Acute effects of cannabis consumption on exercise performance: a systematic and umbrella review - Charron et al, 2020
Conclusions: Based on the articles included in this review, the authors conclude that cannabis consumption has an ergolytic effect on exercise performance and therefore does not act as a sport performance enhancing agent as raised by popular beliefs. Thus, cannabis consumption prior to exercise should be avoided in order to maximize performance in sports. Further research should mimic modern THC dosage (150 mg).
Brain serotonin transporter binding in former users of MDMA (‘ecstasy’) - Selvaraj et al, 2009 (PDF)
Background: Animal experimental studies have prompted concerns that widespread use of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; ‘ecstasy’) by young people may pose a major public health problem in terms of persistent serotonin neurotoxicity. Aims: To determine the status of brain serotonin neurons in a group of abstinent MDMA users. Method: We assessed the integrity of brain serotonin neurons by measuring serotonin transporter (SERT) binding using positron emission tomography (PET) and [11C]DASB in 12 former MDMA users, 9 polydrug users who had never taken MDMA and 19 controls who reported no history of illicit drug use. Results: There was no significant difference in the binding potential of [11C]DASB between the groups in any of the brain regions examined. Conclusions: To the extent that [11C]DASB binding provides an index of the integrity of serotonin neurons, our findings suggest that MDMA use may not result in long-term damage to serotonin neurons when used recreationally in humans. Declaration of interest: P.G. has received occasional consultancy for GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), MERCK, Pfizer and GE Healthcare. P.C. is an MRC Clinical Scientist. N.V.M. is a GSK employee and holds GSK shares. Z.B. has served on the speakers’ panel of BMS, AstraZenaca and Janssen.
Chemical evidence for the use of multiple psychotropic plants in a 1,000-year-old ritual bundle from South America - Capriles, et al, 2019 (PDF)
Over several millennia, various native plant species in South America have been used for their healing and psychoactive properties. Chemical analysis of archaeological artifacts provides an opportunity to study the use of psychoactive plants in the past and to better understand ancient botanical knowledge systems. Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was used to analyze organic residues from a ritual bundle, radiocarbon dated to approximately 1,000 C.E., recovered from archaeological excavations in a rock shelter located in the Lípez Altiplano of southwestern Bolivia. The site is located at an elevation of ∼3,900 m above sea level and contains evidence of intermittent human occupations during the last 4,000 years. Chemical traces of bufotenine, dimethyltryptamine, harmine, and cocaine, including its degradation product benzoylecgonine, were identified, suggesting that at least three plants containing these compounds were part of the shamanic paraphernalia dating back 1,000 years ago, the largest number of compounds recovered from a single artifact from this area of the world, to date. This is also a documented case of a ritual bundle containing both harmine and dimethyltryptamine, the two primary ingredients of ayahuasca. The presence of multiple plants that come from disparate and distant ecological areas in South America suggests that hallucinogenic plants moved across significant distances and that an intricate botanical knowledge was intrinsic to pre-Columbian ritual practices.
DEA’s NADDIS System: A Guide for Attorneys, the Courts, and Researchers - William Leonard Pickard (Erowid, 2011)
In the early 1970s, the newly formed DEA established the Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information System (NADDIS). NADDIS has become the most widely used tool in drug law enforcement, with a NADDIS search frequently the first step in any DEA investigation. Comprised of millions of records on individuals rather than on drugs, NADDIS records provide a chronological history of DEA reports on U.S. citizens and foreign “subjects of interest.” NADDIS records also exist on individuals with no criminal history, including sports figures, celebrities, politicians, attorneys and researchers.
International LSD Prevalence — Factors Affecting Proliferation and Control - WLP
The premise of this paper for this gathering in Basel is that while a significant and growing number of medical researchers—many of them in attendance—are looking carefully at initially a small number of subjects, there are relatively few researchers rigorously considering the large numbers of individuals in the population who have experienced LSD. Thus, in that this forum provides an opportunity to examine LSD in its uncontrolled, epidemiological context, we will explore here some of the rarely discussed factors influencing past and current worldwide LSD availability and prevalence, as well as future trends that may be anticipated. In essence, we ask: “What is the future of LSD use in non-medical settings, given its special chemical, pharmacological and psychological properties?” To answer this question we review not only the national survey data but also the known history of LSD production and distribution for—although future trends involving heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine have been predicted in forensic settings, albeit with a large degree of error—there is little literature on factors influencing LSD availability.
