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Gilgamesh and the Magic Plant
30. December 2021
Ueber Pellote – Ein Beitrag zur pharmakologischen Kenntniss der Cacteen
29. December 2021
Psilocybin study enrolls clinicians with COVID-linked blues
29. December 2021
Predicting Reactions to Psychedelic Drugs: A Systematic Review of States and Traits Related to Acute Drug Effects
26. December 2021
The subjective experience of acute, experimentally-induced Salvia divinorum inebriation
26. December 2021
Identification of a novel member of the family Betaflexiviridae from the hallucinogenic plant Salvia divinorum
26. December 2021
Salvia divinorum: from recreational hallucinogenic use to analgesic and anti-inflammatory action
26. December 2021
Chemical syntheses of the salvinorin chemotype of KOR agonist
26. December 2021
Salvia divinorum increases alcohol intake and tonic immobility whilst decreasing food intake in Wistar rats
26. December 2021
Sociological investigations of human enhancement drugs: The case of microdosing psychedelics
26. December 2021
Tactics of Legitimation in the Psychedelic Sciences: Lessons for Feminist Sociology of Knowledge
26. December 2021
The Effects of Tryptamine Psychedelics in the Brain: A meta-Analysis of Functional and Review of Molecular Imaging Studies
25. December 2021
Schopenhauer on death (Thanatology)
25. December 2021
Arthur Schopenhauer and psychiatry 200 years after the publication of The World as Will and Representation
24. December 2021
A review of emerging therapeutic potential of psychedelic drugs in the treatment of psychiatric illnesses
22. December 2021
The Therapeutic Potential of Psilocybin
22. December 2021
Psychedelics in Psychiatry: Neuroplastic, Immunomodulatory, and Neurotransmitter Mechanisms
21. December 2021
5-Methoxy- and 5-Hydroxyindoles in the skin of Bufo alvarius
19. December 2021
Ayahuasca-Tourismus in Peru: Motivationen und subjektive Bedeutungen bei Teilnehmern von Ayahuasca-Retreats im oberen Amazonasgebiet
19. December 2021
The personal experiences of ayahuasca brew users as a therapeutic catalyst for substance dependence: A qualitative exploratory approach
19. December 2021
Exploring the effect of Trichocereus pachanoi on the depression-like behavior in rats
17. December 2021
Mescalina y ritual del cactus de san Pedro: evidencias arqueológicas y etnográficas en el norte de Perú
17. December 2021
Use of Benefit Enhancement Strategies among 5-Methoxy-N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT) Users: Associations with Mystical, Challenging, and Enduring Effects
15. December 2021
Intensity of Mystical Experiences Occasioned by 5-MeO-DMT and Comparison With a Prior Psilocybin Study
15. December 2021
DMT Models the Near-Death Experience
15. December 2021
Neural correlates of the DMT experience assessed with multivariate EEG
15. December 2021
Fractal in HTML & CSS
15. December 2021
Bioactive Components of Salvia and Their Potential Antidiabetic Properties: A Review
15. December 2021
Dark Classics in Chemical Neuroscience: N, N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT)
14. December 2021
Harnessing psilocybin: Antidepressant-like behavioral and synaptic actions of psilocybin are independent of 5-HT2R activation in mice
14. December 2021
Prospective examination of synthetic 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine inhalation: effects on salivary IL-6, cortisol levels, affect, and non-judgment
14. December 2021
Tabernanthalog—a water-soluble, non-hallucinogenic, non-toxic analogue of ibogaine
11. December 2021
Newtonian fractal
11. December 2021
A systematic review of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy for mental health: An evaluation of the current wave of research and suggestions for the future
10. December 2021
Neural Mechanisms and Psychology of Psychedelic Ego Dissolution (Peprint)
10. December 2021
Psilocybin acutely alters the functional connectivity of the claustrum with brain networks that support perception, memory, and attention
10. December 2021
The Evolved Psychology of Psychedelic Set and Setting: Inferences Regarding the Roles of Shamanism and Entheogenic Ecopsychology
10. December 2021
Persisting Reductions in Cannabis, Opioid, and Stimulant Misuse After Naturalistic Psychedelic Use: An Online Survey
10. December 2021
Recreational use of psychedelics is associated with elevated personality trait openness: Exploration of associations with brain serotonin markers
10. December 2021
5-Hydroxytryptamine and Intestinal Flora on Depressive-Like Behavior Induced by Lead Exposure in Rats
6. December 2021
Serotonin, fearfulness, dominance, and trainability in horses
6. December 2021
Serotonin and cancer
6. December 2021
Serotonin, dopamin and orgasm
6. December 2021
The use of Psilocybin in oncology
3. December 2021
Psilocybin for the treatment of bipolar depression: A review
3. December 2021
Psychedelic (R)Evolution
3. December 2021
Psilocybin induces dendritic spine formation
3. December 2021
Psilocybin & Genetic Ageing
28. November 2021
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Israel Isn’t a Leader in Psychedelic Healing - It’s an Apartheid State
How I Ease my OCD and Anxiety with Psychedelics
8 Songs for Transformational Psychedelic Mushroom Experiences
How Psychedelic Mushrooms Support Me
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Israel Isn’t a Leader in Psychedelic Healing - It’s an Apartheid State
Israel Isn’t a Leader in Psychedelic Healing - It’s an Apartheid State
Publication date: 05-15-2020
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Art by Nikolitsa Paranomos. Image description: Psychedelic blue and white background over the apartheid wall with Palestinian resistance art that reads, “to exist is to resist.” By Amanda GelenderIsrael has recently been featured , heralded as a leader for its investment in psychedelic clinical trials for MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Israel is the first national government to approve MDMA as part of a “Compassionate Use” program, which allows people to use clinically unproven treatments because their suffering is so severe and unresponsive to available medical interventions. The clinical trials enlist Israelis suffering from PTSD, including Israeli soldiers who have served in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). Phase 2 clinical trials for MDMA as a safe and effective treatment for PTSD. Yet when we lean too heavily on the medical model to address mental health challenges, we often miss the root causes of a system of suffering. In this case, the PTSD is not individual pathology or sickness, rather it stems from the ongoingof Palestine.Psychedelics are not and never will be politically neutral: They are rooted in, inextricably tied to and . The use of psychedelics either support or upend the status quo, and the integrity of the psychedelic movement relies on human rights and to always be at the forefront of our work. I agree that everyone deserves healing: PTSD is painful, no matter who experiences it or what the cause is. 18-year old Israelis must serve in the military - they are forced to carry out state violence and clearly the mental health toll is devastatingly high. But
psychedelic healing must first and foremost be a tool to support the freedom of the oppressed - not a balm to soothe those who carry out oppression.
In a , a representative of the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, one of the partners of the MDMA clinical trials, stated: “A society is only as strong as how it cares for its most vulnerable communities. I am proud that Israel is leading the world in exploring new ways to support and treat people suffering from PTSD and psychiatric illnesses. The Compassionate Use program in Israel is an opportunity to
help high-risk populations
[emphasis mine], including IDF soldiers who have served their country, whose mental health needs are often overlooked and underserved [...] over 10% of the Israeli population experiences PTSD, and this figure increases significantly in regions frequented by rocket attacks. Military service is compulsory, and most families in Israel have histories of trauma and persecution.”The “vulnerable community” and “high-risk population” whose “” with “” that is mysteriously absent from the press release, however, are Palestinians. Today is the 72nd anniversary of (meaning “the catastrophe” in Arabic) commemorating the period of time when were dispossessed from their homes to form the state of Israel, more than 450 villages burned. Now in 2020, Palestinians still fight daily for the rights guaranteed to them .Major human rights organizations on the plight of the Palestinians: Israel subjects Palestinians to ongoing persecution that strips their right to personhood, freedom, health, and liberty. Gaza is the site of a and has been called the because in and out of the region, controlling and limiting the supply of , , , and . Israel severely restricts Palestinians’ and subjects them to ,, , , , , and . The has grown to millions of Palestinians - entire generations of families displaced from their homes. Israel enforces , with two very different systems for Jewish and non-Jewish people. I’ll note here that I’m a Jewish American who, like many of my peers, was raised to believe that Israel was a benevolent underdog.If those of us invested in the work of psychedelics ignore the political realities around psychedelic healing, we can become an accomplice to human rights abuses, helping the violent status quo to strengthen and persist. This is another way that the medical model fails us: As long as systems of oppression are firmly in place, there is an endless stream of “patients” seeking medicine to manage something that is much bigger than any one individual. As Jiddu Krishnamurti said, “It's no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.”It’s also important to follow the money. Israel is deeply invested in becoming an entrepreneurial center of gravity with a booming that includes and businesses. Psychedelic investment by the state of Israel is inextricably tied to its economic interests: An emerging wave of psychedelic and see a tremendous (a for another day) and of course Israel wants to be on the cutting edge. Note that Israel is also of U.S. foreign assistance since World War II, currently receiving about $3.8 billion every year () specifically in military funding. In this way, Israel profits from instigating military violence and it profits from healing the trauma of violence.
