Journal of psychoactive drugs
January 1, 2025
Jamarie Geller, Nicolas Glynos, Andrew Lemmen et al.
Trainees in medical and allied professions learn about psychedelics and related therapies mainly from social media and word-of-mouth, sources that do not improve their knowledge. Structured education is scarce, and overall psychedelic literacy is low, but those who participate in programming at their own institutions show greater knowledge. As psychedelic therapies become more available and research advances, academic training programs must include relevant material to prepare future professionals to educate and counsel patients.
Journal of psychoactive drugs
January 1, 2024
Reid Robison, Madeline Brendle, Claire Moore et al.
Ten frontline healthcare workers with burnout and PTSD symptoms were treated with group ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) in a private clinic. They attended six weekly sessions: one preparation, three ketamine sessions (two sublingual, one intramuscular), and two integration sessions. PTSD, depression, and anxiety scores improved from pre- to post-treatment, with a 59% reduction in PTSD scores, 58% reduction in depression scores, and 36% reduction in anxiety scores. After treatment, all participants screened negative for PTSD, 90% had minimal or mild depression, and 60% had minimal or mild anxiety. Ketamine was well tolerated with no significant adverse events. Participant feedback supported the improvements.
Journal of psychoactive drugs
January 1, 2024
Raymond Feng, Terence H W Ching, Amy C Bartlett et al.
After receiving psychoeducation about psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy (PAP), Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) were more likely than non-Hispanic White participants to say they would seek PAP or refer others to it. The mode of psychoeducation—didactic, visual, narrative, or hope-based—did not change this result. Information about physical safety and success rate of PAP uniquely predicted BIPOC participants' likelihood of seeking and referring others. The findings suggest that stigma is not the main barrier to BIPOC participation in PAP trials; rather, providing psychoeducation may help diversify future research.
Journal of psychoactive drugs
January 1, 2020
Joel Bornemann
This review examines the existing research on psychedelic microdosing—taking very small, sub-perceptual doses of psychedelics. Evidence so far suggests users report benefits such as improved mood, focus, and creativity, though some studies find no effects and a minority report negative consequences like increased anxiety and physical discomfort. However, methodological weaknesses in current studies prevent firm conclusions.
Journal of psychoactive drugs
January 1, 2016
Mark Haden, Brian Emerson, Kenneth W Tupper
A public-health-based regulatory model for psychedelics is proposed, building on earlier post-prohibition frameworks for currently illegal drugs. The model incorporates governance, supervision, control of set and setting, youth access restrictions, supply control, demand limitation, and evaluation, informed by recent research on determinants of benefit and harm from psychedelic use.
Journal of psychoactive drugs
January 1, 2016
Evelyn Hearne, Marie Claire Van Hout
Dissociative novel psychoactive substances like methoxetamine, 3-MeO-PCP, and methoxphenidine are used as substitutes for illicit ketamine. An analysis of 90 user trip reports and 115 forum threads from seven drug fora, drawn from 3,476 screened threads, revealed five themes and 43 categories describing how online communities share communal folk pharmacology—perceptions of risk, informed knowledge, and indigenous harm-reduction practices. The findings suggest that forum activity disseminates and exchanges harm-reduction tactics among users. Further monitoring of Internet drug fora is recommended to explore variations in these practices and to inform public online health education and drug prevention.
Journal of psychoactive drugs
January 1, 2015
Maayan Nagar, Sharon Rabinovitz
Reminders of death increase cannabis craving in frequent users, and smoking cannabis appears to block death-related thoughts from entering consciousness. In one experiment, 42 frequent cannabis users who were reminded of their mortality reported greater cannabis craving without any change in negative mood. In a second field study, 50 frequent users who smoked cannabis after a mortality reminder showed reduced accessibility of death-related words, suggesting the drug acts as a psychological buffer against death anxiety. The findings imply that existential concerns may drive cannabis use and that terror management theory could inform communication about health risks and medical cannabis for terminally ill patients.
