Santa Cruz decriminalizes natural psychedelics

Santa Cruz decriminalizes natural psychedelics – Santa Cruz Sentinel - Jessica A. Yorke:

January 29, 2020 - "Following in the footsteps of Oakland and Denver, Colorado, city leaders unanimously agreed Tuesday night to decriminalize adult use, possession and cultivation of entheogenic psychoactive plants and fungi. Known in one of its more popular forms as “magic mushrooms,” the substances remain illegal on a federal level, but city law enforcement has been directed to not spend resources on its criminal enforcement locally.

"The Santa Cruz City Council decision, first championed last year by Mayor Justin Cummings and Councilmembers Sandy Brown and Drew Glover, came after a vulnerable outpouring of community testimony, many sharing personal mental health struggles and efforts to successfully treat their symptoms....

"Denver voters passed a ballot measure in May [that] decriminalized psilocybin, and in June, the Oakland City Council passed a resolution decriminalizing entheogenic plants in general. Santa Cruz’s resolution this week, making it the third city in the U.S. to take such a step, declares city resources will not be expended on the investigation and arrest of persons 21 years of age and older 'solely for the personal use and personal possession of entheogenic plants and fungi listed on the Federal Schedule 1 list and that such activities should be considered among the lowest law enforcement priorities for the City of Santa Cruz.' Sale to, use and cultivation by those younger than 21, however, are not protected....

"Decriminalize Santa Cruz co-founder Sean Cutler, who, along with Julian Hodge, successfully lobbied for the change in city criminalization of psychedelics over an eight-month period, ... ... said after the meeting that the council vote represented forward movement.

“'The drug war needs to be ended in small deliberate steps,' Cutler said. 'We acknowledge that the U.S. government has spent 50 years indoctrinating Americans to believe that alcohol is good and everything else is bad, evil, for poor people. They have stigmatizing everything but alcohol and cigarettes'....

"Santa Cruz’s resolution cites the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s October 2018 decision to grant 'breakthrough therapy' designation for studies on psilocybin therapy for treatment-resistant depression, and refers also to the use of the plants in traditional natured-based healing therapies."

Read more: https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2020/01/29/santa-cruz-decriminalizes-natural-psychedelics/
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Health Canada asked to permit psilocybin therapy

Is Canada constitutionally required to legalize magic mushrooms? — Quartz - Olivia Goldhill:

August 29, 2019 - "A Canadian therapist has asked Health Canada to permit the use of psilocybin, the psychedelic ingredient in magic mushrooms, for medical reasons. If denied, he’s planning to file a lawsuit, claiming the health department’s [refusal] would violate Canadians' right to 'life, liberty, and security of person' — an argument that previously convinced Canadian courts that it is unconstitutional to prohibit medical access to cannabis.....

"Bruce Tobin said he submitted an application with Health Canada in March, asking for approval to treat cancer patients’ end-of-life anxiety with psilocybin. Magic mushrooms are illegal under Canada’s Controlled Drug and Substances Act, but the law has a clause, Section 56(1), which states that the Health Minister may exempt substances if necessary for medical or scientific purposes.

"Tobin is planning to give Health Canada to the end of the year to respond and, if they don’t, will file a motion in federal court asking for a judicial review. If his argument is denied there, he plans to go all the way to the Supreme Court.

"'There have been several landmark cannabis cases in which the High Courts have delivered very explicit judgements that Canadian citizens have the right to autonomy in making healthcare decisions with regards to life and death medical conditions,' said Tobin. Early research has shown that psilocybin therapy is effective at treating end-of-life anxiety. Tobin says he has patients who’ve tried all the alternatives and are in 'abject misery,' and he wants them to have access to psilocybin.

“Tobin isn’t the only one pushing against Canada’s legal system. Dana Larsen, who founded a medical cannabis dispensary in 2007, announced he was launching a medical psilocybin dispensary in June. The dispensary is based in Vancouver and claims to mail psilocybin microdoses to people with a documented medical need; Larsen lists anxiety, cluster headaches, and pain as conditions that can be treated with psilocybin."

