psychedelics

Mushroom edibles are making people sick. Scientists still don't know why

1:40am August 21, 2024

A wave of illnesses is bringing scrutiny to a murky marketplace of mushroom gummies and candy. But is a popular red-capped fungus really to blame? Testing shows there's more going on.

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FDA gives thumbs down to MDMA for now, demanding further research

6:00pm August 09, 2024

by Will Stone

The much-anticipated decision has rattled supporters of psychedelic therapies. The drugmaker says it will ask the agency to reconsider.

Microdosing and tripping on mushrooms is on the rise in U.S.

12:01pm June 28, 2024

by Will Stone

Two new studies estimate psychedelic use in the U.S. and both find magic mushrooms gaining in popularity, including some folks who just want to get a little bit high, aka microdosing.

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Blue Medical Gloved Hand Picking up a Pill

Trouble for ecstasy? What MDMA’s FDA setback could mean for psychedelics

7:00am June 13, 2024

by Will Stone

Psychedelics researchers and investors are still reeling from last week’s no vote for MDMA by a panel of advisers to the FDA.

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Research on MDMA has shown it can be effective for PTSD, but approval of the treatment isn't yet guaranteed.

Health & Safety

As the FDA evaluates ecstasy treatment for PTSD, questions mount about the evidence

4:30pm May 13, 2024

by Will Stone

Clinical trials of MDMA have been promising, but concerns have emerged about the quality of the research. A June hearing scheduled by the Food and Drug Administration is likely to address them.

Dried Psilocybe mushrooms on a glass plate.

As psychedelic-assisted therapy grows, so does interest from a new group: chaplains

11:04am September 24, 2023

by Deena Prichep

Chaplains provide spiritual counsel at some of life's most raw moments. With psychedelic legalization spreading, some chaplains think this role should include facilitating psychedelic trips.

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LSD blotter tabs sit on top of a US quarter coin. A drug based off of psychedelic LSD appears to relieve depression and anxiety in mice, but without the hallucinogenic side effects.

These LSD-based drugs seem to help mice with anxiety and depression — without the trip

6:01am October 05, 2022

by Jon Hamilton

Scientists have made a drug based on LSD that seems to fight depression without producing a psychedelic experience.

Root extracts from the African shrub iboga have long been used in traditional healing rituals and more recently as an experimental treatment for depression and to reduce drug cravings in addiction. Scientists now are working on a version of the extract th

Progress Toward A Safer Psychedelic Drug To Treat Depression And Addiction

5:19pm December 09, 2020

by Jon Hamilton

A synthetic version of the psychedelic drug ibogaine appears to relieve depression and addiction without producing hallucinations or other dangerous side effects — at least in rodents.

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An old problem has a potential new solution: Using psilocybin has helped patients quit smoking in a clinical trial.

Health & Safety

A New Way To Quit? Psychedelic Therapy Offers Promise For Smoking Cessation

7:00am December 22, 2019

by Stephanie O'Neill

Researchers are studying a new technique for quitting cigarettes. It involves cognitive behavioral therapy and guided hallucination sparked by psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms.

Therapists Marcela Ot'alora and Bruce Poulter are trained to conduct MDMA-assisted psychotherapy. In this reenactment, they demonstrate how they help guide and watch over a patient who is revisiting traumatic memories while under the influence of MDMA.

Health & Safety

MDMA, Or Ecstasy, Shows Promise As A PTSD Treatment

4:37pm August 15, 2019

by Will Stone

Drugs like molly and ecstasy may be best known for giving partyers euphoric feelings. But MDMA, the drugs' psychoactive ingredient, is proving effective at treating severe trauma when used in therapy.