 17:50:58 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=24148 In this episode, Joe interviews Dr. Amanda Holley: pharmacologist and regulatory consultant in nonclinical drug development, and previously a nonclinical pharmacology/toxicology reviewer at the FDA. With Lykos Therapeutics working towards FDA approval of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD, ICER (Institute for Clinical and Economic Review) recently published its draft evidence report, concluding that they couldn’t endorse […]

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]]> https://psychedelicstoday.com/2024/06/18/an-inside-look-at-the-fda-and-early-drug-development/feed/ 0 Avoid These Psychedelic Mistakes: How to Stop a Bad Trip Before It Starts https://psychedelicstoday.com/2024/05/02/avoid-these-psychedelic-mistakes-how-to-stop-a-bad-trip-before-it-starts/ Thu, 02 May 2024 16:00:00 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=23525 Have you been considering taking a psychedelic journey, but want to avoid a bad trip? Do yourself a favor: don’t make the most common psychedelic mistakes. Understanding the most common pitfalls before you engage with a psychedelic substance can have a colossal impact on the outcome of your experience. Whether you’ve just learned about psychedelics, […]

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]]> The Ketamine Conundrum https://psychedelicstoday.com/2024/04/25/the-ketamine-conundrum/ Thu, 25 Apr 2024 18:03:49 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=23431 What if there was a potentially life-saving drug that could relieve depression and PTSD but also, potentially, force frequent users to rush to the toilet every 15 minutes? Well, it does exist. It’s ketamine, the most rapid-acting antidepressant in use today. The drug has morphed in popular consciousness in just half a century from legal […]

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]]> The Microdosing Effect: Connecting the Dots Between Anecdote and Evidence https://psychedelicstoday.com/2024/04/19/the-microdosing-effect-connecting-the-dots-between-anecdote-and-evidence/ Fri, 19 Apr 2024 18:15:18 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=23361 In 2024, the discourse around the effects of microdosing psychedelics is deeply polarized. Positioned at opposite ends of the conversation are microdosing evangelists who swear by its benefits and skeptical scientists demanding more empirical evidence. Ask whether it ‘works,’ and you’ll receive an emphatic ‘yes’ from believers or an all-but-certain ‘no’ from doubters, highlighting a […]

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]]> Women and Psychedelics, Microdosing, and the Challenges of Psychedelic Parenthood https://psychedelicstoday.com/2024/04/05/women-and-psychedelics-microdosing-and-the-challenges-of-psychedelic-parenthood/ Fri, 05 Apr 2024 16:54:30 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=23078 In this episode, Alexa interviews April Pride: creative entrepreneur, veteran of the cannabis space, and now, founder of SetSet, an educational platform and podcast (picking up where The High Guide left off) for women curious about psychedelics. With Alexa about to embark on the journey of motherhood, she asks many of the questions parents working […]

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]]> Shulgin Farm and the Future of Psychedelic Drug Development https://psychedelicstoday.com/2024/04/02/pt500-paul-f-daley-ph-d/ Tue, 02 Apr 2024 17:07:50 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=23009 In this episode, Joe interviews Paul F. Daley, Ph.D., who worked with Sasha Shulgin in his lab for the last seven years of his life, helping him finish (and co-authoring) The Shulgin Index, Volume One: Psychedelic Phenethylamines and Related Compounds. He is now the co-founder, Chief Science Officer, and Director of Analytical Science at the […]

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]]> PT496 – Maintenance Doses and Recurring Revenue: The Ethics of At-Home Ketamine Therapy https://psychedelicstoday.com/2024/03/19/pt496-juan-pablo-cappello/ Tue, 19 Mar 2024 16:40:45 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=22871 In this episode, Joe interviews Juan Pablo Cappello: co-founder and former CEO of Nue Life Health, whose assets were subsequently acquired by Beckley Waves. Cappello digs into his recent article which has been making waves across the psychedelic community: “Profit Over Patients? A Critical Look at At-Home Ketamine Therapy.” He created Nue Life with the […]

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]]> PT494 – Soul Retrieval, Moments of Awakening, and Uncovering the Language of Spirit https://psychedelicstoday.com/2024/03/12/pt494-itzhak-beery/ Tue, 12 Mar 2024 17:15:48 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=22712 In this episode, David interviews Itzhak Beery: author, shamanic teacher, speaker, trip leader, and founder of ShamanPortal.org, an online community and resource for people who want to learn, practice, and teach shamanic traditions. Beery shares his transformational journey, starting from his upbringing on a kibbutz in Israel, to his disillusioned advertising days in Manhattan, to […]

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]]> PT493 – Sacred Sites, Ayahuasca, and Connecting With the Rhythms of the Earth https://psychedelicstoday.com/2024/03/08/pt493-laura-reeves/ Fri, 08 Mar 2024 17:19:42 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=22568 In this episode, Johanna interviews Laura Reeves: Glastonbury-based facilitator and medicine woman trained in craniosacral therapy, somatic experiencing, breathwork, and more, who holds retreats at sacred sites in the U.K. and Peruvian Amazon. She tells of her journey from serendipitously booking a trip to Ecuador just as she first heard about ayahuasca, to the early […]

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]]> PT491 – Drug Development, The State of Biotech, and Exploring Non-Hallucinogenic Compounds https://psychedelicstoday.com/2024/03/01/pt491-dr-sam-banister/ Fri, 01 Mar 2024 17:56:50 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=22487 In this episode, Christopher Koddermann interviews Dr. Sam Banister: co-founder and chief scientific officer of Psylo, an Australian biotech company developing next-generation psychedelics. Banister discusses how he got involved in drug development, how Psylo came about, and the hallucinogenic and non-hallucinogenic 5-HT2A agonists Psylo is working on. He talks about the compromise between immediate need […]

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]]> Psychedelic Integration: How to Weave Your Experiences Into Daily Life https://psychedelicstoday.com/2024/02/28/psychedelic-integration-for-daily-life/ Wed, 28 Feb 2024 20:27:30 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=22515 So, you’ve had a psychedelic experience. And somewhere within the sensory avalanche, the perplexing interior narrative, and avoiding looking at your own face in the bathroom mirror, you (gasp!) may have actually learned something. But what comes next? How can you ensure to take the insights you gathered and apply them to your life? Enter […]

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]]> Opinion: How Ayahuasca Could Change You https://psychedelicstoday.com/2024/02/15/opinion-how-ayahuasca-could-change-you/ Thu, 15 Feb 2024 20:28:07 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=22377 With ayahuasca being cast into the spotlight, curious minds from all over the world are heading to Central and South America to experience it for themselves.  And while tales of profound healing are common, there exists a shadowy underbelly within the realm of such experiences – from the onset of psychotic episodes to acts of […]

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]]> PT486 – 5-MeO-DMT, Somatic Release, and Creating Context for Spirituality https://psychedelicstoday.com/2024/02/13/pt486-steve-rio/ Tue, 13 Feb 2024 17:18:51 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=22357 In this episode, Joe interviews Steve Rio: psychedelic guide, performance and transformation coach, musician, and co-founder of Enfold, a retreat center in BC, Canada. While Enfold caters each experience to each client, they largely work with 5-MeO-DMT (which is unregulated in Canada); partly because of its power, and partly because Rio realized how much was […]

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]]> PT484 – Seeing Through the Smoke: The Importance of Telling the Truth About Cannabis https://psychedelicstoday.com/2024/02/06/pt484-dr-peter-grinspoon/ Tue, 06 Feb 2024 18:25:33 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=22302 In this episode, Joe interviews Dr. Peter Grinspoon: primary care physician and cannabis specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital, TedX speaker, certified physician life coach, and author of the new book, Seeing Through the Smoke: A Cannabis Expert Untangles the Truth about Marijuana. He tells his story of growing up in a house where academics like […]

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]]> PT481 – Kanna: The History, Science, and Potential of an Emerging Legal Alternative https://psychedelicstoday.com/2024/01/26/pt481-ryan-latreille/ Fri, 26 Jan 2024 17:44:11 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=22203 In this episode, Joe interviews Ryan Latreille: Founder of Hearthstone Collective, which sells functional mushrooms and low-dose kanna designed for microdosing; and Kanna Extract Co., which is focused on offering high-potency kanna extracts more for ceremonial and recreational use. He talks about how he found his way to kanna; his first psychedelic experience (kanna mixed […]

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]]> PT479 – Psilocybin in the Midwest and the Need for Potency Testing https://psychedelicstoday.com/2024/01/19/pt479-erik-vaughan/ Fri, 19 Jan 2024 17:04:20 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=22166 In this episode, Joe interviews Erik Vaughan: Co-Founder and Manager of Epiphany Mushroom, a mushroom and mental health company based in Akron, Ohio. Epiphany mushrooms will initially be selling Lion’s Mane, Reishi, and Cordyceps, and they plan to expand into more functional mushrooms while also pursuing a license to operate healing centers in Colorado. Vaughan […]