“Reat more: https://qz.com/1693840/is-canada-constitutionally-required-to-legalize-magic-mushrooms/
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OR Congressman endorses psilocybin initiative

Congressman Backs Ballot Measure To Legalize Psychedelic Mushrooms For Therapeutic Use | Marijuana Moment- Kyle Jaeger

January 16, 2020 - "One of the leading champions of cannabis reform in the Congress told Marijuana Moment in an interview that he’s supporting a campaign seeking to legalize psilocybin mushrooms for therapeutic use in his home state of Oregon. Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), who has spent decades advocating for the legalization of marijuana, said he’s in favor of the proposed Psilocybin Services Act, which would allow adults to visit licensed facilities to have the psychedelic administered in a medically supervised environment.

“'I have been involved with them,' the congressman said, on Tuesday referring to the Oregon Psilocybin Society (OPS). 'We are focused like a laser on the cannabis progress, but I’ve been in touch with the people in Oregon about their initiatives. I plan on being supportive.' While Blumenauer said he 'can’t undertake any more sort of leadership responsibilities' ... he said he 'will be open and visible and supportive' in the effort to legalize psilocybin for use in therapy.

"If the campaign, which is currently in the signature gathering process, is successful and makes it on the state’s November ballot, the congressman said he will 'absolutely' vote for it. 'Not just a "yes" vote, but I will make clear why I support it,' he said....

"Blumenauer did vote in favor of a modest psychedelic reform amendment on the House floor filed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), which was aimed at freeing up research into the restricted Schedule I substances. That measure was ultimately rejected by the Democratic-controlled House last year, but the congresswoman said she plans to reintroduce it.

"David Bronner, whose company Dr. Bronner’s is contributing to several campaigns working to decriminalize or legalize a wide range of entheogenic substances, told Marijuana Moment in a phone interview on Thursday.... 'His endorsement carries a lot of weight just because of his stature and long service in Congress. I think it’s pretty awesome and hopefully that’ll be an example and inspiration to follow'....

"Since Denver became the first city to decriminalize psilocybin mushrooms last year, followed by a unanimous Oakland City Council vote to make a broad array of psychedelics among the city’s lowest law enforcement priorities, activists in about 100 cities across the country have begun to pursue similar policies."

Read more: https://www.marijuanamoment.net/congressman-backs-ballot-measure-to-legalize-psychedelic-mushrooms-for-therapeutic-use/
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1st US psychedelic research center founded

First US Center for Psychedelic Research a 'Game Changer' - Megan Brooks, Medscape:

December 2, 2019 - "A group of private benefactors has donated $17 million to fund the first psychedelic research center in the United States.

"The Center for Psychedelic & Consciousness Research at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland, 'reflects a new era of research in therapeutics and the mind through studying this unique and remarkable class of pharmacological compounds," 'Roland Griffiths, PhD, the center's director, said in a statement. 'We've been conducting research with psychedelics at Johns Hopkins for almost the last 20 years, but funding has not been forthcoming from federal sources as yet so the work has primarily been supported by philanthropy,' ... and this 'very large philanthropic gift has allowed the establishment of the first center for psychedelic research in the United States,' said Griffiths.

"The center's operational expenses for the first 5 years will be covered by private funding from the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation and four philanthropists, including author and investor Tim Ferriss; Matt Mullenweg, co-founder of WordPress; Blake Mycoskie, founder of the shoe brand TOMS; and investor Craig Nerenberg.

"The funding will support a team of six faculty neuroscientists, experimental psychologists, and clinicians with expertise in psychedelic science, as well as five postdoctoral scientists. The faculty will train graduate and medical students who want to pursue careers in psychedelic science, where historically there have been few avenues for career advancement.

"Initial priority projects include researching the potential of psilocybin as a therapy for anorexia nervosa, early stage Alzheimer's disease, opioid use disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), posttreatment Lyme disease, and alcohol use disorder comorbid with depression. Based on research to date, the nature of the changes that occur during a psilocybin session would appear to have 'transdiagnostic generality' across a range of mental health and behavioral conditions, Griffiths said.

