Author: Sophie Saint Thomas
[ad_1] In the opening verse of The Tortured Poets Department, her 11th studio album, Taylor Swift sings that she was a functioning alcoholic until nobody noticed her new aesthetic. They do now. In the album, a sprawling 31 tracks (that’s her signature 13 backward), Swift is the most unmasked (and turned on) she’s ever been. She’s done impressing the “wine moms” (even if the blood of fermented fruit is her drug of choice). Sung in a low register, the first 16 songs of TPD are primarily dark, twinkling synthy pop tunes, primarily written with long-term collaborator Jack Antonoff, with help…
[ad_1] As it turns out, researching the efficacy of MDMA to treat PTSD may be pretty complicated. The initial efforts to secure governmental sanction for a psychedelic substance for mental health care, in this case, MDMA, are facing some serious scrutiny over the clinical trial process, the Washington Post reports. MDMA has long been lauded as a treatment for PTSD, which affects 6% of the U.S. population. Per a Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Substances (MAPS) 2023 study on how the drug can treat PTSD, the researchers found that, as High Times reported, in the MDMA group, 86% showed improvement in…
[ad_1] Green isn’t just the color of cannabis, but cash, too. And thanks to your valiant efforts of consumption, the industry is looking to help out the economy. Info from the newly released MJBiz Factbook reveals that the economic impact of regulated marijuana sales in the U.S. could exceed a whopping $112.4 billion in 2024. That’s a 12% growth compared to last year. Overall, the Congressional Budget Office forecasts a slowdown in economic growth for 2024 due to higher unemployment levels and reduced inflation. As a result, the Federal Reserve is likely to lower interest rates starting in mid-2024. After…
[ad_1] Green isn’t just the color of cannabis, but cash, too. And thanks to your valiant efforts of consumption, the industry is looking to help out the economy. Info from the newly released MJBiz Factbook reveals that the economic impact of regulated marijuana sales in the U.S. could exceed a whopping $112.4 billion in 2024. That’s a 12% growth compared to last year. Overall, the Congressional Budget Office forecasts a slowdown in economic growth for 2024 due to higher unemployment levels and reduced inflation. As a result, the Federal Reserve is likely to lower interest rates starting in mid-2024. After…
[ad_1] There’s yet another compelling reason to legalize weed. According to new research, states that have legalized cannabis also experience a “moderate relative decrease” in immigrant deportation rates compared to states where the drug is still illicit. As a study featured in the American Journal of Community Psychology details, immigration raids and deportations create widespread fear and mistrust, which have cascading effects throughout entire communities. As the fear of being targeted grows, people are less likely to engage with local institutions such as churches, schools, health clinics, cultural events, and social services. And it also finds that kids who experience…
[ad_1] There’s another attack on the First Amendment for you to worry about, especially if you live in Colorado. The Centennial State’s Senate approved an epically terrifying social media bill that could require social media platforms to prohibit users from saying anything deemed positive about controlled substances online, including psychedelics legal in the state, specific hemp products, and even some over-the-counter cough syrups. The bill, officially named SB24-158, is a comprehensive measure that addresses internet age verification and content regulations, mandating that social media platforms promptly delete any user “who promotes, sells, or advertises an illicit substance.” Originally, the bill…
[ad_1] The House of Representatives in Missouri has approved a budget bill that allocates $10 million from the state’s opioid settlement funds for research grants. But not just any research grants. These are intended to explore the effectiveness of psilocybin in treating opioid use disorder, which is currently considered a public health crisis in the United States. Originally, thanks to an addition to the bill that came up in a House committee last week, the bill, HB 2010, would have used the $10 million to actually study ibogaine for treating opioid use disorder. However, on Tuesday, that was modified to…
[ad_1] Encouraging outcomes from a clinical study on the LSD-analog substance MM120, or lysergide d-tartrate, have led the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to designate it as a “breakthrough therapy” for treating generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). The designation of “breakthrough therapy” is awarded to expedite the development and review of drugs that show considerable promise in providing treatment for conditions with significant unmet medical needs. Similar to MM120, other substances like MDMA, Esketamine (the ketamine nasal spray) and psilocybin have also received this status, which highlights their potential in transforming therapeutic practices. A spokesperson for MindMed described MM120 as “a…
[ad_1] Four states—Ohio, Illinois, New Mexico, and Connecticut—are now looking into adding female orgasmic disorder (FOD) to the list of qualifying conditions for medical cannabis. There’s mounting research that suggests that cannabis can help women have more orgasms. For those with FOD, defined by the Merck Manuel as a “lack of or delay in sexual climax (orgasm) or orgasm that is infrequent or much less intense even though sexual stimulation is sufficient and the woman is sexually aroused mentally and emotionally,” medical marijuana could not only make having an orgasm easier, but more satisfying. Diagnosis criteria and scientific research aside,…
[ad_1] Attorneys for the Biden administration contend that Prince Harry’s admissions in his best-selling 2023 memoir, Spare, of using cannabis, cocaine, and magic mushrooms don’t necessarily prove the royal’s drug use. The lawyers suggested that he might have exaggerated these claims to boost book sales, the Telegraph reports. Such arguments come after Prince Harry’s immigration status is being pulled into question. This assertion comes in light of a case that a D.C. court is currently reviewing, which revolves around whether the U.S. government should be ordered to disclose Prince Harry’s visa application due to his use of illegal substances. DHS…
[ad_1] Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has formally enacted legislation to legalize medical marijuana in a move that he and other leaders believe will assist soldiers in healing from both physical and psychological injuries suffered in the country’s ongoing conflict with Russia. As of January 2, 2024, per Russia Matters, a project launched by Harvard University, Ukraine’s military has seen over 130,000 individuals killed, severely wounded, or missing. The number of civilian deaths totals 10,058. And this doesn’t count for the trauma endured. As many readers with trauma from other sources likely know, cannabis has demonstrated its therapeutic properties for folks…
[ad_1] Arthur Shelby is a troubled soul. The Peaky Blinders character must live under his younger brother, Thomas Shelby’s shadow, and deal with often hard-to-watch, but somehow, relatable, acts of violence, towards both others and himself, self-medicated with drugs and Jesus. And based on recent headlines (in the real world), it appears that, at least for some of such, the actor who plays Arthur, Paul Anderson, opts for Method acting, which aims to foster genuine portrayals by immersing oneself in and embodying the internal motivations and emotions of a character. So, basically, acting like the character off screen as well…