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]]> Gender Challenges in Psychedelic Retreats and Clinical Settings https://psychedelicstoday.com/2024/01/03/gender-challenges-in-psychedelic-retreats-and-clinical-settings/ Wed, 03 Jan 2024 14:39:31 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=21992 Do women respond differently to psychedelics than men? And, if so, how are their needs different when approaching these powerful substances? While crucial research is still limited to help us understand how and why the psychedelic experience might vary vastly among genders, the rise of female-only retreats, clinical settings, and thoughtfully designed psychedelic products and […]

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]]> PT473 – Microdosing for Healing: The Importance of Journaling and Group Process https://psychedelicstoday.com/2023/12/29/pt473-kayse-gehret/ Fri, 29 Dec 2023 19:46:12 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=21910 In this episode, Kyle interviews Kayse Gehret, the Founder of Microdosing for Healing, an international virtual community and coaching program supporting microdosing practice. She tells the story of embracing microdosing and her grand mal seizure disorder going away, and how the inability to touch people during the pandemic led to the creation of Microdosing for […]

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]]> PT472 – Psychedelics and Comedy: Finding the Humor in Personal Growth https://psychedelicstoday.com/2023/12/26/pt472-mike-finoia/ Tue, 26 Dec 2023 18:04:52 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=21876 In this episode, Joe interviews Mike Finoia: standup comedian, Producer for the hit show, “Impractical Jokers,” and co-host of the Comes a Time Podcast with Dead & Company bassist, Oteil Burbridge. His new Special, “Don’t Let Me Down,” is out now. He talks about his early days of recreational drug use at jam band shows; […]

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]]> PT465 – Beta-carbolines, Haoma, and Syrian Rue: Rediscovering Ancestral Knowledge https://psychedelicstoday.com/2023/12/01/pt465-shauheen-etminan-ph-d-jonathan-lu/ Fri, 01 Dec 2023 17:14:11 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=21589 In this episode, David interviews Shauheen Etminan, Ph.D. and Jonathan Lu: Co-Founders of Magi Ancestral Supplements. Through studying ancient Zoroastrian writings and 2,000 year-old Chinese texts in search of compounds and formulations forgotten by history, Etminan and Lu co-founded drug discovery company VCENNA in 2019 to use extraction technology to isolate these compounds. This led […]

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]]> PT460 – Psychedelics in Film, Drugs as Bases and Modifiers, and Ketamine With Friends https://psychedelicstoday.com/2023/11/14/pt460-reggie-watts/ Tue, 14 Nov 2023 16:41:11 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=21362 In this episode, Joe interviews internationally renowned musician, comedian, writer, and actor, Reggie Watts. Watts starred on “Comedy Bang! Bang!,” most recently was the bandleader on CBS’s “The Late Late Show with James Corden” for the last 8 seasons, and just released his memoir, Great Falls, MT. Watts discusses his early days of LSD use and […]

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]]> PT459 – Internal Family Systems Combined with Ketamine and Holotropic Breathwork https://psychedelicstoday.com/2023/11/10/pt459-ted-riskin-lcsw/ Fri, 10 Nov 2023 15:48:25 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=21337 In this episode, Kyle interviews Ted Riskin, LCSW: psychotherapist running group KAP sessions and certified in Core Energetics, Internal Family Systems, and Holotropic Breathwork, which he has taught in various forms for 26 years. He discusses group ketamine-assisted psychotherapy: how he runs sessions, why being welcomed and loved in a group seems to be a […]

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]]> PT455 – Psychedelics and Success: Conscious Leadership and Investing in Yourself https://psychedelicstoday.com/2023/10/27/pt455-dom-farnan/ Fri, 27 Oct 2023 16:46:44 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=21102 In this episode, Alexa interviews Dom Farnan: Founder of DotConnect; author of the best seller, “Now Here: A Journey from Toxic Boss to Conscious Connector”; and Founder and Chief Consciousness Connector of DoseConnect™, a first-of-its-kind company blending organizational strategy, systems thinking, and talent acquisition in the psychedelic space. Farnan shares her personal journey with psychedelics, […]

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]]> PT448 – Ibogaine, Noribogaine, and the Challenges of Federal Drug Policy https://psychedelicstoday.com/2023/10/06/pt448-deborah-c-mash-ph-d/ Fri, 06 Oct 2023 14:27:22 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=20860 In this episode, Joe interviews Deborah C. Mash, Ph.D.: neuroscientist; Professor Emerita of Neurology and Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine; and leading researcher in addiction and brain disorders for over 30 years. She is also the CEO and Founder of DemeRx Inc., a clinical stage drug development […]

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]]> PT443 – Swimming in the Sacred: The Wisdom of Underground Female Elders https://psychedelicstoday.com/2023/09/19/pt443-rachel-harris-ph-d/ Tue, 19 Sep 2023 16:48:26 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=20575 In this episode, Kyle interviews Rachel Harris, Ph.D.: Psychologist in private practice for over 40 years, researcher who has published more than 40 peer-reviewed studies, and author of the new book, Swimming in the Sacred: Wisdom from the Psychedelic Underground. She talks about graduating college and going straight to Esalen, where she had little concern […]

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]]> PT437 – Exploring Psychedelic Therapies: Iboga, CBD, and Cannabis Paired With Ketamine https://psychedelicstoday.com/2023/09/01/pt437-chase-hudson/ Fri, 01 Sep 2023 18:38:03 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=20370 In this episode, Alexa interviews Chase Hudson: Founder of HempLucid, a premium CBD wellness brand. Hudson discusses his journey from being a firefighter to becoming involved in the cannabis and hemp industry, the origins of HempLucid, the restrictions they faced, and their current genetics and flagship water soluble tincture. He talks about the benefits of […]

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]]> PT433 – From Personal Healing to Public Policy: The Path to Psychedelic Decriminalization in Mexico https://psychedelicstoday.com/2023/08/18/pt433-senator-alejandra-lagunes/ Fri, 18 Aug 2023 16:11:39 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=20159 In this episode, recorded in-person at Psychedelic Science 2023, Kyle interviews Senator for the Mexican Green Party, Alejandra Lagunes. Lagunes is the first Senator in Mexico to promote the use of psychedelics, and has been organizing open parliaments to foster collaboration between researchers, scientists, politicians, and Indigenous people, culminating in a groundbreaking decriminalization initiative to […]

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]]> PT432 – From NBA Dreams to Cultural Healing: Iboga and a Mission to Empower Gabon https://psychedelicstoday.com/2023/08/15/pt432-stephane-lasme/ Tue, 15 Aug 2023 16:45:51 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=20147 In this episode, Joe interviews Stéphane Lasme, a former professional basketball player from Gabon who is now a partner at SteddeCapital, a private markets investment platform investing long-term capital into U.S.- and Africa-based opportunities across sports ownership, infrastructure, technology and plant medicine. Lasme speaks of his childhood, growing up in Gabon with more traditional Catholic […]

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]]> PT429 – From Mycophobia to Fungi Fever: The Psychedelic Space’s Growing Interest in Functional Mushrooms https://psychedelicstoday.com/2023/08/04/pt429-tony-shields/ Fri, 04 Aug 2023 18:32:26 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=20035 In this episode, Kyle interviews the Founder and CEO of FreshCap Mushrooms and host of The Mushroom Show on YouTube, Tony Shields. He talks about how an early interest in lucid dreaming sent him down a psychedelic path, and how, as his interest in mushrooms has grown, he’s watched the culture shift from a narrative […]

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]]> PT422 – Curative Mushrooms: Exploring the World of Grow Kits and Home Growing https://psychedelicstoday.com/2023/07/11/pt422-oliver-carlin/ Tue, 11 Jul 2023 17:18:05 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=19072 In this episode, Joe interviews Oliver Carlin, Founder of Curative Mushrooms, a grow kit solution company designed to produce mushrooms of one’s choosing within 30 days with little effort and no growing experience. Carlin tells his personal story of 20 years in the Navy to a 7g psilocybin journey and the work of perfecting these […]

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]]> PT420 – DanceSafe: Drug Testing, Fentanyl Myths, and the Importance of Consent https://psychedelicstoday.com/2023/07/04/pt420-rachel-clark/ Tue, 04 Jul 2023 17:22:55 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=19018 In this episode, Alexa interviews Rachel Clark: Education Manager for DanceSafe, a public health nonprofit specializing in serving people who use drugs and their communities. As we move into the prime festival season, more people are going to be doing drugs, and the importance of harm reduction and drug testing becomes even more central to […]

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]]> Psychedelic Summer Safety: The Ultimate Guide to Making the Most Out of Your Trip https://psychedelicstoday.com/2023/07/04/psychedelic-summer-safety-the-ultimate-guide-to-making-the-most-out-of-your-trip/ Tue, 04 Jul 2023 13:17:42 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=18972 Planning on hitting a festival this summer? You’re not alone. With COVID restrictions and cancellations now a thing of the past, many music lovers are heading back into the wild and hitting summer concerts and festivals all around the world with renewed energy, making up for lost time with their psychedelic communities and their favorite […]