"He added that there are 'very strong preliminary signals' that psilocybin is an effective treatment for cancer patients who are anxious or depressed. 'We also have promising efficacy data in people with major depression as well as treatment-resistant depression; and we have indication of potential efficacy across a range of substance use disorders, including alcohol and cocaine abuse and cigarette smoking,' he said....

"For patients with depression secondary to a diagnosis of early Alzheimer's disease, Griffiths said his team 'strongly suspects' psilocybin will be effective at least for the mood disorder 'but, of course, the really interesting thing would be whether there is any change in cognitive function.' 'The emerging data with psilocybin and other psychedelics is that they may produce neuroplastic changes, they may end up rewiring the brain in ways we simply don't understand,' Griffiths added."

Read more: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/921986
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Psilocybin called breakthrough therapy by FDA

FDA Grants Psilocybin Second Breakthrough Therapy Designation - Megan Brooks:

November 25, 2019 - "The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted the Usona Institute breakthrough therapy designation for psilocybin for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD).

"This marks the second time the FDA has granted breakthrough designation for psilocybin, the psychoactive ingredient in "magic mushrooms." In October 2018, Compass Pathways received the designation to test the safety and efficacy of psilocybin-assisted therapy for treatment-resistant depression....

"'The results from previous studies clearly demonstrate the remarkable potential for psilocybin as a treatment in MDD patients, which Usona is now seeking to confirm in its own clinical trials," Charles Raison, MD, Usona's director of clinical and translational research, said a news release.

"The Usona Institute is a nonprofit medical research organization that conducts and supports preclinical and clinical research to further the understanding of the therapeutic effects of psilocybin and other consciousness-expanding medicines....

"More than 17 million people in the United States suffer from MDD. Through the breakthrough therapy designation, psilocybin is recognized as possibly offering a clinically significant improvement over existing therapies.

"The new status follows the recent launch of Usona's phase 2 clinical trial (PSIL201), which will recruit roughly 80 patients at seven study sites around the United States. The study will assess the safety and efficacy of a single dose of psilocybin in comparison with placebo in patients aged 21 to 65 years who have MDD. Two of the study sites are currently recruiting patients; the others are expected to be active by the first quarter of 2020. Usona estimates that the trial will be completed by early 2021."

Read more: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/921789
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Is LSD the mental-health wonder drug?

Can LSD help solve mental health issues? - CBS News - Faith Salie:

August 19, 2018 - "Ayelet Waldman is no stranger to drugs.... Diagnosed with a mood disorder, this author and mother of four had tried everything. 'I was profoundly, profoundly depressed, suicidally depressed,' she said. 'I had never been like that in my life.'

'That’s when she turned to ... LSD. In secret, Waldman ... began taking a miniscule amount every three days. It’s called microdosing, and it’s a controversial yet growing trend among the Silicon Valley crowd. But for her, she says, it worked. 'You don’t hallucinate; you don’t see anything unusual,' Waldman said. 'Best way I could describe it, a little more cheerful and a little more effective at work, like, a little more productive.'

"So productive, in fact, she wrote a book about her mind-altering experiment, A Really Good Day. And most importantly, her suicidal thoughts disappeared. But there was a catch: After a month, she ran out of the small supply she had gotten a hold of. And she stopped microdosing. Why? '‘Cause it’s illegal,' Waldman said. 'If it weren’t illegal, I would still be doing it.'

"Taking LSD, even a tiny microdose of it, is still against the law, and potentially dangerous. But once upon a time, LSD and psychedelics like it were considered potential wonder drugs. Throughout the 1940s, ’50s, and into the ’60s, scientists studied them to understand mental disorders like schizophrenia, and to treat anxiety, depression, even alcoholism.