LSD Overdoses: Three Case Reports - Haden & Woods, 2020 (PDF)
Objective: In academic settings around the world, there is a resurgence of interest in using psychedelic substances for the treatment of addictions, posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and other diagnoses. This case series describes the medical consequences of accidental overdoses in three individuals. Method: Case series of information were gathered from interviews, health records, case notes, and collateral reports. Results: The first case report documents significant improvements in mood symptoms, including reductions in mania with psychotic features, following an accidental lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) overdose, changes that have been sustained for almost 20 years. The second case documents how an accidental overdose of LSD early in the first trimester of pregnancy did not negatively affect the course of the pregnancy or have any obvious teratogenic or other negative developmental effects on the child. The third report indicates that intranasal ingestion of 550 times the normal recreational dosage of LSD was not fatal and had positive effects on pain levels and subsequent morphine withdrawal. Conclusions: There appear to be unpredictable, positive sequelae that ranged from improvements in mental illness symptoms to reduction in physical pain and morphine withdrawal symptoms. Also, an LSD overdose while in early pregnancy did not appear to cause harm to the fetus.
Marijuana: Much More Than You Wanted To Know - SlateStarCodex
Conclusion for this section [Is Marijuana Bad For You?]: Marijuana does not have a detectable effect on mortality and there is surprisingly scarce evidence of tobacco-like side effects. It probably does decrease IQ if used early and often, possibly by as many as 8 IQ points. It may increase risk of psychosis by as much as 40%, but it’s not clear who is at risk or whether the risk is even real. The gateway drug hypothesis is too complicated to evaluate effectively but there is no clear casual evidence in its support.
Marijuana: An Update - SlateStarCodex
In the current set of nine states with legalization, the 5% increase [in deaths from car accidents] would amount to an extra 300 deaths per year. If the country as a whole legalized, that would make about 1800 extra deaths per year. Using my totally made-up math model from the previous post, this is enough to shift the net effect of marijuana legalization from positive to slightly negative. This is especially true if the alternative to legalization is decriminalization, which has many of the benefits of legalization but fewer costs.
Psychedelics and Mental Health: A Population Study - Krebs & Johansen, 2012 (PDF)
Background: The classical serotonergic psychedelics LSD, psilocybin, mescaline are not known to cause brain damage and are regarded as non-addictive. Clinical studies do not suggest that psychedelics cause long-term mental health problems. Psychedelics have been used in the Americas for thousands of years. Over 30 million people currently living in the US have used LSD, psilocybin, or mescaline. Objective: To evaluate the association between the lifetime use of psychedelics and current mental health in the adult population. Method: Data drawn from years 2001 to 2004 of the National Survey on Drug Use and Health consisted of 130,152 respondents, randomly selected to be representative of the adult population in the United States. Standardized screening measures for past year mental health included serious psychological distress (K6 scale), mental health treatment (inpatient, outpatient, medication, needed but did not receive), symptoms of eight psychiatric disorders (panic disorder, major depressive episode, mania, social phobia, general anxiety disorder, agoraphobia, posttraumatic stress disorder, and nonaffective psychosis), and seven specific symptoms of non-affective psychosis. We calculated weighted odds ratios by multivariate logistic regression controlling for a range of sociodemographic variables, use of illicit drugs, risk taking behavior, and exposure to traumatic events. Results: 21,967 respondents (13.4% weighted) reported lifetime psychedelic use. There were no significant associations between lifetime use of any psychedelics, lifetime use of specific psychedelics (LSD, psilocybin, mescaline, peyote), or past year use of LSD and increased rate of any of the mental health outcomes. Rather, in several cases psychedelic use was associated with lower rate of mental health problems. Conclusion: We did not find use of psychedelics to be an independent risk factor for mental health problems.
Secret of “Divine Mushrooms” - R. Gordon Wasson in Life Magazine, May 13, 1957
Vision-giving mushrooms are discovered in a remote Mexican village by a U.S. banker who describes the strange ritual and effects of eating them.
Other Resources:
Bunk Police - Leaders in Test Kits, Research and Innovation
DanceSafe
Erowid
The Golden Guide to Hallucinogenic Plants
Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies
The Zendo Project