They manufacture the illness and the cure.
It’s a compelling open question under what conditions could psychedelics help shift the minds and hearts of people who hoard resources, commit violence, or otherwise uphold oppression. But any project of that nature must be led by those most impacted by injustice, with a political framework that accurately portrays the political reality and power imbalance at play. And it must be accompanied by the understanding that the ultimate goal is to change the systemic conditions that cause suffering, not just to personally feel at peace amidst injustice.This comes at a time when Palestinians call on the world to support their fight to hold Israel accountable to international human rights law. This is the movement and it encompasses everything from to from companies that profit from the Israeli occupation. BDS is a form of non-violent protest notably fighting for freedom from apartheid. There is also a growing movement of allied who speak out and who refuse to serve as soldiers and execute the occupation. When individuals carry out oppression, everyone involved loses their humanity. I say this as a Jewish person who has seen Israel uphold the occupation in my name. It’s devastating to have your community face unspeakable, genocidal suffering only to turn around and become the violent oppressor. And as an American, I know that taxpayer money funds these catastrophic human rights violations. There aren’t enough psychedelics in the world to wash the blood off of our hands.It would be powerful to see commitments from people across the psychedelic field that support the Palestinian people in their struggle for justice. It is vital that psychedelic research teams , , and expand their scope beyond the medical model to really capture the full magnitude of potential psychedelic impact on the global majority. We must always keep our eye on the systemic conditions that cause human suffering because
psychedelics are not meant to heal us back into oppressive systems.
We must apply our psychedelic journeys to birth better worlds. As psychedelics often teach us, our fates are intertwined: Palestinian liberation makes us all more free.
A huge thank you to my creative collaborators Alex Bledsoe and Nikolitsa Paranomos for your support with this piece.
How I Ease my OCD and Anxiety with Psychedelics
How I Ease my OCD and Anxiety with Psychedelics
Publication date: 03-10-2020
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Art by . Image description: Shadow of a person from behind standing on a grass and flower lined path with gold steps in a sea of blue glass overlooking purple mountains and a sunrise. By Amanda GelenderI have struggled with OCD and anxiety for about 25 years. My OCD has shapeshifted over time, camouflaging into each phase of my life, but the themes have remained pretty consistent through the years. At this point in my life, my OCD could perhaps best be described as meaning that while I have compulsions, obsessive and intrusive thought loops are the most debilitating aspects of my condition. At times, OCD fear loops have been so overwhelming that entire parts of my life shut down - for example, I stopped driving for years because I couldn’t shake the terrifying fear that I would accidentally hurt someone.I have been fortunate enough to work with many different healing modalities throughout my life, including talk therapy, community support networks, acupuncture, medications (), cannabis, peer-support group therapy, physical movement, nature, and creative practices. I have also worked extensively with psychedelics to manage my OCD, anxiety, and depression. While I don’t seek or expect a “cure” to my mental health challenges, LSD and psychedelic mushrooms are life changing tools to work through my fears and come to peace with myself, facilitating some of the most transformational healing work of my life.Working with psychedelics to support folks with OCD and anxiety is a topic of deep interest to me both personally and professionally: In addition to my own experiences, my work is to facilitate with psilocybin mushroom truffles. I’m not a doctor or therapist, I facilitate experiences as someone with extensive experience with psychedelics and a love for creating the conditions for others to benefit from them the way I have. Many of the people who reach out for sessions experience anxiety and/or OCD, so I’m frequently in conversation with folks about whether psychedelics may be helpful tools to support them. There are still many open questions about how and why psychedelics impact people the way they do - this is not merely a scientific inquiry, it is also political, philosophical, cultural, and spiritual. In this age of crumbling drug prohibition, western science is trying to catch up to what about the healing potential of entheogenic plant medicine. Researchers have only begun to scratch the surface on psychedelic applications for and , but so far are very promising. I’m confident that in the coming years, psychedelic medicine will become mainstream treatment for a broad range of mental and physical health challenges. We just have to keep our focus on access and , being wary of how these incredibly powerful tools may be and a for-profit medical system.In a neurological context, about classic psychedelics and the brain is that it temporarily quiets down the “default mode network,” a part of the brain that filters and communicates information between various regions. So when the default mode network goes off duty during a psychedelic trip, parts of the brain can communicate that don’t usually talk to each other and new neural connections . We suddenly have unfiltered access to a slew of information, memories, and feelings that are often difficult to tap into in our standard state of consciousness. It can help us feel what some call “ego dissolution,” a sensation that changes , which to the positive benefits of psychedelics. Below is of brain scans depicting the neural connections with psilocybin (image b) and a placebo (image a): Brain scans showing connectivity with psilocybin (right) and with a placebo (left). Credit: Petri et al./Proceedings of the Royal Society Interface But what does this mean on a practical level? Well, it’s different for everyone. I have found that in the psychedelic state it’s easier to go past the mind and work through trauma in my body. I can release control and explore my deepest fears and traumas at the root of my anxieties. I can hold myself with compassion and feel through repressed emotions, tapping into a sense of universal oneness and spiritual connection. I can feel tremendous joy, sorrow, rage, euphoria, and humility, a powerful emotional catharsis that cleans my pipes. In the time after a trip, there is often a window of that can particularly support folks with depression and anxiety - it often feels a bit easier to try new things and shake up old habits. I feel more present and aware of what I want. I feel re-energized, appreciative, and grounded. Ideas, fresh perspectives, and creativity comes more easily. My connections and community work deepens. All of these shifts help ease the daily struggle of anxiety.Of course when we ask a question like, “How can psychedelics help relieve anxiety?” we have to remember the context in which we attempt to heal: Racialized capitalism. We live under political systems that exacerbate and facilitate trauma and perpetual anxiety, particularly for Black and Brown people. It’s very hard to heal yourself in an environment that continues to inflict harm. So we have to remember that while mental health challenges can feel like individual plights, they are often not so much personal pathologies as they are natural ways of responding to our environment. While psychedelics are incredibly powerful tools for exploration and healing, to truly address the roots of mental health crises, our focus must always be on systemic level change.From what I have witnessed with clients, people heal differently with these tools and it can change over time. Some folks have a radical shift after a trip, others may have a more subtle shift or may not resonate with this modality at this point in their life. A trip that facilitates a strong sense of interconnectedness with the universe (ego “death” or dissolution) who struggle with depression and anxiety. But in my experience, ego dissolution isn’t a prerequisite for substantial healing with psychedelics. I like to remind clients that the wisdom from psychedelic sessions can come in many forms: Just because there may not be a stark, immediate shift after a trip doesn’t mean that important work isn’t being done. Rather than a silver bullet, I view psychedelic sessions as powerful steps on a healing and growth path. Each trip I shed another layer and go deeper - it’s a process that can take time. So while my work with psychedelics hasn’t eradicated my OCD or anxiety symptoms, the volume has turned down, and I have renewed mental, emotional, and spiritual fortitude to traverse challenges when they arise. A great example is my writing - OCD would want to block me from publishing this piece (“Have I checked it enough times to see if I said something incorrect? Will I accidentally cause damage with what I share?”...) but I move through the fear and publish anyway. It’s not that those voices aren’t there, it’s that they don’t drive and control my life the way they used to. In working with psychedelics through the years, I’ve become less fear-based. I feel more aligned and at peace with the natural ebb and flow of things.I have also found that psychedelics work well in partnership with other healing modalities. People who have healing practices in place before their trip often have an easier time integrating the lessons from psychedelic journeys. By the same token, psychedelics can enhance existing practices, helping people go deeper and unlock new levels in talk therapy, meditation, and artistic expression, for instance.