"But when the drugs left the labs and started hitting the streets ... the bad trips and even worse headlines that followed changed their reputation. And then: the Controlled Substance Act led to a more than three decades-long ban on all psychedelic research. Since 2003, however, the FDA has allowed for a few clinical trials of illegal hallucinogens ... like psilocybin, the psychedelic ingredient found in so-called 'magic mushrooms'....

"Dr. Tony Bossis, of New York University  ... along with researchers at Johns Hopkins University, published their findings of what a one-time dose of psilocybin can do to treat anxiety and depression in cancer patients. It was eye-opening. 'In this study, anxiety and depression reduced dramatically, immediately after the experience,' he said.... 'This medicine you take once, it’s out of their system in a few hours. But it generates a three- to four-hour, incredible transcendent experience. And it’s the memory of that experience that recalibrates how they view life and death and their existence, and give you very spiritual insights.'

"If that all sounds a bit far-out, scans have shown psychedelics may increase connectivity among different regions of the brain — areas that normally don’t communicate with each other. 'Maybe it’s time to take a sober, careful, scientific look at these medicines,' Dr. Bossis said, 'to revisit, are they helpful? Are they safe? Are they effective?'

"With more clinical trials on the horizon, researchers hope to open more minds about the potential of psychedelic drugs, one trip at a time."

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/can-lsd-help-solve-mental-health-issues/
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Watch video: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2120149124916986

Mexican Senate delays cannabis vote

Mexican Senate Committees Agree To Comprehensive Marijuana Legalization Bill | Marijuana Moment - Kyle Jaeger:

October 28, 2019 - "Several Mexican Senate committees have agreed to a marijuana legalization bill that they are submitting to the full body. But while lawmakers initially said a floor vote would come this week, the proposal is now being referred to a multi-party panel for consideration as leaders work to build a consensus around its provisions.

"Text of the legislation, which was released on Friday, outlines the proposed regulatory model, under which adults 18 and older would be allowed to use, possess and purchase cannabis from licensed retailers. Individuals could also grow up to four plants for personal use. The Justice, Health, Legislative Studies and Public Security Committees gave the legislation their approval....

"Sen. Ricardo Monreal, the ruling MORENA party’s leader in the Senate, said on Saturday that the legislation 'will be analyzed and deliberated' after the chamber passes a budget package this week. But on Monday, several Mexican news outlets reported that the bill will first go to the Senate Political Coordination Board, a body that’s designed to coordinate inter-party consensus on legislative proposals. Monreal, who serves as president of the board, said there will be a delay, but the intent is to create a 'finalized' product that puts 'economic and social interests' first. It’s not clear how long the panel will take to advance the bill to a floor vote....

"The bill as proposed by the joint committees includes restrictions on advertising and penalties for marketing marijuana to youth. Businesses could not sell cannabis products that contain tobacco or alcohol under the proposal, and packaging would have to be standardized and generic. Committee members agreed that an independent body, called the 'Cannabis Institute,' would be ... charged with issuing licenses for marijuana businesses, which would fall into one of four categories: cultivators, manufacturers, retailers and exporters/importers. Businesses could not hold more than one type of license. In order to repair the harms of prohibition, the committees agreed that 20 percent of licenses would have to go to low-income individuals....

"The draft measure also clarifies the legality of the use of peyote and psilocybin mushrooms in tribal ceremonies.

"The legislation was submitted nearly one week from the anniversary of a Supreme Court ruling that deemed the country’s prohibition on personal possession and cultivation of marijuana unconstitutional. Lawmakers have worked throughout the year to develop a policy that provides for cannabis regulation in a way that promotes public safety and mitigates the influence of cartels....

"It’s not clear exactly when the legislature will act on the committees’ agreed-upon legislation.... Sen. Margarita Valdez of the MORENA party said on Saturday that the Senate will discuss the legalization proposal this week but did not indicate a specific day."

Read more: https://www.marijuanamoment.net/mexican-senate-committees-agree-to-comprehensive-marijuana-legalization-bill/
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Oakland decriminalizes psychedelic mushrooms

Oakland becomes 2nd U.S. city to decriminalize magic mushrooms - Los Angeles Times - Coleen Shalby:

June 5, 2019 - ""Oakland [California] has voted to decriminalize entheogenic plants, including hallucinogenic magic mushrooms. It’s the second city in the United States to do so after Denver passed a similar measure last month for people 21 and older.