Journal of psychoactive drugs
January 1, 2015
George Pringle, Michael P McDonald, Kara I Gabriel
Dextromethorphan (DXM), a widely available cough suppressant, produces euphoric and dissociative effects at high doses. An analysis of survey responses from 52 adult members of an online DXM community (9 female, 43 male, aged 18–63) found that most first learned about DXM online or from a friend, preferred to use it alone, and often combined it with other substances to modify its effects. Nearly all reported using DXM for its dissociative and mind-altering properties, perceived it as safe, and saw no need for further regulation; only 14% mentioned its addictive potential. The findings depict a sophisticated subculture where users deliberately seek altered mental states.
Journal of psychoactive drugs
June 1, 2007
Mohamed Ben Amar, Stéphane Potvin
Cannabis consumption appears to increase the risk of psychotic symptoms, but whether it causes psychosis remains uncertain. A review of ten epidemiological studies found that three supported a causal link between cannabis use and diagnosed psychosis, five suggested chronic use increases psychotic symptoms without leading to diagnosed psychosis, and two found no causal relationship. Heavy consumption, prolonged use, early exposure, and underlying psychotic vulnerability may contribute. Potential neurobiological mechanisms involve dopamine, endocannabinoids, and brain growth factors. Uncertainty persists due to challenges in measuring cannabis use and psychosis, possible reverse causality, and residual confounding factors.
Journal of psychoactive drugs
September 1, 2006
Eliana Rodrigues, E A Carlini
Two ethnobotanical surveys among the Krahô Indians of Tocantins State and Quilombola descendants of former slaves in Mato Grosso State, Brazil, documented 169 plants used in ritual healing ceremonies for central nervous system ailments. These plants were prepared in 345 prescriptions for 68 conditions classified as tonics, analgesics, anorectics, hallucinogens, and anxiolytics. The work discusses the taxonomic families of the plants, common therapeutic indications, and types of healing rituals.
Journal of psychoactive drugs
June 1, 2005
J C Callaway, Glacus S Brito, Edison S Neves
Phytochemical analyses of 32 Banisteriopsis caapi and 36 Psychotria viridis samples collected from 22 sites across Brazil revealed wide variation in alkaloid content. All B. caapi samples contained harmine, harmaline, and tetrahydroharmine (THH). Some P. viridis samples had little or no detectable N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT). Leaves from one P. viridis plant analyzed over a 24-hour cycle also showed DMT variation.
Journal of psychoactive drugs
June 1, 2005
J C Callaway
Decoctions of Banisteriopsis caapi, often combined with Psychotria viridis, show considerable variation in alkaloid profiles both within and between sources. N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) was not detected in all samples. Tetrahydroharmine may be formed from harmine and harmaline during preparation. One decoction's alkaloid composition remained stable after 80 days at room temperature, but its acidic pH was neutralized by natural fermentation after 50 days.
Journal of psychoactive drugs
January 1, 2001
K A Dawson
A case report describes a person under the influence of LSD who experienced an apparent movement of consciousness to the lunar surface and remote viewing of the Milky Way galaxy. While the possibility of veridical remote viewing is considered unlikely, the authors speculate that LSD's neurocognitive action can sensitize users to focused bright light, associated memories, and creative elaborations during actual eclipse events. The report aims to provide impetus for further research into psychedelics' distortion of time and space perceptions, and urges experimenters to adopt precautions against potentially detrimental effects of pharmacologically manipulating the space-time continuum.
Journal of psychoactive drugs
January 1, 1996
P J Dalgarno, D Shewan
Twenty illicit ketamine users in Scotland, who had used a wide range of illegal drugs, were interviewed. Ketamine was usually obtained through diversion from legitimate sources. A standard dose was typically 1/8 gram, taken intranasally, producing an intense, dissociative experience lasting about one hour. Three participants reported extensive use, indicating potential for psychological dependence. All participants used ketamine in carefully preplanned settings emphasizing comfort and security. They identified problems from using the drug in public or unfamiliar surroundings and noted that novice users may lack knowledge about the intensity of the experience. Accurate information about ketamine's effects and the importance of set and setting should be made available, but publicizing the drug should be avoided.