Trip Tips for Folks with OCD & Anxiety
The many unknowns of a psychedelic journey can be the perfect catalyst for worry, particularly for those of us with a proclivity towards looping, catastrophizing, and worst-case scenarios. It’s completely normal to be scared before a psychedelic journey - I was certainly terrified before my first psychedelic trip and I’m so grateful to have had thorough preparation and a supportive person there with me to help me feel safe in my exploration.A wide range of experiences are possible in a psychedelic journey and even healing trips can sometimes feel scary or even traumatic. In my experience, going through these dark places in psychedelic journeying can still bring great positivity, but only if the container around the trip is supportive. This is which found that the majority of people who have had challenging psychedelic mushroom experiences still said they were “‘meaningful’ or ‘worthwhile,’ with half of these positive responses claiming it as one of the ” To set yourself up for a safe and transformational session, it’s always wise to follow basic prep guidelines - access the medicine from a trusted and safe source (testing the substance if necessary), know a good starting dose, may affect your trip, prepare and feel as centered as possible before the journey (set), arrange for a safe and nourishing space (setting), have a person with you for support (sitter or guide), and allot time to process in the days following the session (integration). I actually think that a healthy mix of nervousness and excitement before a trip is a good thing: It demonstrates that you have reverence for how powerful a psychedelic teacher is and that it has the potential to significantly shift your life. But of course it’s best not to go into a trip feeling too anxious, so practice grounding yourself before the journey. And if you’re really struggling the days leading up to the trip - don’t push it. Check in with yourself and see if you want to postpone your trip or start with a lower dose. It’s also important to note that psychedelics aren’t for everyone and it can shift depending on what you’re going through. For instance, I don’t go on full dose trips when I am in a depressive crisis, a particularly bad OCD episode, or when I’m very stressed or overworked. I’ve found that these trips can be unnecessarily challenging or even temporarily damaging, so I wait until I feel a bit more stable to have a session. After your trip, be kind to yourself and take time to process in whatever ways feel most natural to you. It can be particularly helpful to write, draw, rest, and be in nature in the days following your journey. It’s normal to feel many things after a trip so let the changes unfold over time and don’t rush to make sense of everything. Be patient if changes don’t come right away and remember that for those of us who struggle with anxiety and OCD, just the act of releasing control and taking the leap into the psychedelic journey is a huge achievement.
8 Songs for Transformational Psychedelic Mushroom Experiences
8 Songs for Transformational Psychedelic Mushroom Experiences
Publication date: 02-27-2020
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Digital drawing of purple, yellow and pink smoke flowing through broad green leaves. Art by Nikolitsa Paranomos.
By
While the impact of music on psychedelic sessions is currently an ongoing , music has been a powerful component of psychedelic journeying for centuries, rooted in indigenous, ceremonial practice with plant medicine. In the context of psychedelic mushroom journeying outside of a shamanistic practice, musical considerations are personal as well as cultural. Not everyone responds well to the most common types of music played in retreat and clinical settings - for instance, clients grappling with the impact of white supremacy on their psyches may be less likely to resonate with classical music that harkens back to colonization. “World” music selected without proper cultural context can miss the mark and feel exoticizing. We need more research focused on experiences of people of color from a wide range of backgrounds to really understand how music can foster breakthroughs in psychedelic sessions.At our in Amsterdam, we support people from many walks of life through legal, sliding-scale, private psychedelic mushroom experiences. Time and again, we’ve witnessed how the right songs played at the right time can facilitate tremendous breakthroughs in psychedelic sessions. We have an individualized approach to music selection: Rather than follow a set playlist, we live-DJ for our clients, pulling from our extensive catalogue of songs to support moment-to-moment flow. We also ask clients to send us music that holds particular significance for them: Peppering in these personal tracks during key moments creates an opportunity to process through emotions, memories, traumas, and relationships.Our individualized approach also means that as guides we are exposed to a steady stream of fresh musical tracks from our clients from around the world. I’ve pulled eight pieces of music from our library that we love to play during client sessions - enjoy! The Come Up
&
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The hypnotic, loving music of Beautiful Chorus is a staple for our sessions. Faith’s Hymn and the chakra tracks from their Resonance Meditation album create a soothing, womb-like atmosphere. These songs facilitate a warm, other-worldly invitation into the psychedelic journey. We often play these songs on loop in both the come up and the come down of a session. (Shout out to our collaborator Alex Bledsoe who put us on to their stunning music!)
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Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood received an Oscar nomination for his original score for the 2017 film Phantom Thread and this particular track from the film is a go-to for when the trip begins to lift off. The rolling crescendos usher in a fresh, enchanting state of being to set the stage for the journey. The Peak
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We love to play this track during the transition from the come-up into the peak of the experience. It’s almost completely instrumental except for the mantra “let it go” spoken as the beat picks up. This song’s layered, hypnotic vibe combined with a powerful mantra of release supports breakthroughs at a time in a trip when surrendering is key.
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We were first introduced to Kamasi Washington by a jazz writer client who sent along some of his music for her session. We loved the tracks so much that we incorporated his work into our library. Integrity is hypnotic and layered, definitely worth repeating.
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This is a classic track by the legendary Nigerian Afrobeat artist Fela Kuti. It’s an intense, sweeping selection to experience on a psychedelic trip so we save it for the fervency of the peak. We’ve found this song to be a particularly strong choice for Black and Brown clients doing ancestral and work during their session.
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This beautiful 2016 track is gentle but rhythmic, invoking the feeling of riding a wave or moving through water. It can play on loop and doesn’t overwhelm the senses, guiding you through a psychedelic state with inspiration and ease. It’s also a wonderful track to create art with on a psychedelic journey. The Come Down
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This is one of our favorite songs to loop during the comedown of a psychedelic trip. KOKOROKO is a truly genius Afrobeat collective out of London whose music is at the same time calming and stirring. As clients float back to this plane from their session, the vibes of Abusey Junction are often a welcome homecoming.
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As the revelations and breakthroughs of a trip are setting in after a full journey, this song brings a loving and poignant presence. It’s a great choice for when folks are coming more fully back into their bodies and can manage a track with lyrics. Nina Simone’s version of this song is a particularly compelling and beautiful choice, given her legacy as a and musical force of nature.We’re always creating new lists and would love to send them directly to you - to catch the vibe.