"The City Council passed the resolution in a unanimous vote Tuesday. Presented by City Councilman Noel Gallo, the measure sets a citywide policy ending the investigation and imposition of criminal penalties for use and possession of hallucinogens derived from plants or fungi, such as mushrooms, cactuses and the iboga plant.

“'Practices with Entheogenic Plants have long existed and have been considered to be sacred to human cultures and human interrelationships with nature for thousands of years, and continue to be enhanced and improved to this day by religious and spiritual leaders, practicing professionals, mentors, and healers throughout the world, many of whom have been forced underground,' the resolution stated, citing economic, environmental and social equity benefits to the city as well as possible health benefits in treating addiction, post-traumatic stress disorder and depression....

"In May, Denver decriminalized the use of hallucinogenic magic mushrooms, becoming the first city in the U.S. to do so. Similar initiatives in Oregon, Iowa and elsewhere in the country are underway. California voters failed to get a similar measure on the ballot last year.

"Decriminalize Nature Oakland, the group behind the Oakland resolution, started discussions in the community in early 2019. In March, the group had its first public educational event, with support from seven community organizations....

“'Since DNO believes entheogens should not be commodified, there will be no sales of entheogenic plants and fungi, and we will work closely with local communities to share resources,' Gallo wrote in his agenda report to the City Council’s Public Safety Committee. 'Concepts such as collectives could provide a space to have an experience, or "road people" who could visit those in hospice care or unable to leave their home.'

"The resolution applies only to plant-based hallucinogens. Synthetic drugs such as LSD and MDMA are not included. And magic mushrooms ... remain illegal under state and federal law."

Read more: https://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-oakland-magic-mushroom-legal-20190605-story.html
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Decriminalize Denver initiative wins by under 1%

Magic mushrooms decriminalization: Denver poised to become first in U.S. to loosen restrictions - Jon Murray, Denver Post:

May 8, 2019 - "Denver is poised to become the first city in the nation to effectively decriminalize psychedelic mushrooms. After closing an early vote deficit Tuesday night and early Wednesday, final unofficial results posted late in the afternoon showed a reversal of fortune — with Initiative 301 set to pass narrowly with 50.6 percent of the vote. The total stands at 89,320 votes in favor and 87,341 against, a margin of 1,979.

"The Denver Elections Division will continue accepting military and overseas ballots, but typically those numbers are small. Results will be certified May 16....

"Denver’s vote has attracted national attention. While efforts are afoot to get psilocybin-related measures on the ballot in Oregon and California in 2020, Denver hosted the first-ever U.S. popular vote on the matter, according to organizers. An earlier effort in California last year failed to qualify for the ballot.

"Though Initiative 301 attracted no organized opposition, critics of Colorado’s legalization of marijuana lamented the prospect of Denver blazing yet another trail they see as misguided and potentially harmful.... 'We’ll see what the final numbers are, but we’re a little stunned to see a 7,000-vote flip overnight on that,' said Jeff Hunt, director of the Centennial Institute at Colorado Christian University, who initially questioned on Twitter whether vote-tampering was involved....

"Supporters extolled emerging research showing potential health benefits with psychedelic mushrooms. The measure likely was put over the top by younger voters, who tend to cast their ballots closer to or on Election Day, even though all registered voters receive their ballots in the mail about three weeks earlier.

"Last fall, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted psilocybin 'breakthrough therapy' designation for its potential to help with treatment-resistant depression, a status that speeds up the development and review process for a medicine containing the substance....

"Some national media outlets as well as the Centennial Institute wrongly called I-301 a bust ... based on the early results. But the gap tightened throughout the night. By 1 a.m. Wednesday, when Denver Elections put out its last release before pausing counting for the night, the measure still was losing by 3.4 percentage points. It overcame that margin in the next — and final — round of results shortly after 4 p.m."