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]]> PT419 – Ketamine-Assisted Therapy for Severe Alcohol Use Disorder https://psychedelicstoday.com/2023/06/27/pt419-professor-celia-morgan/ Tue, 27 Jun 2023 16:31:16 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=18863 In this episode, David interviews Professor Celia Morgan, Ph.D., who holds the Chair of Psychopharmacology and co-leads the Transdisciplinary Psychedelics Group at The University of Exeter. This was recorded on the dawn of UK’s Breaking Convention conference, where Morgan was speaking about the therapeutic potential of ketamine as well as the danger of people developing […]

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]]> Psychedelics Weekly – Drug Testing and Harm Reduction, Ketamine vs. ECT, and Does Therapy Really Work? https://psychedelicstoday.com/2023/06/02/psychedelics-weekly-drug-testing-and-harm-reduction-ketamine-vs-ect-and-does-therapy-really-work/ Fri, 02 Jun 2023 20:01:45 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=18387 In this episode of Psychedelics Weekly, Joe and Kyle are once again able to take advantage of Kyle’s temporary Colorado residency and record together in Joe’s office. While last week focused on the numerous challenges facing a rapidly growing industry of psychedelic therapists, facilitators, and guides, the topic of therapy itself is put under the […]

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]]> Psychedelics Weekly – Challenging the ‘Gifting’ Part of Prop 122, Public Perception in Oregon, and The Medicine of Music https://psychedelicstoday.com/2023/05/19/psychedelics-weekly-challenging-the-gifting-part-of-prop-122-public-perception-in-oregon-and-the-medicine-of-music/ Fri, 19 May 2023 19:42:26 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=18290 In this episode of Psychedelics Weekly, Joe and Kyle are both on the road, so David and Alexa take the helm. They cover news stories about: -a man in Colorado facing a Class 3 drug felony for giving people psilocybin mushrooms in exchange for monetary donations – pointing out the bold (or stupid?) stances some […]

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]]> PT410 – Manufacturing MDMA and Why Creating MDMA Analogs Is So Important https://psychedelicstoday.com/2023/05/16/pt410-nick-kadysh/ Tue, 16 May 2023 17:52:28 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=18261 In this episode, Joe interviews Nick Kadysh: Founder and CEO of PharmAla Biotech and member of the board of directors for The Canadian Psychedelic Businesses Association.  PharmAla Biotech is a Toronto-based Life Sciences company with two focuses: contracting with manufacturers to provide researchers with GMP MDMA (created under Good Manufacturing Practice regulations), and creating and […]

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]]> The Psychedelic Mind: How Neuroscience Can Help You Navigate Your Inner Landscape https://psychedelicstoday.com/2023/04/27/the-psychedelic-mind-how-neuroscience-can-help-you-navigate-your-inner-landscape/ Thu, 27 Apr 2023 19:09:23 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=18053 Psychedelics are a fascinating class of compounds that have potent effects on our consciousness. After a multi-decade hiatus, scientific research on psychedelics has now resumed with full force. One field that has rapidly developed in recent years is psychedelic neuroscience, which applies the cutting-edge frameworks and tools of modern neuroscience to understand how psychedelics affect […]

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]]> Psychedelics Weekly – The Church of Psilomethoxin Controversy, Psychedelics for Long COVID, and The Growth of Bicycle Day https://psychedelicstoday.com/2023/04/21/psychedelics-weekly-the-church-of-psilomethoxin-controversy-psychedelics-for-long-covid-and-the-growth-of-bicycle-day/ Fri, 21 Apr 2023 18:49:17 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=17990 In this episode of Psychedelics Weekly, Joe and Kyle once again record in person, diving into novel compounds, changing opinions, Bicycle Day, and more.  They start by dissecting a very recent controversy around The Church of Psilomethoxin and whether the sacrament they label as psilomethoxin – supposedly created by adding 5-MeO-DMT to the substrate of […]

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]]> PT406 – Bicycle Day, Unveiling Entheon, and The Mystical Experience Through Art https://psychedelicstoday.com/2023/04/18/pt406-alex-and-allyson-grey/ Tue, 18 Apr 2023 13:24:04 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=17889 In this episode, on the eve of Bicycle Day, Victoria and Kyle interview two long-standing icons of visionary psychedelic art: Alex and Allyson Grey. They talk about the LSD trip that saved Alex’s life, connected him to Allyson, inspired his art, and even made him change his name; his decades-in-the-making “Sacred Mirrors” project of 21 […]

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]]> PT404 – Clusterbusters: The Horrors of Cluster Headaches and the Miracle of Psilocybin https://psychedelicstoday.com/2023/04/11/pt404-bob-wold-and-eileen-brewer/ Tue, 11 Apr 2023 20:04:15 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=17828 In this episode, Joe lets Court Wing take lead in interviewing two of the leaders behind Clusterbusters: Founder and Executive Director, Bob Wold; and President, Eileen Brewer. A long-time friend of the show, Court Wing has become our resident expert on chronic pain, writing articles about how psilocybin relieved his chronic pain, and hosting Timothy […]

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]]> PT403 – Understanding the Brain: Psychedelic Neuroscience Demystified https://psychedelicstoday.com/2023/04/04/pt403-melanie-pincus-and-manesh-girn/ Tue, 04 Apr 2023 18:17:39 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=17661 In this episode, David interviews neuroscientist, artist, and educator, Melanie Pincus, Ph.D.; and Ph.D. candidate in Neuroscience, lead or co-author on over a dozen scientific publications, and regular contributor to PT, Manesh Girn.  They tell their stories of how they became interested in neuroscience, and stress the importance of staying radically open-minded (or “epistemically naive”) […]

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]]> Psychedelics Weekly – Investors Form REIT for Psychedelic Therapy, Diplo Runs a Marathon on LSD, and Is Cannabis a Psychedelic? https://psychedelicstoday.com/2023/03/31/psychedelics-weekly-investors-form-reit-for-psychedelic-therapy-diplo-runs-a-marathon-on-lsd-and-is-cannabis-a-psychedelic/ Fri, 31 Mar 2023 18:06:10 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=17645 In this episode of Psychedelics Weekly, Joe calls in from Los Angeles to cover the week’s news with David.  They review:  -Dr. Julie Holland’s recent appearance on the The Cannabis Investing Podcast, where she discussed the concept of cannabis being a psychedelic; -Vancouver Island University in British Columbia, Canada, planning to establish a Psychedelic Research […]

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]]> PT402 – Magic, Virtual Reality, and Ketamine & Internal Family Systems https://psychedelicstoday.com/2023/03/30/pt402-sunny-strasburg/ Thu, 30 Mar 2023 18:51:30 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=17616 In this episode, David interviews Sunny Strasburg, LMFT: Clinical Director at TRIPP PsyAssist; psychedelic trainer, consultant, therapist, and writer, specializing in EMDR and Internal Family Systems, and offering ketamine-assisted therapy as well as ketamine therapy retreats (often co-led by Dr. Richard Schwartz).  She talks about her family history with magic, and how the act of […]

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]]> PT398 – Lost Civilizations, DMT Entities, & Altered States of Consciousness and Early Religion https://psychedelicstoday.com/2023/03/14/pt398-graham-hancock/ Tue, 14 Mar 2023 16:37:45 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=17410 In this episode, Joe interviews Graham Hancock: legendary bestselling author and writer and presenter of the new Netflix docuseries, “Ancient Apocalypse,” where he travels the world looking for evidence of lost civilizations likely much more advanced than historians previously believed. Hancock talks about his early books and how ayahuasca influenced his writing; the similarities in […]

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]]> PT396 – Moms on Mushrooms: Motherhood and Psychedelics Inside a Broken Culture https://psychedelicstoday.com/2023/03/07/pt396-tracey-tee/ Tue, 07 Mar 2023 17:50:03 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=17276 In this episode, in celebration of International Women’s Day, Victoria interviews Tracey Tee: co-founder and CEO of Band of Mothers Media, co-producer and co-host of the Band of Mothers podcast, and founder of Moms on Mushrooms, an online educational community for psychedelic-curious moms outside the prying eyes of social media. With similar histories of womb […]

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]]> PT393 – Religious Freedom and the Church of Psilomethoxin https://psychedelicstoday.com/2023/02/24/pt393/ Fri, 24 Feb 2023 19:05:00 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=17026 In this episode, Joe interviews Greg Lake, Esq.: Co-Founder of the Church of Psilomethoxin, author, and trial and appellate attorney specializing in working with entheogen-based religious practitioners in establishing their right to consume their sacraments under existing religious freedom laws. Psilomethoxin (4-Hydroxy-5-methoxydimethyltryptamine or 4-Hydroxy-5-MeO-DMT) was first synthesized in 2021 by mixing 5-MeO-DMT with psilocybin substrate, […]