How Psychedelic Mushrooms Support Me
How Psychedelic Mushrooms Support Me
Publication date: 02-20-2020
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Digital drawing of a blue mushroom with gold strands, circled by pastel painted green leaves. Artist:
By
This piece is my contribution to the #ThankYouPlantMedicine campaign to de-stigmatize and psychedelic plant medicine. From microdosing to full dose experiences, psilocybin “magic” mushrooms have supported me tremendously me over the years. I also work intentionally with cannabis, which continues to bring me healing and positive transformation. For context, I have struggled for many years with several mental health challenges including OCD, depression, and anxiety. I’ve been on prescription medications over the years and am currently on an SSRI . I’m from the Bay Area and live in the Netherlands where psilocybin is legal for purchase in the form of mushroom truffles. I’m the founder of a sliding-scale in Amsterdam - my team and I support people from around the world through psychedelic mushroom truffle sessions with the goal of helping to create a more just, equitable, and sustainable world. Through my own personal transformations and the many client sessions I’ve facilitated, I’ve seen first-hand how with supportive preparation (set) and environment (setting), psychedelic mushrooms have tremendous potential to support people in a multitude of ways (something that indigenous people have ). Learning to work with psychedelics has been an ongoing process: Along with euphoric and joyful moments in trips, I’ve also had very challenging experiences where I was grateful to have a nourishing environment and supportive person at my side. While psychedelics are not for everyone at all points in their lives, they are now a vital part of my wellness and social change work. They also complement and enhance the therapeutic benefits of my other healing modalities. I believe that psychedelic plant medicine, including psilocybin and cannabis, should be and widely accessible for people to grow and share in community. Our focus must always prioritize , , and over - a significant battle under racialized capitalism. But any movement to reduce individual pain has a responsibility to address the systemic causes of suffering. The rise of psychedelic medicine must include to address the generations of damage inflicted on Black and Brown communities through , , and the . The global struggle for indigenous rights is and to all plant medicine practice. I write my story about working with mushrooms in part because my whiteness shields me from impunity - I can speak openly about substance use with less risk than my friends of color. My ability to work with largely illegal medicines as openly as I do and with as little friction as I experience is a direct result of my whiteness - all of the times I have
not
been by police, for instance. I hope our collective stories shared today lead to positive, systemic change. Here are ways psilocybin mushrooms have supported me:
New Ways of Perceiving
In mushroom sessions, I can access fresh perspectives on all facets of life. It can sometimes feel like being given a universal key to explore every room in the house of . I can wander into any space and explore memories, desires, and fears in ways that often feel inaccessible in my standard state of consciousness. Heightened sensations and perceptive shifts in psychedelic sessions allow me to continually gain a deeper understanding of myself and the world around me. This is particularly helpful as someone who frequently experiences anxiety and depressive loops: A new mindset and path forward can mean . Everything I encounter during a psychedelic journey can teach me a lesson, a mindset that also serves me well in daily life. I marvel with profound curiosity and appreciation for everything around me, even if I don’t have language to describe its complexity.
Creative Flow
Mushrooms help me to create without self-censoring. I write and draw freely and unselfconsciously, focused on the joy and power of creating rather than the output. New ideas emerge organically. I deepen my appreciation for music, art, poetry, and natural beauty, as I can perceive these mediums with enhanced meaning and feeling. I gain more forgiveness and understanding for my own creative process, helping me release the shame of not producing “enough” or “better.”
Feel my feelings
Mushrooms help me to feel my feelings with depth and profundity - I often weep, rage, marvel, and burst into uncontrollable laughter. Accessing the entire emotional spectrum helps me to better understand and appreciate my multitudes. The catharsis of full, embodied emotional release on psychedelics has been tremendously healing. Psychedelics help me process through trauma not just cognitively but with my whole being (body, mind, spirit).Psychedelics let me access a well of inner wisdom which gives me a sense of safety, security, and groundedness in my daily life. In working with mushrooms and cannabis over the years, I now feel less resistance to change and more at ease in transition. Even though I have a long way to go in releasing my perfectionism and unnecessary fears,
it’s been a relief to feel more at peace with the natural ebb and flow of things - endings, beginnings, birth, life, death.
Embodiment
Mushrooms help me feel through pain and and programmed into my cells. I can work through and more easily release body shame. I can explore my embodied experience of gender and sexuality. I often experience a resounding, indescribable sense of somatic gratitude which spills into my daily life, relationships, and social change work in the days and weeks to come.
Deepened Connections
After sessions, I often have an enhanced desire for deep connection. I feel more present with myself and others, grateful for the time we have together. I‘m open to new, aligned connections. Because my sessions help me tune into my wants and needs, I feel less fear in sharing my truth and asserting boundaries. After sessions I often initiate uncomfortable conversations that I had been putting off or take the leap to do something I’ve been wanting to do but felt too afraid. I often emerge from trips revitalized, nourished, in deeper connection with those around me, and with a spark of optimism, which feels particularly important and elusive in these bleak political times.
Fuel to Imagine and Build a Better World
We still have a lot to learn about how psychedelics impact and . But I certainly see their radical potential. Mushrooms can help us imagine possibilities outside of dominant paradigms and systems: Tunnels to a better world. Mushrooms let us dissolve boundaries and borders, reminding us that all of our fates are intertwined. They can help us engender deep empathy for all living things, reconnecting us with our roots in the natural world. Psychedelics are not just tools for individual improvement, as asserted by the medical model and dominant neoliberal paradigms. Our collective challenges are systemic and our solutions must be as well. Psychedelics aren’t a substitute for structural change, but they can open us up to new ideas, connect us to our values, and re-energize us to fight for structural solutions, breathing new life into our social change work.As adrienne maree brown, author of , , “Where we are born into privilege, we are charged with dismantling any myth of supremacy. Where we are born into struggle, we are charged with claiming our dignity, joy and liberation.” I think psychedelics can support all sides of this work. For those who experience oppression - particularly Black and Brown folks - psychedelics can be an access point to feel tremendous freedom and healing from generations of racial trauma. They can usher in powerful joy, release, and ancestral connection. They can with the process of , feeling freedom, worth, and truth outside of systems of oppression. And for those with privilege, we can work with psychedelics to explore how to best leverage our resources and positionality for a more just world. Mushrooms can help us all to dream up a better society and then boost our momentum and capacity to actually build that world.
Explore All Things - Mind, Consciousness, Dimensionality, Identity, and Spirituality
Mushrooms give us an opportunity tap into the interconnectedness of all things, the expansiveness of our consciousness, and the energy flow of the universe. They provide direct access to spiritual planes and ancestral wisdom (one the reasons why by indigenous sacred use of mushrooms was unmediated access to the divine). Each trip, mushrooms reveal more data in an unlimited stream of channels, windows, mirrors, and portals. They help to continually pull away at a seemingly endless series of veils, opening access into facets of dimensionality, nonlinear time, and consciousness. Psychedelic exploration will continue to have a tremendous impact on what we know about existence and consciousness.With mushrooms I can deeply explore facets of my queerness, race, sexuality, and gender. I can melt walls I’ve built to shield and protect myself from pain. I can muster the courage to walk into the basement of my subconscious and see what I’ve been too afraid to look at - trauma, guilt, shame, death, failure, abuse, resentment, anxiety, sadness, uncomfortable truths. This work can be painful and exhausting, but it can also be gentle and fortifying. Each session I gain more embodied strategies to accept all parts of myself and traverse life’s challenges. It has been some of the most profound healing work of my life.
Zendo Project Celebrates a Decade at Burning Man
Zendo Project Celebrates a Decade at Burning Man
Publication date: 11-21-2022
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Burning Man 2022 marked the ten-year anniversary of the Zendo Project providing psychedelic peer support to large events worldwide! The training and service project started at Burning Man in 2012 as a harm reduction initiative of the (MAPS). In anticipation of a greater need for support after a two-year COVID-19 event hiatus, Zendo Project organizers trained 416 volunteers to provide psychedelic peer-to-peer support at two locations at Burning Man, where they provided support to nearly 600 event attendees.“Burning Man is very special to our organization; it’s where we began. In the beginning when Zendo Project went to Burning Man, we weren’t allowed to use the word “psychedelics” in our literature for fear of being associated with drug use. Now, all these years later, Burning Man is promoting the Zendo Project as their choice for psychedelic harm reduction training and services on the playa. We’re very proud of the work we’ve done in all the years we’ve been doing it”.