Read more: https://www.denverpost.com/2019/05/08/denver-psychedelic-magic-mushroom/
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Mushrooms get more votes than mayor in Denver

Initiative to decriminalize 'magic mushrooms' in Denver fails | 9news.com - Erin Powell:

May 8. 2019 - "A push to essentially legalize 'magic mushrooms' in Denver failed in Tuesday’s citywide vote. Close to 52 percent of voters decided against Initiative 301, which would have decriminalized possession and use of psilocybin mushrooms for adults who are at least 21-years-old. *

"The 68,711 Denverites who voted for 'magic mushrooms' is more than the total for Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, who received 56,179 votes as of the 5 a.m. results.

"Had it passed, the measure would have 'deprioritize[d], to the greatest extent possible,' charging people for taking the mushrooms, which are considered a hallucinogenic drug. Police would have also been prohibited from using any resources to go after anyone who took them.

"Organizers in Denver gathered more than 5,500 valid signatures late last year to get Initiative 301 on the ballot, giving voters the chance to prevent police and prosecutors from citing or charging anyone for having psilocybin mushrooms.

"Supporters said psilocybin is a medicine and people shouldn’t be jailed for using it. If caught, people could get a yearlong sentence for possession."

Read more: https://www.9news.com/article/news/politics/elections/initiative-to-decriminalize-magic-mushrooms-in-denver-fails/73-0a4ba8dd-71fe-430e-9e35-48ad61b1f27d
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*In the final count posted later May 8, the initiative had overcome that deficit and won by a slim margin. See Decriminalize Denver initiative wins by under 1%

Psilocybin decriminalization makes Denver ballot

'Magic mushroom' decriminalization on Denver ballot - Associated Press, Dayton Daily News:

May 6, 2019 - "Voters decide this week whether Denver will become the first U.S. city to decriminalize the use of psilocybin, the psychedelic substance in 'magic mushrooms.'

A citizen-led initiative appearing on ballots Tuesday follows a path that led to marijuana's legalization in Denver and later in Colorado. Campaign organizers, though, say their only goal is to prevent people from going to jail for possessing or using mushrooms.

"The federal government still classifies psilocybin as a Schedule I drug, defined as having no medical purpose and a high potential for abuse. The decision stymied research into its medical use for decades but small studies have resumed in recent years.

"Medical researchers have found the substance can help treat anxiety and depression in cancer patients. Those studies were small and closely supervised but the preliminary results gave researchers hope that psychedelic drugs could be used to treat cancer anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder....

"Psilocybin is among the substances described as psychedelics or hallucinogens. Researchers say they have been used in religious practices for decades for their effects on users' perceptions and spiritual experiences....

"Denver's initiative would effectively decriminalize use or possession of psilocybin by people 21 and older, making it the lowest enforcement priority for local police and prosecutors. The proposed ordinance also prevents city funds from being used for criminal penalties on possession or use and creates a panel of officials to study the effects of the change.

"The initiative does not legalize psilocybin or permit its sale by Denver's cannabis businesses.

"The city's mayor and district attorney have publicly opposed the proposal.... But there is almost no organized opposition to the pro-psilocybin campaign, Decriminalize Denver....

"A California effort to decriminalize the use, possession, growth, sale and transportation of psilocybin failed to qualify for the statewide ballot in 2018. Organizers in Oregon are trying to gather enough support to put a similar initiative to a statewide vote in 2020."

Read more: https://www.daytondailynews.com/news/national/magic-mushroom-decriminalization-denver-ballot/CjUIcCqQLPbZpS1LRMA82N/
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Oregon initiative to legalize medical psilocybins

Press – PSI 2020 - The Official PSI 2020 Campaign Website (news release):

March 11, 2019 - "The Oregon Psilocybin Society and the PSI 2020 ballot initiative campaign raised $79,370 in support of legalizing access to psilocybin assisted therapy in Oregon. The fundraising effort came in association with a benefit gala held on March 3rd at the Portland Art Museum. The sold-out event brought together leading scientists, grassroots policy reformers, and local leaders of an evolving coalition.