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]]> PT391 – MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy For Fibromyalgia and Other Central Sensitization Syndromes https://psychedelicstoday.com/2023/02/21/pt391/ Tue, 21 Feb 2023 19:43:59 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=16844 In this episode, Joe interviews Dr. Devon Christie: Senior Lead of Psychedelic Programs at Numinus, educator at CIIS and Vital, and MAPS-certified MDMA therapist; and Dr. Pamela Kryskow, MD: founding board member of the Psychedelic Association of Canada and Medical Lead of the nonprofit, Roots To Thrive. Christie and Kryskow recently co-authored one of the […]

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]]> Psychedelics Weekly – The Legalization of Medical MDMA & Psilocybin in Australia, and The World’s First Ayahuasca Pill https://psychedelicstoday.com/2023/02/17/psychedelics-weekly-the-legalization-of-medical-mdma-psilocybin-in-australia-and-the-worlds-first-ayahuasca-pill/ Fri, 17 Feb 2023 17:06:16 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=16782 In this episode of Psychedelics Weekly, Kyle is joined by another new voice from the PT team: one of the main instructors and facilitators from our Vital program, Diego Pinzon.  Originally from Colombia, Diego has been living in Australia since 2008 and has been involved in the Australian psychedelic scene, playing roles in the charity […]

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]]> PT389 – The Art of Ecstasy: The 90’s British Club Scene and MDMA https://psychedelicstoday.com/2023/02/14/pt389/ Tue, 14 Feb 2023 18:03:46 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=16651 In this episode, Joe interviews artist and photographer, Rupert Alexander Scriven. Under his brand, Vintage Disco Biscuit, Scriven recently released The Art of Ecstasy: a coffee table book that pairs high definition images of ecstasy tablets he collected over the course of 25 years with interviews and compositions written by himself and a host of […]

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]]> Psychedelics Weekly – AIMS vs. the DEA: An Update on the Fight to Reschedule Psilocybin https://psychedelicstoday.com/2023/02/10/psychedelics-weekly-aims-vs-the-dea-an-update-on-the-fight-to-reschedule-psilocybin/ Fri, 10 Feb 2023 18:50:44 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=16629 In this episode of Psychedelics Weekly, David is joined by Kathryn L. Tucker, JD: Director of Advocacy at the National Psychedelics Association and a founding member of the Psychedelic Bar Association with over 35 years in advocacy in protecting the rights of dying patients.  Tucker is currently working with Dr. Sunil Agarwal of the Advanced […]

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]]> Psychedelics Weekly – Research Explained: Ketamine and the Corticothalamic Network, Psilocybin and the Immune System, & Canalization and Plasticity https://psychedelicstoday.com/2023/02/03/psychedelics-weekly-research-explained-ketamine-and-the-corticothalamic-network-psilocybin-and-the-immune-system-canalization-and-plasticity/ Fri, 03 Feb 2023 18:22:51 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=16521 In this episode of Psychedelics Weekly, the rest of the team is out or at Cannadelic, so a new voice steps up to the plate: Julian Bost, who works with the Vital team and handles the majority of our email, records his first podcast with Ph.D. candidate in Neuroscience, friend of the show, and speaker […]

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]]> PT381 – DMT, Hierarchies of Complexity, and Reality Switch Technologies https://psychedelicstoday.com/2023/01/10/pt381/ Tue, 10 Jan 2023 17:05:09 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=15949 In this episode, Joe interviews Dr. Andrew R. Gallimore: computational neurobiologist, chemical pharmacologist, researcher, and writer of Alien Information Theory: Psychedelic Drug Technologies and the Cosmic Game. Gallimore feels that DMT is the most efficient and effective reality switching molecule we’ve seen, and that there is no other psychedelic experience that is so in your […]

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]]> PT377 – Integrative Medicine: Health, Wellness, and Psychedelics https://psychedelicstoday.com/2022/12/13/pt377/ Tue, 13 Dec 2022 17:05:05 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=15613 In this episode, Joe interviews New York Times best-selling author, pioneer in the field of integrative medicine, and overall legend in the health and wellness space: Andrew Weil, M.D. As the author of 15 books on health and wellbeing and a regular in the media, you’re probably familiar with Weil and some of his work, […]

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]]> PT376 – Ketamine and Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy as Employee Benefits https://psychedelicstoday.com/2022/12/06/pt376/ Tue, 06 Dec 2022 21:08:20 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=15489 In this episode, David interviews Sherry Rais: Executive Director of the Boston Psychedelic Research Group, Grants Manager for CIIS, and CEO/Co-Founder of Enthea. Enthea is a benefit plan administrator that provides health plan benefit riders and single case agreement services for psychedelic healthcare with a provider network including certified and credentialed Ketamine-Assisted Therapy (KAT) and […]

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]]> Psychedelics Weekly – Cannabis as an Adjunct Cancer Treatment & 5-MeO-DMT Reactivations https://psychedelicstoday.com/2022/12/02/psychedelics-weekly-cannabis-as-an-adjunct-cancer-treatment-5-meo-dmt-reactivations/ Fri, 02 Dec 2022 14:15:00 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=15452 In this week’s episode, Joe and Alexa talk about the excitement brewing around our first conference-meets-festival, Convergence (March 30 – April 2 at the Wisdome in LA), and some of the sponsorships starting to come in (interested? email Alexa@psychedelicstoday.com). Then, they dive into what intrigued them the most this week: a study looking into potentiality and […]

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]]> Why Did Psychedelics Relieve My Chronic Pain? https://psychedelicstoday.com/2022/11/18/why-did-psychedelics-relieve-my-chronic-pain/ Sat, 19 Nov 2022 00:37:50 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=15198 In part 2 of the article, “Surprising Results: Psilocybin Trial for Depression Alleviates Chronic Pain,” the disappearance of Court’s chronic pain leads to a new understanding of cortical remapping, mirror box therapy, and how science can treat phantom limb pain. Immediate Changes Post-Dosing I had years of experience in cold water training from my Aikido […]

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]]> Psychedelics Weekly – Oregon Measure 109: Approaching the Proposed Final Rules https://psychedelicstoday.com/2022/11/18/psychedelics-weeklyoregon-measure-109-approaching-the-proposed-final-rules/ Fri, 18 Nov 2022 15:34:24 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=15125 This week’s episode features David Drapkin and Jon Dennis, who you know from Eyes on Oregon and all of the work he’s done in an effort to protect religious freedom under Oregon’s Measure 109. They discuss opposition and concerns around Colorado Proposition 122 (which officially passed last week with 53% of the vote!) and recent […]

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]]> Surprising Results: Psilocybin Trial for Depression Alleviates Chronic Pain https://psychedelicstoday.com/2022/11/15/surprising-results-psilocybin-trial-for-depression-alleviates-chronic-pain/ Tue, 15 Nov 2022 21:08:07 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=15008 An NYU psilocybin depression study participant discovers an unforeseen application for psychedelics: the treatment of chronic pain. Part 1 of the series: Psychedelics and Chronic Pain. Everything Worked, but Nothing Lasted In the fall of 2020, I was living a pretty successful and happy life – on paper. I had co-founded a very popular, leading-edge […]

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]]> PT373 – Integrative Psychiatry & The Safety of At-Home Ketamine https://psychedelicstoday.com/2022/11/15/pt373/ Tue, 15 Nov 2022 18:33:25 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=15033 In this episode, David interviews Dr. Ben Medrano: Co-Medical Director with Nue Life, board-certified psychiatrist specializing in integrative psychiatry, and former Senior Vice President and US Medical Director of Field Trip Health. He discusses his path to Nue Life; from growing up around mental illness, to the rave scene, to Buddhism, to his years working […]

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]]> PT370 – Prohibition, Civil Disobedience, and The Coca Leaf Cafe https://psychedelicstoday.com/2022/11/04/pt370/ Fri, 04 Nov 2022 17:55:09 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=14825 Listen to this episode with Canadian cannabis policy reform legend and long-time anti-drug war activist, Dana Larsen, where he talks about his Coca Leaf Cafe, prohibition, civil disobedience, and what it will take to establish a thriving legal psilocybin market.

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]]> PT369 – Chronic Pain and Phantom Limb Pain: Could Psilocybin Be the Answer? https://psychedelicstoday.com/2022/11/01/pt369/ Tue, 01 Nov 2022 18:28:23 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=14711 Listen to this episode on how psychedelics could be the answer to chronic pain, featuring Founder of REMAP Therapeutics, Court Wing, and Drs. Joel Castellanos and Timothy Furnish of UC San Diego's Psychedelics and Health Research Initiative (PHRI).

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]]> PT368 – Ketamine, Group Work, and the Power of Just Being There https://psychedelicstoday.com/2022/10/28/pt368/ Fri, 28 Oct 2022 13:25:16 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=14567 Listen to this interview with Dr. Steven Radowitz: Medical Director at Nushama, a wellness center in New York City primarily offering IV ketamine. He discusses integration, group work, and the inner healer.