Linnae Ponte
, Zendo Project founding director & Board MemberMore information about 2023 volunteer opportunities and trainings will be announced through the !The post
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October 2022 Giving Report: Donors Give Over $120,000 to Psychedelic Research and Education
October 2022 Giving Report: Donors Give Over $120,000 to Psychedelic Research and Education
Publication date: 11-21-2022
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In October 2022, over 1,000 donors gave $120,389 in donations and pledges. We are so grateful to these supporters who advance our shared vision of creating safe and legal opportunities for the beneficial uses of psychedelics.Donors supported the following initiatives in October: research-related project ($60,198); general support ($60,067); harm reduction ($103); and health equity ($21).We extend a special thank you to our community of 863 monthly donors who contributed a total of $24,764 in October. Your support is vital in making our programs sustainable.We are honored to support a number of mission-aligned organizations by providing fiscal sponsorship so that contributions for their social benefit projects may be tax-deductible as allowed by law. An additional $458,226 was donated to organizations that MAPS fiscally sponsors including: Expanded Access Program ($400,000); People of Color Psychedelic Collective ($50,125); Brooklyn Psychedelic Society ($6,341); Alma Institute ($730); ICEERS ($500); North Star Project ($500); and Bluelight ($30). TributeWe recognize that, for many of our supporters, the inspiration to support psychedelic science and education is close to their hearts. We are grateful to honor these special connections. October honorees include:Paul GordonGratitudeWe appreciate donations of any size and are particularly grateful to the following supporters for their generous contributions of $1,000 or more:Research-Related ProjectsRiverstyx Foundation ($15,000) – Ayahuasca/GriefSteve and Genevieve Jurvetson ($15,000) – Ayahuasca/GriefAnonymous ($15,000) – Ayahuasca/GriefAnonymous ($15,000) – Ayahuasca/GriefUnrestrictedEva Burt-Dillon ($10,299)Anonymous ($3,000)John and Riley Pfeiffer ($2,000)Ophir Marsh ($2,000)Anonymous ($1,100)Jack Wolcowitz ($1,000)Myyco Inc ($1,000)Tom Link and Kristi Kremers ($1,000)
Fiscal
Sponsorship
Anne Kiehl Friedman ($50,000) – People of Color Psychedelic CollectiveEdward Pastore ($5,000) – Brooklyn Psychedelic SocietyBennet Zelner ($1,000) – Brooklyn Psychedelic SocietyTogether, we can legalize psychedelic medicine. Donate now at . The post
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MDMA Therapy Training Program Update: November 2022
MDMA Therapy Training Program Update: November 2022
Publication date: 11-21-2022
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The MDMA Therapy Training Program completed their final two trainings for the year in October. The first training took place in October at Omega Institute in New York from October 9
th
to the 14
th
. Brooke Balliett, L.M.F.T. and Phil Lister, M.D. were the first pair of new trainers to step into the Lead Trainer role. The retreat included a team of eight trainers that also consisted of Evan Sola, Cristie Strongman, Chantelle Thomas, Joanna Simundic, Kevin Lutz, and Jose Mata. This marks an important milestone as the Training Team looks to elevate assistant trainers into the lead training role. The October Omega training also included the largest number of scholarship recipients in a single cohort this year. There were 31 Health Equity Leaders enrolled. On October 22-28, the MDMA Therapy Training Program delivered their final training in collaboration with the Mount Sinai Center for Psychedelic Psychotherapy and Trauma Research. The training ,led by Michael Mithoefer and Annie Mithoefer with support from Chris Stauffer, took place in New York. The training was supported by the Bronx VA Training Team and members of the MAPS PBC Training Team. 48 VA clinicians and veterans from across the country joined for the week-long training. Ensuring that the network of MDMA-assisted therapy practitioners is vast and able to support a broad spectrum of trauma is critical in our mission towards mass mental health for all. In its second year, the MAPS Health Equity Leadership Program for Practitioners selected 131 applicants as Health Equity Leaders. We are humbled by the opportunity to foster connection and community with all our Health Equity Leaders. We are excited to announce a virtual gathering in December for all 2022 Health Equity Leaders. The MAPS Health Equity Leadership Program for Practitioners is part of a larger commitment to increasing inclusion and equity in our programs. Over the course of this year, we were able to allocate and award $622,240 in scholarships. We are currently working to continue to expand this initiative into 2023 and beyond. All of the 2022 training cohorts are now complete. The MDMA Therapy Training Program is not accepting applications at this time. Practitioners interested in learning more about the MDMA Therapy Training Program and future training opportunities can sign up for the to receive updates.The post
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Second MAPS-Sponsored Phase 3 Trial of MDMA-Assisted Therapy for PTSD Completed (MAPP2)
Second MAPS-Sponsored Phase 3 Trial of MDMA-Assisted Therapy for PTSD Completed (MAPP2)
Publication date: 11-17-2022
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MAPS Public Benefit Corporation (MAPS PBC) has announced that the final participant in the second Phase 3 trial of psychedelic-assisted therapy, , completed their final session in the clinical trial treatment protocol. The clinical trial program for the has been sponsored by the (MAPS) since 2000 and administered by (MAPS PBC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of MAPS, since 2014.
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A Psychedelic Caucus is Coming to Congress
A Psychedelic Caucus is Coming to Congress
Publication date: 11-17-2022
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 17, 2022
The caucus will examine modern research on psychedelic-assisted therapies and lay the groundwork for expanded clinical research and future congressional funding
MAPS hopes that the caucus will open up opportunities for education about and federal funding for critical and timely research into the possible medical uses of psychedelics
MAPS celebrates the formation of the Congressional Psychedelics Advancing Clinical Treatments (PACT) Caucus, announced today. Led by Representatives Lou Correa (D-CA) and Jack Bergman (R-MI), the caucus will consist of bipartisan members of Congress committed to “addressing ways to alleviate the national mental health crisis through psychedelic science and research.” PACT looks to advance research into the therapeutic use of psychedelic compounds and ensure any FDA-approved psychedelic-assisted therapies are available to those in need, in accordance with the law.We are encouraged that Representatives Correa and Bergman are taking significant steps to bring the conversation about psychedelic research and therapy to Congress. This initiative will build upon the growing national interest in the potential for psychedelic care modalities to be incorporated into healthcare. We look forward to working with members of the caucus to educate their colleagues to replace drug war rhetoric with science, evidence, and compassion.
, Director of Policy & Advocacy, MAPS
The PACT Caucus will not be offering recommendations on decriminalization, legalization, rescheduling or de-scheduling psychedelic substances. Rather, the goals of this caucus are to: Increase awareness of psychedelic-assisted therapies among members of Congress and their staffs, Support increases in federal funding for psychedelic science, and Examine regulatory impediments to psychedelic research. ###
NOTE
The safety and efficacy of psychedelic-assisted therapies are currently under investigation. No psychedelic-assisted therapy has been approved by the FDA or other regulatory authorities; no therapy works for everyone; and all therapies, even in clinical settings, carry risks.
ABOUT
Founded in 1986, MAPS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit research and educational organization that develops medical, legal, and cultural contexts for people to benefit from the careful uses of psychedelics and marijuana. MAPS is sponsoring the most advanced psychedelic therapy research in the world: Phase 3 clinical trials of MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD. Since MAPS was founded, philanthropic donors and grantors have given more than $130 million for psychedelic and marijuana research and education. MAPS has earned both the and a .The post
A Psychedelic Caucus is Coming to Congress
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Second MAPS-Sponsored Phase 3 Trial of MDMA-Assisted Therapy for PTSD Completed
Second MAPS-Sponsored Phase 3 Trial of MDMA-Assisted Therapy for PTSD Completed
Publication date: 11-17-2022
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 17, 2022
MAPS began sponsorship of clinical trials of MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD in 2000
The second Phase 3 trial of any psychedelic-assisted therapy was recently completed when the final participant had their final evaluation session with an Independent Rater
With completion, the most advanced clinical research program in psychedelic-assisted therapies is expected to lead to FDA evaluation of the treatment’s safety and efficacy in 2023
MAPS Public Benefit Corporation (MAPS PBC) has announced that the final participant in the second Phase 3 trial of psychedelic-assisted therapy, , completed their final session in the clinical trial treatment protocol. The clinical trial program for the has been sponsored by the (MAPS) since 2000 and administered by (MAPS PBC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of MAPS, since 2014. The completion of data gathering in our second Phase 3 study of MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD is a critical milestone in MAPS’ 36-year campaign to obtain FDA approval for the therapeutic use of MDMA. I’m proud of our team of therapists, staff, donors, funders, and especially the brave patients who volunteered to confront their trauma in our studies.
, Executive Director, MAPS
The results of the first Phase 3 trial of, published on , were statistically significant, with 88% of participants responding to the treatment and a favorable safety profile. A blinded interim analysis of MAPP2 results (as of May 2022), conducted by an independent Data Monitoring Committee, indicated that the trial had a , and had at least a 90% probability of obtaining statistical significance (i.e. a one-in-twenty chance that the findings are random).MAPS recently that carefully considered interventions increased ethnoracial diversity among participants in MAPP2. As part of , MAPS PBC’s researchers implemented solutions to address the health disparities that people of color face within clinical research. Improving the diversity of therapy practitioners and clinical staff, training therapists and independent raters on racial justice and cultural competency, and other interventions in MAPP2 demonstrated a successful framework to address health inequalities in psychedelic-assisted therapies.