"Said Tom Eckert, who, with his wife Sheri, serves as Chief Petitioner of the ballot initiative: 'I think the Benefit was a significant step for this campaign, not just financially but also because it started a conversation between different aspects of the movement. We are excited to see how this unfolds.'

"The fundraising effort came after the release of polling numbers that showed a slim majority of Oregonians favoring the proposed legislation.

"The Benefit was keynoted by Robin Carhart-Harris, who is the Head of Psychedelic Research at the Imperial College of London, and Mark Haden, who is the Executive Director of Canada’s Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS).

"Said Chief Petitioner Sheri Eckert, 'It was definitely a boost to have these great voices – who are now friends of ours and friends of the campaign – speak at a fundraising event for psychedelic policy reform in our home state. Oregon has become ground zero for what could be a worldwide psychedelic policy reform movement.'"

Read more: https://psi-2020.org/press/
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UK drug expert calls prohibition 'irrational'

Prof David Nutt: 'It's irrational to deny people access to LSD'- Radio New Zealand:

February 25, 2018 - "Outspoken UK drug expert David Nutt argues for regulated access to any drug less harmful than alcohol, including cannabis and Ecstasy. He is a professor of neuropsychopharmacology at Imperial College London and author of Drugs: Without The Hot Air (2012).

"'My view is that any drug that is less harmful to the person that uses it than alcohol should be available as an alternative to alcohol - in a form where the harms are minimised,' he told Sunday Morning. 'That doesn’t mean a free market, that doesn’t mean opening up cannabis shops to compete with supermarkets selling beer. It means having access to cannabis, and ecstasy and other drugs perhaps, such as mephedrone and mushrooms - in pharmacies, possibly with electronic cards that allow you to have a certain amount per year.'"

"'Prof Nutt said in the UK the leading causes of drug deaths were tobacco, alcohol and heroin and opiates – all much higher than deaths from ecstasy (MDMA). 'Regulated access to drugs that are less harmful than alcohol will reduce the harms of alcohol, hopefully reduce the use of drugs more harmful than alcohol like crystal meth and P and heroin, and will actually overall reduce the societal damage from drugs.'

"Research on certain drugs and their potential therapeutic value was being denied, he said.... 'There have been two studies done ... and one of the most promising uses is in helping people come to terms with dying. Often under psychedelics people become "at one" with the universe. I'm very interested in that, in helping people deal with that terminal, difficult part of their lives. These two American studies showed that a single psilocybin treatment helped people become less anxious about dying.'

"He says opiates are not the be-all and end-all in terminal pain treatment. 'Under opiates you're constipated, you're confused, you have a dry mouth.... And using opiates to deal with chronic pain syndrome you can also get excessive use and people selling them on the streets so I think psychedelics offer an alternative.... If you allow people to take morphine for pain control, which kills in the UK nearly 2000 people a year, it's irrational to deny people access to LSD which kills nobody'....

"Prof Nutt was chair of the UK government’s advisory committee on the misuse of drugs until 2009, when he was sacked for suggesting alcohol was more dangerous than many illegal drugs.... Though alcohol was a leading cause of death under the age of 50 in the UK, politicians did not want to take on the alcohol industry, he says, so they make a show of being hard on drugs."

Read more: https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/sunday/audio/2018633601/prof-david-nutt-it-s-irrational-to-deny-people-access-to-lsd
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MDMA in final phase of FDA-mandated tests

A campaign for FDA approval of MDMA enters final trials - Business Insider - Kevin Loria:

November 30, 2016 - After veteran Tony Macie came back from Iraq in 2007, he learned he had post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD].... The retired sergeant then became part of a clinical trial organized by MAPS [Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies] that was testing an unusual substance.... MDMA, ... the pure form of something commonly thought of as an illegal party drug - ecstasy.... 'One of the first things I said when it kicked in was, "This is what I've been looking for,'" Macie says....