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]]> PT366 – Neurotransmitter Systems and Novel Psychedelic Molecules https://psychedelicstoday.com/2022/10/21/pt366/ Fri, 21 Oct 2022 16:14:36 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=14321 In this episode, Joe Moore interviews the Co-Founders of Tesselate Therapeutics: Dr. Rochelle Hines, Ph.D. (also the CEO and an Associate Professor at UNLV), and Dr. Dustin Hines, Ph.D. (the CSO as well as an Assistant Professor at UNLV). While Tesselate's primary objective is the development of novel psychedelic molecules, the Hines' work goes much deeper than that, as they are researching the ways the brain communicates with itself and other parts of the body: how neurotransmitter systems interact, why synaptic partners find each other, and how certain substances may be able to modulate the actions of specific receptors. They talk about the reductionist base of neuroscience; the biodiversity in human populations and how heterogeneous depression can be; the structure of the cerebral cortex; neuroplasticity; the price of bringing new drugs to the FDA and the strategy of "failing fast," and much more.

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]]> Inflammation Nation: How Psychedelics Could Combat Widespread Chronic Pain https://psychedelicstoday.com/2022/10/19/how-psychedelics-could-combat-chronic-pain/ Wed, 19 Oct 2022 20:28:00 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=13599 Could a nation defined by inflammation find relief in psychedelics? It’s a verifiable truth that the United States of America may be considered a global leader, especially when it comes to the prevalence of mental and physical health disorders. In fact, of the nearly 330 million people in the population, millions to hundreds of millions […]

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]]> PT365 – KAP: Self-Agency Through Intention, Titration, and Ceremony https://psychedelicstoday.com/2022/10/18/pt365/ Tue, 18 Oct 2022 15:35:41 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=13773 In this episode, Kyle Buller interviews Dr. Jennifer Montjoy: psychiatric nurse practitioner with a private practice specializing in ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, and Medical & Research Director at TRIPP (Transpersonal Research Institute of Psychotherapeutic Psychedelics); a 501(c)(3) organization that provides psychedelic training and research opportunities largely for female and BIPOC scientists. She talks about her protocol, the self-transcendent scale she’s using with clients pre- and post- induction, how ketamine can help people get over past trauma through shifts in emotional memory, and what she sees most in successful cases: a gradual shift toward self-agency. She also discusses how integral titration is in her process; how ACE (adverse childhood experience) scores work; how dissociation can help with childhood trauma; how clients often naturally fall into using Internal Family Systems to describe their process; and how physicians and therapists shouldn't be afraid of the concept of ceremony.

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]]> PT334 – Prof. David Nutt – The Human Brain, Addiction, and Telling the Truth About Drugs https://psychedelicstoday.com/2022/07/05/pt334/ Tue, 05 Jul 2022 14:24:53 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=12673 In this episode, David Drapkin interviews David Nutt: Psychiatrist, Founder and Chief Scientific Officer at Drug Science, Chief Research Officer at Awakn Life Sciences, and Edmund J. Safra Professor of Neuropsychopharmacology in the Division of Brain Science, Dept of Medicine, Imperial College London. After a successful study on MDMA in the treatment of alcohol use disorder, Nutt is looking into if improvements can be made to MDMA. He discusses how serotonin seems to affect the default mode network; Robin Carhart-Harris’ “Trial of Psilocybin versus Escitalopram for Depression" study and the realization that psychedelics were doing something different in the brain; Measure 109 and the importance of how Oregon establishes a new paradigm around legal mushrooms; drug hysteria in the US and UK and how drastically that differs from Portugal's incredibly successful approach to drugs; why real world evidence is the core of science; and why psychedelics seem best at disrupting internalizing disorders.

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]]> PT331 – Julie Zukof & Dr. Michelle Weiner – Psychedelic Women, Coaching, and Ketamine For Fibromyalgia https://psychedelicstoday.com/2022/06/24/pt331/ Fri, 24 Jun 2022 19:34:55 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=12561 In this episode, Joe Moore interviews Julie Zukof: Head of Strategic Partnerships for Nue Life and the creator of Psychedelic Women, and Michelle Weiner: a double board-certified Doctor specializing in integrative pain management, using cannabis, ketamine, and other holistic modalities to get to the root cause of chronic pain. Weiner discusses the central sensitization of fibromyalgia; ketamine infusions and dose discovery; the differences between how therapists and coaches are viewed (and the need for both); session music and trusting the facilitator in their music choice; and the importance of preparing for a ketamine experience through meditation and/or breathwork. And they talk about Psychedelic Women, which was just founded in January as a result of Zukof realizing how much women were a minority in the psychedelic space. She talks about why we need more women in psychedelia; women's natural inclination to connect and support each other; and how medicine should mirror that attitude.

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]]> PT330 – Dick Simon – Researching Ethnobotanical Efficacy and the Search For New Therapeutic Molecules https://psychedelicstoday.com/2022/06/21/pt330/ Tue, 21 Jun 2022 21:02:20 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=12529 In this episode, Joe interviews the Co-Founder and CEO of Sensorium Therapeutics, Dick Simon. Sensorium was created to fully research plants and fungi that already have established efficacy – their goal being to have the largest collection of psychoactive plants, to use machine learning to figure out exactly which molecules are doing what, to then synthesize new drugs that are safe and effective, and eventually bring these new compounds through the FDA approval process. Simon talks about how so much of what we know to be effective and beneficial is based on assumptions or best guesses, and while that doesn't discredit very real benefits, it does beg the question: Is this all optimized as best as it could be? He also discusses how recent advances in neuroscience and technology are catalyzing molecular research; the benefits and challenges of nutraceuticals; geopolitical conflict resolution; the challenges of benzodiazepines; and the problem with people needing to be treatment-resistant or seriously ill to gain access to psychedelics. He hopes that what Sensorium Therapeutics learns over the coming years will help bring better medicines to more people.

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]]> PT325 – Philip Wolf – Cannabis: The Early Days of Legality, Elevated Dining, and the Need for Education https://psychedelicstoday.com/2022/06/07/pt325/ Tue, 07 Jun 2022 14:08:35 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=12412 In this episode of the podcast, Joe Moore interviews Philip Wolf: Founder of Cultivating Spirits and Co-Founder of the Cannabis wedding Expo. Wolf's work in cannabis has largely been in the form of "elevated dining," but his current project is CashoM; a platform offering education for cannabis consumers, from beginners to connoisseurs, covering everything related to cannabis. He discusses the Wild West early days of recreational cannabis in Breckenridge; similarities between those days and what's happening in Oregon with psilocybin; cannabis as medicine and the reframing of what "medicine" is; and the recent "deep dive into winter" he took by staying at a house alone in Wisconsin for 2 months. He also talks about the importance of sitting in a circle with a group, the need for integrity in all things, embracing uncertainty, and why we need challenging trips. There is no one tool, modality, or programmable set, setting, and dose that will work for everyone every time, but he believes the secret to making this all work is to find commonality between each other.

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]]> The Intertwined Prohibitionist Histories of Psychedelics and Kratom https://psychedelicstoday.com/2022/06/03/the-intertwined-prohibitionist-histories-of-psychedelics-and-kratom/ Fri, 03 Jun 2022 22:34:56 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=12326 In a society buried in decades of drug war propaganda, it's far too easy (and common) for people to demonize some substances while glorifying others. But to truly gain any traction in freeing ourselves from the binds of prohibition, we must see the good in all drugs, and apply what we've learned from past battles to future ones. Soren Shade gives the full history of kratom's path to (mostly) legality, and shows that if done right, fighting against prohibition can actually lead to wins.

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]]> PT324 – Amanda Reiman, Ph.D., MSW – Web3, NFTs, Cryptocurrencies, and A Deeper Relationship With Plants https://psychedelicstoday.com/2022/06/03/pt324/ Fri, 03 Jun 2022 13:52:31 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=12340 In this episode of the podcast, Joe Moore interviews cannabis expert and social ethnobotanist, Amanda Reiman, Ph.D., MSW. Reiman is the Founder of Personal Plants; an organization dedicated to promoting a deeper relationship between people and plants, and Co-Founder of Sacred Garden; a Web3 project which advocates for entheogenic plant conservation. She discusses the early days of growing cannabis; the pros and cons of pharmaceutical vs. herbal plant models; the rules around cannabis regulation and taxes; how the different consumption patterns of cannabis and psychedelics could lead to vastly different pharmaceutical models; and what she'd like to do to promote a better connection to plants: guided tours of sacred gardens in virtual reality. She discusses the endless possibilities of cryptocurrencies, NFTs, and other Web3 projects, and wonders if defense funds and clinical trials could soon be entirely crowd-funded and therefore taken out of the hands of venture capitalists and the government.

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]]> PT323 – Dr. Reid Robison & Steve Thayer, Ph.D. – Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy, Therapist Burnout, and LSD for Anxiety https://psychedelicstoday.com/2022/05/31/pt323/ Tue, 31 May 2022 13:42:40 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=12300 In this episode of the podcast, Kyle Buller interviews Dr. Reid Robison and Steve Thayer, Ph.D. of Novamind, and hosts of the Psychedelic Therapy Frontiers podcast. Robison and Thayer talk about their work with ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP); their combined efforts with Numinus Wellness to scale psychedelic therapy accessibility; the nuance of ketamine treatment; how ketamine can be used for therapist burnout; the benefits of group ketamine sessions; the inner healer; and the platform of standards and training they are currently building at Novamind.