NOTE
The safety and efficacy of psychedelic-assisted therapies are currently under investigation. No psychedelic-assisted therapy has been approved by the FDA or other regulatory authorities; no therapy works for everyone; and all therapies, even in clinical settings, carry risks.###
ABOUT
Founded in 1986, MAPS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit research and educational organization that develops medical, legal, and cultural contexts for people to benefit from the careful uses of psychedelics and marijuana. MAPS is sponsoring the most advanced psychedelic therapy research in the world: Phase 3 clinical trials of MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD. Since MAPS was founded, philanthropic donors and grantors have given more than $130 million for psychedelic and marijuana research and education. MAPS has earned both the and a . The post
Second MAPS-Sponsored Phase 3 Trial of MDMA-Assisted Therapy for PTSD Completed
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Protected: Second MAPS-Sponsored Phase 3 Trial of MDMA-Assisted Therapy for PTSD Completed
Protected: Second MAPS-Sponsored Phase 3 Trial of MDMA-Assisted Therapy for PTSD Completed
Publication date: 11-16-2022
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Psilocybin Facilitator Training Programs in Oregon: An Inside Look at Oregon’s Burgeoning Psychedelic Marketplace
Psilocybin Facilitator Training Programs in Oregon: An Inside Look at Oregon’s Burgeoning Psychedelic Marketplace
Publication date: 11-02-2022
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MAPS Bulletin 2022 Vol. 32, No. 2
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Conflict of Interest Disclosure: Jon Dennis is the executive director and a co-owner of the Vital Oregon facilitator training program, and this article is about Oregon facilitator training programs.
In January, Oregon will begin accepting licensing applications for a new class of psychedelic professional, called a “psilocybin services facilitator.” The facilitator will play perhaps the most crucial role in the administration of Oregon’s new psilocybin program: ensuring client safety. To do this, facilitators will be tasked with screening clients for contraindications, preparing clients for the psilocybin experience, advising on and approving of the amount of psilocybin to be consumed, providing supervision and support during the psilocybin session, and offering integration services after the psilocybin experience to help participants catalyze positive life changes. They will also provide referrals to professionals in other disciplines when clients may benefit from other professional help. With all these responsibilities, Oregon is relying heavily on facilitators to ensure that its psilocybin program is run safely and responsibly. Oregon’s psilocybin program, known as
1
(M109), is not a medical or mental health program. On the contrary, adults 21 years of age will be permitted to take psilocybin for
2
. The facilitators who will run the program will normally not be medical or mental health professionals. In fact, there are only two educational requirements in order to become a facilitator in the Oregon system: holding a high school diploma or GED and graduating from a state-approved facilitator training program. This means Oregon is also relying heavily on facilitator training programs to implement the M109 program safely and responsibly.Last May, the (OHA) adopted its final rules for the initial facilitator training requirements. In brief, the facilitators must successfully complete a program that is no less than 160 hours. 40 of those hours must be an in-person practicum in which students have the opportunity to “facilitate and observe the facilitation of non-ordinary states of consciousness.” The remaining 120 hours may be offered entirely online and must cover a range of topics, including safety, ethics, pharmacology, core facilitation skills, and cultural equity in relation to psilocybin. Programs must maintain a level of training for students such that graduates “could reasonably expect to possess the knowledge and skills required to practice as a facilitator.” At the end of the program, the director or a lead instructor must endorse each graduating student as “qualified to provide psilocybin services.”Because M109 allows people to take psilocybin for virtually any reason, there is considerable speculation about what “psilocybin services” in Oregon will actually look like. They might look medical, therapeutic, recreational, religious, or anything in-between. They might look like nature retreats or wellness spas or ceremonial gatherings. They might even look like microdosing-friendly office spaces. Oregon hasn’t published most of the M109 regulations yet, but it appears to some observers that the types of psilocybin services that will be available in Oregon might accurately reflect the wide and varied motivations that people have for taking psilocybin. These conditions are predictive of a niche psilocybin marketplace in which psilocybin facilitation and facilitator training programs assume many different forms. Last June, the Oregon Health Authority
3
began accepting applications from training programs who wish to become approved by the state. As of July 21, 2022, OHA has approved 8 different training programs, and at least 4 other programs are known to be working through the application process. These programs reflect some of the diversity within the rapidly-expanding psychedelic culture. They also reflect varying philosophies and approaches to psychedelic experience.Some Oregon training programs require their students to have advanced medical or therapeutic degrees. Others are proud to have previously-underground practitioners on their teaching staff. Tuition for most schools is around $8,000-$9,000 with outliers in both directions. At least 2 are nonprofits. Many programs celebrate diversity and seek inclusion of marginalized populations. Several discuss the intersection of Indigenous wisdom with modern clinical research. Generally, schools tend to focus on healing, wellness, personal growth, and safety. Nearly every program’s website discusses the spiritual dimensions of working with psilocybin.
4
has a shamanic character. It partners with an Indigenous plant medicine community in Colombia and teaches from “an ecological perspective.”
5
is a nonprofit that is fiscally-sponsored by MAPS. Its mission is “to strengthen and diversify the network” of facilitators “by offering prioritized enrollment and certification opportunities to members of marginalized and low-income communities.” Another nonprofit,
6
, is also dedicated to diversity in the psychedelic ecosystem and roots its program “in holism, wisdom, and science.” The mission of
7
, the program started by the co-chief petitioner of M109 Tom Eckert, is “to spark healing and wholeness through Oregon’s newly legal psilocybin therapy and wellness framework.”
8
focuses on training licensed mental health practitioners and offers a Postgraduate Certificate in Psilocybin-assisted Therapy.
9
uses “an integrative humanistic approach” and highlights its team’s decades of hand-on harm-reduction work at music festivals and other events.
10
combines medicinal approaches to psilocybin with ceremonial and traditional approaches, and requires teachers to be centered in anti-racism and anti-oppression.
11
, the training program from the Psychedelics Today team (and, full disclosure, the program I’m involved with) aims to provide exceptional and affordable training for a niche marketplace in a way that advances psychedelic community and culture. Even
12
has announced that it’s going to have an Oregon training program that will emphasize “psilocybin facilitation and its applications for spiritual and psychotherapeutic care.” Michael Pollan serves on its leadership team.Facilitator training programs are regulated both by the Oregon Health Authority and by the
13
. Some of the smaller, nonprofit, and more mission-driven training programs have expressed concern that the weight of the regulatory burdens—and in particular the regulatory compliance ordinarily required of private career schools—may cause their programs to no longer be financially feasible. This should be cause for alarm because the prevalence of smaller training programs contributes to the cultural diversity and cultural equity of this fledgling system, which is already facing considerable diversity and equity challenges. The Oregon Health Authority and its
14
worked for 16 months to identify and establish standard minimum training criteria that they expect will create safety and equity in the world’s first regulated adult-use psychedelic services program. How that training looks once reflected through the diverging currents of a consumer-driven psychedelic marketplace might provide some clues to where this “renaissance” is headed.
Footnotes
1
State of Oregon: Oregon secretary of State – Home
. Measure 109 Language. (2019). Retrieved August 22, 2022, from
2
Marks, M. (2021, December 17).