"The trial Macie was involved in and other Phase 2 clinical studies conducted by MAPS have been so effective that the Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday agreed to allow large-scale Phase 3 clinical trials — the third and final in the three sets of human trials required before the FDA will consider a new drug for approval — to go forward, according.... If those trials continue to show that MDMA effectively treats PTSD, ecstasy could enter clinical use as soon as 2021, fitting the timeline that MAPS has been working toward for some time now....

"One of the early studies conducted by MAPS showed that 83% of the study participants no longer showed signs of PTSD two months after treatment, and long-term follow-ups conducted an average of four years later showed that most of those benefits stuck. That was a proof-of-concept study, with just 20 participants, all of whom had psychotherapy as well.... 

"Though small and preliminary, the results were encouraging enough to help lead to Phase 2 clinical trials, which MAPS announced were coming to an end last March. These trials consisted of at least eight studies that Brad Burge, the director of communications for MAPS, recently told Inverse treated 136 people using MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD.... The data released from those studies so far is very promising, with a large percentage of patients not showing any signs of PTSD more than a year after completing the therapy.

 "The final tests will involve hundreds of people and must be conducted before the FDA decides to approve a new medication. 'Phase 3 starts around 2017, and it will take four to five years to finish,' Burge has previously said. 'So that will put it at early 2021 for FDA approval'....

"MAPS is mostly raising money itself to fund what it describes as a roughly $20 million plan to complete these trials, which are largely not of interest to pharmaceutical companies since the patent on MDMA has expired. That will mean significant fundraising is required.

"Last year the organization reported $9.1 million in assets, more than $5 million of which was a bequest from a longtime board member that has been earmarked specifically for those Phase 3 trials. In fiscal-year 2015, MAPS raised a combined $2.99 million from 2,500 donors. It said in its most recent annual report that 'substantially increasing our donor base' would be necessary to move forward with Phase 3 trials."

 Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/mdma-ecstacy-fda-approval-maps-2016-11
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LSD ban worst censorship in history of science, says former top UK drug advisor

Psychedelic drugs like LSD could be used to treat depression, study suggests | Science | The Guardian - Hannah Devlin:

March 5, 2015 - "Psychedelic drugs could prove to be highly effective treatments for depression and alcoholism, according to scientists who have obtained the first brain scans of people under the influence of LSD.

"Early results from the trial, involving 20 people, are said to be 'very promising' and add to existing evidence that psychoactive drugs could help reverse entrenched patterns of addictive or negative thinking.

"However, Prof David Nutt, who led the study, warned that patients are missing out on the potential benefits of such treatments due to prohibitive regulations on research into recreational drugs.

"Speaking at a briefing in London, the government’s former chief drugs adviser, said the restrictions amounted to 'the worst censorship in the history of science'.

"After failing to secure conventional funding to complete the analysis of the latest study on LSD, Nutt and colleagues at Imperial College London, are now attempting to raise £25,000 through the crowd-funding site Walacea.com....

"There has been a resurgence of medical interest in LSD and psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, after several recent trials produced encouraging results for conditions ranging from depression in cancer patients to post-traumatic stress disorder.

"A US study in 2014 showed that LSD helped patients with life-threatening illnesses overcome anxiety about death, in 2012 MDMA (the active ingredient in ecstasy) in combination with psychotherapy was shown to be effective at treating post-traumatic stress disorder and a 2006 study from scientists in Arizona found that psilocybin relieved symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder.

"But government and funders in the UK remain unwilling to engage with the potential clinical benefits of psychoactive drugs, Nutt claimed.

"He equated the barriers to research to the Catholic church’s censorship of Galileo’s work in 1616. 'We’ve banned research on psychedelic drugs and other drugs like cannabis for 50 years,' he said. 'Truly, in terms of the amount of wasted opportunity, it’s way greater than the banning of the telescope. This is a truly appalling level of censorship.'"

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/mar/05/psychedelic-drugs-like-lsd-could-be-used-to-treat-depression-study-suggests
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