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]]> PT322 – Kimberly Juroviesky, Capt., USAF, Retired – Ketamine and Complex Regional Pain Syndrome https://psychedelicstoday.com/2022/05/27/pt322/ Fri, 27 May 2022 16:37:58 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=12279 In this episode of the podcast, Joe Moore interviews retired Nurse Practitioner, Midwife, and Air Force Captain, Kimberly Juroviesky, who was forced to retire from her career and aspirations in the Air Force after she fell during a training exercise and again on ice months later, eventually realizing she had developed Complex Regional Pain Syndrome – a little understood condition where essentially, nerves continue to tell one's brain that a healed injury should still hurt. After she tried ketamine and it cut her pain in half, she created the Ketamine Task Force to fight to get insurance to pay for ketamine (and eventually, other legalized psychedelics). She discusses CRPS and her path to ketamine; the redefining of "treatment-resistant"; the lack of knowledge from so many physicians about drug interactions and proper dosing; the utility, timing, and efficacy of each ketamine method; how chronic pain and suicidality are intertwined; and the relationship between the timing of ketamine sessions, improvements, and problems returning.

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]]> PT314 – Daniel McQueen, MA – Vital Psychedelic Conversations https://psychedelicstoday.com/2022/04/29/pt314/ Fri, 29 Apr 2022 13:51:22 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=12028 In this episode of Vital Psychedelic Conversations, Kyle Buller interviews Daniel McQueen, MA: author of “Psychedelic Cannabis: Therapeutic Methods and Unique Blends to Treat Trauma and Transform Consciousness” and Executive Director of the Center for Medicinal Mindfulness in Boulder, CO. McQueen discusses how the clinical model is too limited in perspective for psychedelics, how transformational being a guide for others can be, the importance of practitioners practicing self-care, and how cannabis can be as powerful a psychedelic as DMT.

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]]> PT311 – William Leonard Pickard – LSD, Fentanyl, Prison, and the Greatest Gift of All: The Natural Mind https://psychedelicstoday.com/2022/04/19/william-leonard-pickard/ Tue, 19 Apr 2022 14:09:50 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=11861 In this historic episode of the podcast, Joe Moore speaks with William Leonard Pickard, the notorious American chemist and drug researcher famous for being sentenced in 2004 to two life sentences for the alleged manufacture of 90% of the world’s LSD. He discusses his prediction of the current fentanyl epidemic, coffee, 2-CB, Ross Ulbricht, the alchemy in drug manufacturing, what made LSD special, the inhumanity of prison, and the power of living a drug-free life. Today on Bicycle Day, take a ride between the prison industrial complex and the glowing heart center of Eternal Love.

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]]> Could the Sonoran Desert Toad Cure Narcissism? https://psychedelicstoday.com/2022/04/14/could-the-sonoran-desert-toad-cure-narcissism/ Thu, 14 Apr 2022 22:49:31 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=11757 The continued exploitation of this fragile species for its DMT encapsulates narcissism itself. Until recently, the Sonoran desert toad, Incilius alvarius (formerly Bufo alvarius) was not on my wildlife-watch radar. Then an email from the owner of a group of psychedelic retreat centers operating in Latin America, Portugal, and the Netherlands brought the greenish brownish […]

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]]> PT305 – Emma Farrell – Plant Spirits, Entities, and Remembering Lost Traditions https://psychedelicstoday.com/2022/03/29/pt305/ Tue, 29 Mar 2022 13:00:00 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=11610 In this episode of the podcast, Joe Moore interviews spirit healer, geomancer, and author of the new book, “Journeys With Plant Spirits: Plan Consciousness Healing & Natural Magic Practices,” Emma Farrell. After traveling the world and seeking knowledge for 15 years, a conversation with the spirit of iboga helped Farrell realize that the highest teachings were all there in her own culture, and she could have healing relationships with plants in her own environment, with plants she could be more connected to, and through a lens she understood better. She discusses her process and the importance of plant dietas; the idea of the “ethical warrior”; the types of energies she sees in different plants; how we've forgotten our connection to nature; what can help strengthen connections to plant energies; why she recommends starting a plant exploration with mugwort; the concept of ayahuasca helping you to die consciously; the power of energy fields; and how, for many reasons, people are often carrying around attachments they're not aware of.

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]]> PT304 – Jerry B. Brown, Ph.D. – Vital Psychedelic Conversations https://psychedelicstoday.com/2022/03/25/pt304/ Fri, 25 Mar 2022 14:03:42 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=11595 In this episode of Vital Psychedelic Conversations, Kyle interviews professor of anthropology, author, and historian, Jerry B. Brown, Ph.D. Together with his wife, Julie M. Brown, MA, he co-authored the book, The Psychedelic Gospels: The Secret History of Hallucinogens in Christianity, where they present compelling anthropological arguments through early Christian frescoes and iconography of the major religion’s long-forgotten entheogenic history. Brown discusses the historical and cultural use of entheogens, the major universities currently conducting clinical research, the importance of ethics in this space, the question of 'will psychedelics survive success (in business)?', the future of these substances in the fields of medicine and mental health, and rides on the back of giant bengal tigers up volcanoes during LSD journeys. He breaks down why it’s important to understand the role of psychedelics in religion and how they can play a large role in the returning of faiths to their mystical roots, and he highlights two important areas professionals ought to be well-versed in: the establishment of trust between the therapist and client, and the technique of guided imagery – evoking mental images and symbols to facilitate deep healing.

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]]> PT301 – Kabir Ali – Addiction, Ketamine, and the Overlooked Gift of Self-Love https://psychedelicstoday.com/2022/03/15/pt301/ Tue, 15 Mar 2022 13:00:00 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=11447 In this episode of the podcast, David Drapkin interviews Chief of Staff and Head of Operations at Nue Life, Kabir Ali. Ali speaks about the power of ketamine-assisted therapy; how our current society seems to be driving us to escape; the lack of education in mental health he's seen in his travels; how self-love is the most overlooked gift of psychedelic-assisted therapy; and addiction (his struggles, how people can have these relationships with anything, concerns over the addictive properties of ketamine, and the importance of having the right people in your corner when using a substance to overcome another). And he discusses Nue Life: the benefits he's seen from integration work in group settings, the health coaching they've made a large part of their program, what he's most excited about, and why he views Nue Life as a next-gen mental health company rather than a ketamine clinic.

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]]> HPPD and Flashbacks: Everything You Need To Know – And What We Don’t Know, Too https://psychedelicstoday.com/2022/03/10/hppd-and-flashbacks-everything-you-need-to-know/ Fri, 11 Mar 2022 00:42:37 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=11407 Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder, or HPPD, is among the more mysterious, debilitating, and under-researched possibilities of psychedelic drug-taking. As enthusiasm around psychedelics and their possible benefits continues to grow, it’s imperative that researchers, user populations, and clinicians look closely at HPPD and other possible hazards. HPPD is little-known among clinicians, and many reporting these experiences […]

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]]> PT299 – Ed Prideaux – HPPD (Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder): A Synopsis https://psychedelicstoday.com/2022/03/08/pt299/ Tue, 08 Mar 2022 14:00:00 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=11383 In this episode of the podcast, Joe Moore interviews Ed Prideaux: UK-based writer and journalist working to raise awareness around Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPPD) in affiliation with the Perception Restoration Foundation. While HPPD is known in the psychedelic community, it's not talked about or researched enough, and often considered by many as fake, flashbacks, or a trauma reactivation. Prideaux likes to call HPPD "post-drug perceptual changes," and talks about how it came about in his life and how it affects him; what visual snow syndrome and other common HPPD visuals look like; neurodiversity and looking at things from a “critical psychiatry” lens; how he thinks HPPD relates to anxiety and distress from depersonalization effects and isolation; and how so much of the lack of knowledge and progress around HPPD is a direct result of the drug war. Does HPPD happen more when the experience happens in youth? Are there dormancy effects? Is cannabis a larger trigger than people think? Is the biggest trigger being overwhelmed by a larger-than-expected dose? Is LSD the most commonly reported culprit due to how long the trip is? Could entering into more non-ordinary states of consciousness actually be the solution? The Perception Restoration Foundation is working on a study in Macquarie University in Australia looking at neuroimaging of people with HPPD, they just released an HPPD information guide in collaboration with MAPS, and they are working to finalize and release a documentary called "HPPD: Stuck in an Altered World.”

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]]> PT284 – Jonathan Sabbagh – Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy and Collaborative Care https://psychedelicstoday.com/2022/01/14/pt284/ Fri, 14 Jan 2022 14:00:00 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=10704 In this episode of the podcast, Joe Moore interviews co-founder and CEO of Journey Clinical, Jonathan Sabbagh. Journey Clinical is a telehealth platform specializing in remote and in-person ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, but what makes them a bit unique is their larger focus on the needs of the psychotherapist; helping approved psychotherapists integrate KAP into their practices, and by building out a platform to facilitate the delivery of customized treatments of all modalities to their patients under the same umbrella. Sabbagh tells his story of 20 years in finance leading to burnout, ayahuasca, and a career change, and discusses data privacy; why ketamine is just an adjunct; how Journey's process works; the importance of building a safe container (in therapy and digitally); wearables and the future of combined tools; what he's most excited about; what it meant to see his company's banner hanging at Horizons; and why it's important to have a growing industry be led by true believers.