Warning: Oregon legalized supported adult use of psilocybin, not psychedelic therapy
. Chacruna. Retrieved August 30, 2022, from
3
Oregon Psilocybin Services
. Oregon Health Authority : Oregon Psilocybin Services : Prevention and Wellness : State of Oregon. (2022). Retrieved August 22, 2022, from
4
Earth Medicine Center • Psilocybin Education
. (n.d.). Retrieved August 22, 2022, from
5
Psychedelic facilitator training in alignment with Oregon Measure 109: The Psilocybin Services Act
. ALMA INSTITUTE. (n.d.). Retrieved August 22, 2022, from
6
Home
. Synaptic. (n.d.). Retrieved August 22, 2022, from
7
Innertrek facilitator training
. InnerTrek Facilitator Training. (n.d.). Retrieved August 22, 2022, from
8
Psilocybin-assisted therapy
. Fluence. (2022, July 27). Retrieved August 22, 2022, from
9
Home – subtle winds
. Home – Subtle Winds. (n.d.). Retrieved August 30, 2022, from
10
Soundmind Institute
. SoundMind Institute. (n.d.). Retrieved August 22, 2022, from
11
Vital
. Vital Psychedelic Training Oregon. (n.d.). Retrieved August 22, 2022, from
12
Anwar, Y. (2020, September 16).
UC Berkeley launches New Center for Psychedelic Science and Education
. Berkeley News. Retrieved August 18, 2022, from
13
Higher Education Coordinating Commission
. State of Oregon: Higher Education Coordinating Commission – Home. (n.d.). Retrieved August 22, 2022, from
14
Oregon Psilocybin Advisory Board
. Oregon Health Authority : Oregon Psilocybin Advisory Board : Prevention and Wellness : State of Oregon. (2021). Retrieved August 24, 2022, from
Jon Dennis
is a lawyer, activist, and entrepreneur in the psychedelics ecosystem and the executive director of Vital Oregon, a psilocybin facilitator training program by Psychedelics Today. He is a member of the Chacruna Institute’s Council for the Protection of Sacred Plants and the co-host of “Eyes on Oregon,” a Psychedelics Today podcast. Jon serves on the Executive Committee of the Oregon State Bar Practice Section on Cannabis and Psychedelics and is a co-chair of its Psychedelics Subcommittee. He is a member of the Psychedelics Bar Association and sits on its Religious Use Committee. He is a founding member of the Entheogenic Practitioners Council of Oregon.
Jon is the chief architect of the proposed regulatory framework for protecting community and religious use of psilocybin under Oregon’s psilocybin program. He has presented to multiple subcommittees of the Oregon Psilocybin Advisory Board in support of religious and spiritual freedoms and a community access model for psychedelic services. Previously, Jon worked as a civil litigator and managed a nonprofit law office giving free legal assistance to people living in poverty. Jon has a BA in Religious Studies and practices law in Ontario, Oregon.
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Embracing Heart-Focused Policing
Embracing Heart-Focused Policing
Publication date: 10-27-2022
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Thanks to your support, Sarko Gergerian is doing his usual police work by day — and by night he’s training to become certified in MDMA-assisted therapy. See how your donations are preparing people like Sarko to help heal the trauma that represents a crisis among first responders.Lieutenant Sarko Gergerian has seen a great deal of crisis in his 10 years of police work. It’s the nature of the job. The daily call logs at the station are a running record of human suffering. The best way to reduce such suffering, Sarko believes, is by helping his fellow first responders heal from their trauma. The old saying holds true for first responders too: “sometimes hurt people hurt people.” If their hurt is healed, they can embrace “heart-focused policing,” which benefits them and the whole community. Because of your visionary support, Sarko has modified MAPS’ mission of well-being for all people into a personal mission of well-being for all first responders.“But there’s a problem,” Sarko says. “We first responders tend to be guarded, suspicious, and resistant to change. We struggle with trauma, yet fear revealing our struggles to others. So we suffer in silence.” This had given Sarko a hopeless feeling — until he met MAPS founder Rick Doblin at a police conference in 2017. The meeting changed his life. You see, at one point, Sarko and the other attendees were faced with a choice of two presentations: one by then-President Donald Trump or one by MAPS Founder Rick Doblin. Sarko chose the latter.The presentation stirred his soul. So Sarko went up to Doblin afterwards and asked how he could help. Doblin’s answer: Sarko should consider becoming the first police officer in the MDMA-assisted therapist trainee program offered by MAPS. Sarko took Doblin’s words to heart. He realized this was his chance to help his fellow first responders, his community, and policing in general.“Law enforcement personnel are psychologically trapped in a ‘triple box’ of criminalization, prohibition, and local regulation — and they often don’t realize it,” Sarko explains. “I feel called to help first responders unpack these boxes.”Now, he has completed the program’s required 100 hours of training. All that remains is for him to participate in an MDMA-assisted therapy treatment in which his role will be to “hold space” for a participant. After that, Sarko will be certified.“I’m happy to be involved in this,” he says. “I can spread the word. I can lead by example and speak openly about the MDMA-assisted-therapy I participated in during my training.”Lately, Sarko notes, more people in his community are seeing the new
How to Change Your Mind
Netflix special, in which he and his connection to MAPS are featured. Sarko’s chief has been very positive and supportive of his appearance in the docuseries. Many other people are appreciative as well. A few are resistant to his efforts, but Sarko is determined to be understanding. “This just pushes an important conversation forward.” “Without MAPS,” Sarko says, “the psychedelic renaissance would not be happening. Now, the possibilities are endless. I see hope and possibility for a future with peace. Massive change is coming.” And, he wants you to know: “That’s why I’m a monthly donor. I want to say
thank you
to the supporters. I want to encourage others to help where and when they can, in whatever way that they can.”The post
Embracing Heart-Focused Policing
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MAPS Analysis of Colorado’s Natural Medicine Health Act: Reviewing Proposition 122/Measure 58
MAPS Analysis of Colorado’s Natural Medicine Health Act: Reviewing Proposition 122/Measure 58
Publication date: 10-26-2022
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MAPS’ Policy ValuesOver the last three years since MAPS published our statement, multiple policy approaches to psychedelics have proliferated in U.S. cities and states, and an increasingly cohesive movement has formed to affect federal policy on psychedelic research. We reiterate that “MAPS believes that all substances should be regulated by evidence-based, practical, and equitable frameworks — medical and otherwise — so people can benefit from intentional and safe use. MAPS encourages reformers to include measures to eliminate or substantially reduce criminal penalties associated with drug manufacture, use, possession, and distribution.” We further highlight a policy preference for harmonious approaches to reform: in other words, approaches that permit decriminalization; sacramental use; regulated adult use; medical use; harm reduction; social support; and treatment resourcing to exist simultaneously. It is through this lens that we analyze any policy, including (also known as the Natural Medicine Health Act or Measure 58). Proposition 122 offers an opportunity to establish adult use and decriminalization of certain psychedelics simultaneously in one state, to offer an alternative approach to total prohibition. It also illuminates the complex policy decisions and trade-offs at this front edge of psychedelic policymaking. Summary of Proposition 122Removes criminal penalties for people 21 years old and older to grow, cultivate, and share “natural medicines” defined as Covered Substances including psilocybin, ibogaine, DMT, and mescaline (not from peyote)
; Provides for regulated access to psilocybin by people 21 years old and older for the first two years of a regulated access program, and then the other Covered Substances after that;Provides for the development and promotion of public education and training for first responders on the use of the Covered Substances.Analysis of Select CO Proposition 122 Provisions Personal UseProposition 122 allows for adult personal use, growing, and sharing with others of the Covered Substances, and protects those actions from civil or criminal fines, penalties, or sanctions under both state or local law. Specifically, § defines “personal use” to include possession of the Covered Substances in an amount that includes that which would be “necessary” to share with others aged 21 or older “in the context of counseling, spiritual guidance, beneficial community-based use and healing, supported use, or related services.” This provision seems to be written to avoid imposing gratuitous restrictions on the ability of community members to utilize the substances in personal or group settings. The measure permits remuneration (i.e. payment) for auxiliary services — but not for the exchange of the substances themselves. This expansive framing of “personal use” could include social use, personal healing, or spiritual growth, and provides a potential counterbalance to the outright “professionalization” of the use of the Covered Substances in Colorado by the regulated use infrastructure. We are intrigued by how such a provision may make room for service providers with intergenerational wisdom and extensive experience to operate in Colorado, and look on with interest for right-sized approaches to consumer protection in what would be a “new” quasi-above-ground industry, specifically as they relate to issues of ethical practice, community accountability, quality control, training, and harm reduction. Recognizing that most people have their first psychedelic experiences with friends, not in formal, guided settings, we are hopeful that permitting personal use in a group and sharing will encourage peer support and community amongst users.Regulated UseThe regulated adult use infrastructure in Proposition 122 is overseen by Colorado’s Department of Regulatory Affairs (DORA). While our interpretation of the language leads us to believe that DORA will not be involved in regulating personal use outside of its domain — its jurisdiction as stated in Proposition 122 is limited to the licensure system it is authorized to regulate by the Initiative — we also wonder if DORA will stand by while arguably comparable — although less formally regulated — services are offered concurrently to state-regulated ones. Martha Hartney’s question in Chacruna piece is a good one: “…the NMHA permits DORA to create new professional categories and licenses as may be needed to implement the NMHA while simultaneously prohibiting the agency from disciplining licensed professionals who practice under the Personal Use model. On its face, that seems all well and good but I feel quite certain DORA will not sit idly by while its power to discipline licensees for behavior related to their professional conduct is enfeebled.” Thus, the implementation of Proposition 122 will have to sort out the differentiation of services offered under the personal use section (unregulated by the state) and incentivize participation in the state regulated system for qualified individuals and organizations.Proposition 122’s regulated adult use infrastructure includes provisions that were not present in Oregon’s 2020 Measure 109, which will impact the delivery of services within the regulatory environment the initiative imagines. We’re particularly interested in acknowledging and tracking implementation of the following mandates to DORA:Ensuring fee, licensing, and cost structures are designed with equitable access for marginalized populations in mind.