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]]> PT281 – Oliver Grundmann, Ph.D. – A Thorough Exploration of Kratom https://psychedelicstoday.com/2022/01/04/oliver-grundmann-phd/ Tue, 04 Jan 2022 14:00:00 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=10619 In this episode of the podcast, Joe Moore interviews Clinical Professor at the University of Florida, College of Pharmacy: Oliver Grundmann, Ph.D. They discuss a substance that has been mentioned on the podcast, but never fully dissected: Mitragyna speciosa – otherwise known as kratom. And they cover it all: what to look for when purchasing kratom; possible risk factors and drug interactions; the contaminants most often seen; its history with the FDA; its safety profile; what the veins mean when people describe kratom as "red vein;" what is being researched today; how to safely explore kratom and monitor dosing; what the future could hold; and of course, the science behind how it works. Grundmann is currently analyzing Top Tree Herbs' products to see how they differ from others, specifically looking at how much mitragynine people are actually getting when drinking a tea dissolved in water (vs. levels from the whole plant dissolved in methanol, which most current research shows).

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]]> PT279 – Joe Zap & Kevin W – Cannabis Acceptance, Conspiratorial Thinking, and Psychedelic Podcasting https://psychedelicstoday.com/2021/12/28/pt279/ Tue, 28 Dec 2021 14:29:05 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=10542 In this episode of the podcast, Joe Moore finally sits down with two of the three hosts of another fellow long-running psychedelics podcast, Entheogen: Joe Zap and Kevin W. They discuss the early days of smoking cannabis and Joe's Ismokeweed.org t-shirts; the problems with dosing due to Nixon and the drug war; Hulu's "Nine Perfect Strangers"; the early stages of podcasting; Timothy Leary; Alex Grey and leadership by example; Burning man; gurus and cults; social media, QAnon, and conspiratorial thinking; why recreational drug use should be talked about more; ego dissolution vs. ego amplification; competition vs. cooperation; and what it was like being quoted in a Playboy article about toxic masculinity. After a self-imposed year and a half break from the podcast, they are back at it, with a new episode just released today, featuring David Bronner, CEO of Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps.

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]]> PTSF87 – Ketamine, Addiction, and Mysticism + Kelsey Ramsden of MINDCURE https://psychedelicstoday.com/2021/12/03/ptsf87/ Fri, 03 Dec 2021 14:00:00 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=10366 In this week's Solidarity Fridays episode, Joe Moore interviews CEO of MINDCURE, Kelsey Ramsden. She discusses iSTRYM, their app designed to use A.I. to examine real-time data from users and provide drug-agnostic insights and recommendations; and the Desire Project, in which they are researching MDMA to help combat Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD), an affliction that leaves women unable to feel sexual desire. Joe and Kyle also discuss a recent issue with the Facebook group and a rather accusatory tweet, whether or not ketamine is addictive, the shortcomings of at-home ketamine therapy options, and if we should always be striving for the mystical in psychedelic experiences.

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]]> PTSF85 – Ahmad Doroudian, Ph.D. of BetterLife Pharma and Dr. Abid Nazeer of Wesana Health https://psychedelicstoday.com/2021/11/19/ptsf85/ Fri, 19 Nov 2021 14:00:00 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=10250 In this week's Solidarity Fridays episode, we’re featuring two shorter interviews, recorded in a media room at the Wonderland Miami conference last week: CEO & Director of BetterLife Pharma, Ahmad Doroudian, Ph.D., and Chief Medical Officer at Wesana Health, Dr. Abid Nazeer.
Doroudian discusses the non-hallucinogenic compound, 2-Bromo-LSD. While the LSD we know and love has shown great signs at being effective for the treatment of cluster headaches, many people (including Doroudian) do not want to experience the hallucinatory part of this medicine, so BetterLife Pharma has been researching using this LSD relative to address this very need (and it may be even safer than LSD too).

Part 2 of this split podcast features David Drapkin sitting down with Chief Medical Officer at Wesana Health, Abid Nazeer, who talks about opening the first ketamine clinic in the midwest, the need for integrative wellness, and traumatic brain injuries, which they're researching alongside MAPS. He talks about what he wants to do with Wesana Health, which is essentially creating a "center of excellence" hub where a patient can be referred to different departments (spokes) specializing in any number of possible healing modalities, all under the same network.

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]]> PT272 – Veterans Day 2021 https://psychedelicstoday.com/2021/11/11/pt272/ Thu, 11 Nov 2021 14:00:00 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=10152 In this episode, Joe Moore was in Las Vegas for the Meet Delic conference, and, inspired by Jesse Gould’s presentation, decided to record an episode with three veteran friends for a special Veterans Day release. While they chose to keep their names and personal details anonymous, they share a lot about the military and the difficulties of transitioning back into civilian life. They talk about drug use in the military; how little there is in the way of a transition process; how much families are affected by the mental health of someone on deployment; how challenging it is for someone who has good mental health practices in play to be able to continue them once in the service; and how the normal mind state for most soldiers is a combination of tucking all emotions and anxiety away, assuming they're going to die, and powering through until there's time to work through it all (which of course never comes).

But it's not all dark, as they also talk about how psychedelics, wilderness therapy, and long hikes have helped them reevaluate their lives, see themselves (and others) from different perspectives, and get to places of happiness (but with continued work). This is a candid glimpse into the camaraderie of vets, and their laughter and support of one another really drives home one of their main points: the importance of finding a community of people who support you, understand you, and don't judge you.

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]]> PT271 – Jeremy Narby, Ph.D. – Anthropology, Ayahuasca, and Plant Teachers https://psychedelicstoday.com/2021/11/09/pt271/ Tue, 09 Nov 2021 14:00:00 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=10125 In this episode, Joe Moore and Kyle Buller interview famed anthropologist and author (most notably of The Cosmic Serpent), Jeremy Narby. He is also the Amazonian projects director for Nouvelle Planète, a nonprofit organization that promotes the economic and cultural empowerment of Indigenous peoples through demarcation of land. Narby talks about how Humphry Osmond and political anthropology led him to psychedelics, and how he realized people in the states had started speaking highly of the ecological knowledge of Indigenous people of the Amazon without ever talking about the hallucinogenic way they attained that knowledge (and how he felt it was his place to start talking about it). He also discusses anthropology and subjectivity; Richard Evans Schultes; the problem with trying to substantiate hallucinations; the West's focus on “the active ingredient” and how ayahuasca is much more than drinkable DMT; the overuse and microdosing of ayahuasca; the entourage effect and how it's excluded by the "DMT explains everything" hypothesis; why vine-only ayahuasca needs to be researched more; and the differences in how people react to LSD vs. ayahuasca or psilocybin (do the natural drugs have a trickster spirit in them that doesn't like some people?).

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]]> Addressing Abuse in Psychedelic Spaces https://psychedelicstoday.com/2021/10/28/addressing-abuse-in-psychedelic-spaces/ Thu, 28 Oct 2021 22:20:22 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=10027 Commentary from Psychedelics Today co-founder, Joe Moore, about the recent accusations by Will Hall against Aharon Grossbard and Francoise Bourzat.

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]]> PT268 – PCP, 5-MeO-DMT, and The Synthesis of New Psychedelics https://psychedelicstoday.com/2021/10/26/hamilton-morris/ Tue, 26 Oct 2021 13:00:00 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=10010 In this episode, Joe Moore travels to the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia for a rare in-person interview with chemist, filmmaker, science journalist, and go-to media consultant, Hamilton Morris. They cover a lot: Hamilton's early realizations of how ill-informed the media was about psychedelics; his time at Vice and how being a journalist gave him a license for curiosity; why he was most interested in covering the substances people were comfortable hating; respectability politics and how only showing what helps the movement is propaganda; Ken Nelson; how we can learn from watching people do salvia on YouTube; PCP advocate and Process Church alum, Timothy Wyllie; how people attribute more to chemical makeup than their own psychology; and why it's unnecessary (and potentially dangerous) to embrace the narrative that you need to suffer (and do so with a shaman) to truly heal. They talk a lot about his two 5-MeO episodes of Hamilton’s Pharmacopeia (with Hamilton explaining the chemical difference between toad-derived and plant-derived 5-MeO) and they talk about his relationship with Compass Pathways and how it's leading to the creation of many new drugs.

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]]> PT266 – Jerry B. Brown, Ph.D. – Psychedelics: Past, Present, and Future https://psychedelicstoday.com/2021/10/12/pt266/ Tue, 12 Oct 2021 13:00:00 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=9914 In today's episode, Kyle Buller interviews anthropologist, author, ethnomycologist, and now co-designer of the new Psychedelics Today course (beginning October 26th), "Psychedelics: Past, Present, and Future": Jerry B. Brown, Ph.D. This podcast serves as a brief overview of what the course goes much further into, from the landmark psychedelic events that brought us here, the current models of psychedelic-assisted therapy, and the many career avenues that have opened up (and will continue to open up) as a result of this renaissance. He discusses Albert Hofmann's synthesis of LSD, Stan Grof's first psilocybin experience, the Nixon administration and the beginnings of the drug war, Roland Griffiths and Walter Pahnke (and Rick Doblin's follow-up research), the early end-of-life cancer and psilocybin study, the creation of the Mystical Experience Questionnaire, the concerns over Compass Pathways and patent law, and how Gordon Watson's betrayal of María Sabina mirrors a lot of what's going on today between Indigenous tradition and the Western money grab. And he gives a very detailed description of his life-changing psilocybin journey that led him to the discovery of his soul's code.

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]]> PT265 – Jessica Cadoch, MA – Cooperation, Drug Exceptionalism, and 12-step Programs https://psychedelicstoday.com/2021/10/05/pt265/ Tue, 05 Oct 2021 13:00:00 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=9824 In this episode, Joe Moore interviews Jessica Cadoch, MA: Medical Anthropologist, former Executive Director of the Montreal Psychedelic Society, and current Research Manager working at Maya Public Benefit Corporation. She talks about her psychedelic path and two most important pieces of research: First, how the rites of passage one experiences at a psytrance festival emulates the traditional ritual structure, and second; the concerns for people in long-term recovery and 12-step programs using substances therapeutically, for getting off their problematic substances, and even recreationally (when those substances have been labelled “dangerous drugs” their whole lives). She discusses Maya, a platform where psychedelic therapists can gain better insights into their practices by learning from one another's reports, developing more consistent protocols, and creating better qualitative questions and measures for patients. And she talks about a lot more: how people view different substances based on if they're man-made or not, spiritual bypassing, Carl Hart and the dangers of drug exceptionalism, the need to decriminalize all drugs, 12-step programs and the risks of 13th steppers, how our culture views medicine as gospel, and how we all need to stop the in-fighting and division within our psychedelic communities and learn to work with the big corporations many are scared of.

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]]> Meet Microdosing TikTok—And Why the Community Matters https://psychedelicstoday.com/2021/09/22/meet-microdosing-tiktok-why-the-community-matters/ Wed, 22 Sep 2021 13:00:00 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=9630 Original Illustration by Martin Clarke Microdosing TikTok is a vibrant community of everyday people researching and experimenting with microdosing for mental health, and finding support in the process. What if I told you that the microdosing movement has taken TikTok by storm? Or that TikTok wasn’t just a place for dancing or kids, but a […]

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]]> PT263 – Michelle Janikian – 920: The Magic Mushroom Holiday https://psychedelicstoday.com/2021/09/20/pt263/ Mon, 20 Sep 2021 13:00:00 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=9648 In this episode, Joe Moore and Kyle Buller celebrate 9/20 by sitting down with friend, writer, Editor in Chief of the blog, and past Solidarity Friday member, Michelle Janikian. Before Michelle was part of the PT team, she was one of our more popular podcast guests (in a very mushroom-heavy episode), and the writer of Your Psilocybin Mushroom Companion, a safety-focused and informative guidebook highlighting the many ways mushrooms can be used. She talks about what inspired her to write the book, the importance of learning how to trip and fostering a relationship with mushrooms, how using mushrooms solely for personal healing feels self-centered and a bit boring, the common opinion of many psychonauts that you need to do a large dose for your first time, the concept of mushrooms as tricksters who may be trying to hurt you, the joy of foraging, how much we all tend to romanticize Indigenous culture and perceived wisdom, and the value of being honest with yourself about what you want in a mushroom experience and developing your own rituals. And she discusses what’s been biggest in her life recently: the time she spent living in the house she was raised in as her parents prepared it to be sold, and how doing mushrooms there after all these years helped her reconnect to the house, its surrounding woods, and especially her parents.

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]]> PT261 – Dr. Tiago Reis Marques – Ketamine, New Drugs, and the Repurposing of Current Drugs https://psychedelicstoday.com/2021/09/07/pt261/ Tue, 07 Sep 2021 13:00:00 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=9518 In this episode, Joe interviews Dr. Tiago Reis Marques: senior fellow at Imperial College, lecturer at the Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, psychiatrist at the Maudsley Hospital, and CEO of Pasithea: a biotech company developing new drugs for the treatment of psychiatric and neurological disorders and offering at-home ketamine infusions (first in New York and California, but soon, all across the US). Marques talks about the importance of repurposing existing drugs due to the insane complexity of the human brain and the myriad of possible problems one can experience, and he talks a lot about ketamine: How it covers a wide range of disorders, the pros and cons of intramuscular ketamine and IV infusions, drug interactions, its similarities with other psychedelics, and the (maybe surprising) lack of side effects. He also discusses the concept of pharmacoeconomic analysis, why new drug development is a very high-risk, high-reward industry, what “responded” means in clinical trials, how Covid-related spikes in PTSD relate to the pandemic timeline, the importance of talking about mental health more, and what we can do with historical and outdated (but important) data.

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]]> PT260 – Benjamin Mudge – Ayahuasca and Bipolar: Pathways to a Protocol https://psychedelicstoday.com/2021/08/31/pt260/ Tue, 31 Aug 2021 13:00:00 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=9442 In this episode, Michelle Janikian and Kyle Buller interview Ph.D. candidate and return guest, Benjamin Mudge, who you may remember from Solidarity Fridays episode 59, where he talked about the controversial topic of bipolar people taking psychedelics (something he knows a lot about, as someone who has been managing his own bipolar disorder with ayahuasca for 12 years). In this “Part 2” episode, he discusses what his options are as a Ph.D. candidate who is certain he's figured out a way to help save countless lives but doesn't have a ton of expendable money, a massive team behind him, or a clearly defined path: What are the requirements necessary for creating a protocol for bipolar people? How can you prove efficacy and appease ethics departments the fastest? How do you actually begin a research study? And he talks about bipolar and THC, the work of Dr. Leanna Standish and Dr. Victoria Hale, how clinical methods too often strip away spirituality in favor of reductionism and results, the idea of "pharmahuasca" and maintenance medications, the importance of sacred reciprocity, and why the best path toward affordable access may be a combination of the efforts of nonprofits and for-profits.

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]]> Microdosing LSD Makes Me a Better Mom https://psychedelicstoday.com/2021/08/25/microdosing-moms-microdosing-lsd-makes-me-a-better-mom/ Wed, 25 Aug 2021 13:00:00 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=9343 By Amy Hogan Raising children requires a lot of patience, compassion and energy, which is why parents like me turn to microdoses of LSD. My introduction to LSD happened in 1997 at Penn State University. Phish’s Lawn Boy CD acted as the soundtrack and de facto tour guide for that trip. It was such a fantastic experience […]

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]]> PT259 – Dr. Devon Christie and Will Siu, MD, DPhil – The Mind-Body Connection, MDMA, and Chronic Pain https://psychedelicstoday.com/2021/08/24/pt259/ Tue, 24 Aug 2021 13:00:00 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=9358 In this episode, Kyle Buller interviews Dr. Devon Christie: Vancouver-based counsellor, instructor, and Therapeutic Services Director for Numinous Wellness Inc., and Will Siu, MD, DPhil: Los Angeles-based Psychiatrist and instructor. Both are MAPS-trained in MDMA-assisted psychotherapy and are currently co-investigators on a study investigating MDMA-assisted therapy for fibromyalgia. They talk about chronic pain and how it overlaps strongly with PTSD, why MDMA is the best candidate for success in treating it, and how we can retrain the brain and shift our relationship in how we experience pain. And they discuss the mind-body connection; the concept of learned response looping, how to complete a survival impulse in an organized way, and the optimal arousal zone; how oppression and religious or cultural judgement changes one's relationship with their body; and how learning more about the fascia could be the key toward understanding how the body's different systems influence each other.

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]]> How PCP Became A Weapon of Police Propaganda [Part 2] https://psychedelicstoday.com/2021/08/18/how-pcp-became-a-weapon-of-police-propaganda/ Wed, 18 Aug 2021 13:00:00 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=9284 Exploring how the stigma against PCP became more dangerous than the chemical itself, and how police use it as propaganda to use excessive force.

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]]> Why Does The Psychedelic Scene Ignore PCP? [Part 1] https://psychedelicstoday.com/2021/08/11/why-does-the-psychedelic-scene-ignore-pcp/ Wed, 11 Aug 2021 13:00:00 +0000 https://psychedelicstoday.com/?p=9200 By Troy Farah Original illustration by Riayn Grey Stigma against PCP or “angel dust” contradicts the science of this misunderstood psychedelic. But, will the psychedelic community ever look at phencyclidine favorably? The retro schlock horror of cannabis turning teenagers into murderous sex fiends is nothing but laughable today. The same Reefer Madness applied to psychedelic […]

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