See
.Calling for regular assessments of the equity and access provisions, above, Proposition 122 may provide for continuous improvement on and iteration within the regulated use program.
See
.Requiring “tiered” qualifications, education, and training requirements for facilitators based on the participants each facilitator will be working with and the services the facilitator will be providing.
See
.Allowing for services to occur in private residences for those who have difficulty leaving their home (e.g., those with mobility and vision impairments, compromised immune systems, or anxiety disorders). .
Allowing service centers to share premises with other healing services and healthcare facilities to create “one-stop-shop” spaces. This could prove beneficial to people with limited transportation options, and could allow providers to pool resources, making start-up more feasible for low-income community members to open healing centers and inviting a chance to merge operations of traditionally siloed health and wellness modalities.
See
. Were such a combination to arise, we are hopeful that greater collaboration potential between medical, mental health, and social wellness service providers located on the same premises could result in improved safety, quality, and speed of care.
Preventing municipalities from banning service centers or the provision of services, while preserving the municipalities’ power to regulate the time, place, and manner of the operation of healing centers.
See
Local opt-outs have become a prominent question under Oregon’s Measure 109, as in Oregon have ballot measures for the November 2022 election to opt out of parts of or the entirety of the regulated psilocybin services program. Public Education and TrainingMany populations are still unfamiliar with — or have been given inaccurate information about — psychedelic substances. In the wake of decades of stigma and recent years of hype, accurate information is necessary for psychedelics to be responsibly integrated into society. Otherwise, access to their potential benefits could remain limited to people already connected to underground networks. For that reason, MAPS recognizes the critical role that education and harm reduction must play in any psychedelic policy advancement. So, we are glad to see that Proposition 122 requires the development and promotion of public education campaigns and training for first responders.
See
. MAPS has been working with the city of Denver since Ordinance 301 was passed in May 2019 to develop training curriculum and train first responder cohorts in psychology and emotional crisis response methods. We look forward to seeing opportunities for education to expand across Colorado and reduce reliance on armed law enforcement for mental health crises. Certain populations that have been disproportionately targeted by the War on Drugs, especially Black and Latinx communities, justifiably tend to have especially complicated relationships with drugs, drug use, and therapy. It will therefore be especially important that the education developed pursuant to this measure be culturally appropriate, intellectually accessible,
and
delivered by “credible messengers” trusted within traditionally marginalized communities.Trainings for first responders will also help increase safety and access to effective and compassionate emergency responses while decreasing the contact community members, especially those who are low income and/or of color, will have with the criminal legal system. This is particularly true in an environment where some of the burden of the law’s ambiguities — including the amounts individuals can possess for group use — may fall on individuals to sort out in interactions with law enforcement and the criminal justice system. We believe that training of defense attorneys — in addition to training for law enforcement preparing to interact with people utilizing psychedelics — could resolve some of those ambiguities.Repairing the Harms of the War on DrugsGiven the of a criminal conviction, we recognize the importance of provisions to retroactively address the criminalization of people arrested and convicted of the possession, and ideally also the sale, of those same substances in any bill seeking to decriminalize and/or legalize controlled substances. To that end and in alignment with our goal of utilizing psychedelic policy reform to repair the harms of the War on Drugs and set the groundwork for a post-prohibition society, we’re glad to see that § of Proposition 122 allows people to petition to have criminal records sealed for activity that would not have been considered a crime if this bill were in effect when the activity was carried out. provides that a “person who has completed a sentence for a conviction…who would not have been guilty of an offense under this Act had it been in effect at the time of the offense, may file a petition…to seal the record of the conviction at no cost.”
It also states that “The removal and reduction of criminal penalties by this act is intended to have retroactive effect.”While this section provides a pathway for people to have their records sealed, more work will need to be done if this initiative passes. We hope to see effort from Colorado’s executive branch to identify ways to ensure people eligible to have their records sealed under this bill also have those same records expunged automatically and at no cost to the individual.A are allowing for this process to be automatic. Automation is important because, while prohibits costs associated with sealing, it still requires individuals to both know they can file a petition and know how to do so.
In future bills or implementation of Proposition 122, we would like to see a determination of how many people with criminal records would actually be eligible for record sealing under this or related policy initiatives. This information would permit exploration into the costs of automatic sealing or expungement. Our final concern about this section is that the language seems to require a person to have “completed a sentence for a conviction”, which implies that, even if the NMHA passes, individuals still serving a sentence of incarceration or on probation or parole for a conviction eligible for record sealing would still need to complete that period of incarceration or supervision prior to being able to petition to have their record sealed.ConclusionUltimately, we recognize that all reforms are a push-and-pull of what people who think about policy all day want to see and what legislators, donors, drafters, lobbyists, opposition blocks, funders and — ultimately — voters are willing to learn about. This inherently makes policymaking a long-term, incremental process that is subject in part to what is politically viable in that jurisdiction. If Proposition 122 does pass — and if the lessons learned from the process of developing the regulatory structure for Measure 109 in Oregon are any indication — the details of keeping fees low, incentivizing diversity and community control, and appropriately increasing availability to a broad population, are going to be subject to a number of factors that will likely not fully reveal themselves until the implementation process begins. So, it will be up to local groups and individuals willing to participate in the implementation process to ensure that the personal use section isn’t weakened during implementation and the spirit of the measure — including the equity language — is articulated in its entirety. In the meantime, we are closely watching this attempt toward continued policy harmonization and will be ready to support implementation of this effort if the time comes.References
1
We will refer to this list as the “Covered Substances.”
2
Allowing for more diverse setting options could allow individuals more ownership over designing and/or selecting environments in which they will feel most comfortable. We are inspired by architecture firms like that have demonstrated how the built environment in which processes — including healing processes — occur can be just as important as the processes themselves.
3
This issue raises the question of the boundaries of scopes of practice for licensed professionals — and the corresponding risk management systems, like insurance, that back many of these professions. While on its face, this seems an elegant solution to a complex problem, it delays solving the inevitable tension that the question implies, as it will likely be challenging for the licensing authorities and many individuals already licensed as therapists, psychiatrists, bodyworkers, or otherwise to to fully delineate those roles at the outset.
4
We note that expungement or pardon would be preferred, but that a ballot initiative in Colorado is not the appropriate vehicle for these types of record adjustment, which is left to the legislative and executive branches of the state government.
5
Similar to the distinction between sealing and expungement, CO law does not permit levying a tax by ballot initiative, which may have been required to cover potential costs of automation.The post
MAPS Analysis of Colorado’s Natural Medicine Health Act: Reviewing Proposition 122/Measure 58
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Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies - MAPS
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