Decriminalization of Psychedelic Mushrooms: What You Need to Know
Research into Psychedelic Mushrooms
Death by suicide has risen at an alarming rate, becoming the second leading cause of deaths for the age group 10-34. With treatment-resistant depression also on the rise, the statistics are dismal, but not surprising. There has been a lot of research into a possible treatment, however, and the results have led to groups; such as Decriminalize Nature Oakland, pushing for decriminalization and possible legalization of psilocybin, a compound found in psychedelic mushrooms.
In October 2018, the FDA gave psilocybin-containing mushrooms a “breakthrough therapy” designation, allowing scientists to work alongside the FDA to study the effects on human test subjects. Researchers at Johns Hopkins, who have been studying psychedelic use for over 15 years and have published over 50 scientific pages on the subject, were surprised the designation came as quickly as it did but hoped that this is a sign of good things to come.
Psychedelics have shown to be beneficial in several ways, such as helping people to quit smoking, aiding with depression and anxiety; especially for patients undergoing treatments for cancer, and increasing the general sense of well-being, even in healthy subjects.
One possible reason psychedelic mushrooms work the way they do is the way they reroute information streams in the brain. If signals get backed up, negative thoughts tend to increase. Instead of letting them pile up in a traffic jam, psychedelics open up mostly unused pathways and allow the backed up signals to flow easily again.
Unlike many other drugs, psychedelic mushrooms are virtually impossible to become addicted to. When tested for dependency on other drugs, rats would push the lever that dropped the drug over and over to receive more, but would only push once when given psilocybin. Daily use is practically impossible, and even weekly use is rare. In the case of microdosing, which I’ll discuss more below, the dose isn’t high enough to alter your awareness or affect your day to day life.
Legislation
In October 2018, Johns Hopkins petitioned to change the classification of psychedelics from a schedule 1 to a schedule 4. The schedule 1 designation indicates that the drug is highly damaging with no potential medical uses, while a schedule 4 drug is regulated, but recognized as having medical benefits.
May 2019, saw a historic moment, when Denver, Colorado decriminalized psilocybin-containing mushrooms with a narrow win. Just about a month later, Oakland, California followed suit with a unanimous vote. There are more bills in the works, with sights set on California and Oregon decriminalizing psychedelics statewide.
Based off of years of research, psychedelics show a lot of promise in the medical field, if used properly. However, more research is needed, therefore, a bill was proposed to open the gates for studying hallucinogens. With their current classification as a schedule 1 drug, research potential is highly limited.
Critics of legislation mostly call for oversight when the psychedelics are used, fearing legalization would lead to a profit-based push, encouraging people who shouldn’t be using these drugs to try them. A solution to this would likely look like clinics set up to administer the dosages and monitor the patient through the experience, guiding them and helping provide a safe, peaceful environment.
Almost all supporters of legalization want education to be part of the deal, as psychedelics aren’t for everyone and do carry a certain amount of risk. Having a sober guide present for safety and to aid in the case of a “bad trip” is essential, which would be easily accessible with the previously suggested clinics. Having licensed therapists at the clinics could boost the positive results even more, as they’d be more able to help patients process their experience and gain deeper insight from it.
Microdosing Psychedelic Mushrooms
For over 50 years, Dr. James Fadiman has been researching psychedelics, including psilocybin. He’s done many studies, but for the last several years he has turned his focus toward “microdosing” — taking a dose so low it doesn’t cause a typical psychedelic experience. Over the years, he’s created a regimen he uses in his studies, in which, the amount taken is one-tenth or one-fifth that of a typical one, taken every third day in the morning.
According to him, the effects are felt fully the first day, slightly the second, and not at all the third. On the fourth day, the cycle is restarted. This is continued for a month, then spaced out even more as time progresses. The month regimen is said to “rebalance people,” or help them reconnect with their bodies.
Dr. Fadiman reported that his test subjects often stated they had a general boost to happiness and sense of well-being after they had followed his microdosing regimen. Increased focus and decreased anxiety and depression were the most common results, but some reported gaining some relief for some other issues as well, such as stuttering and intense period pain.
Research into microdosing has been limited since the mid-1960s, due to the FDA banning psychedelics and deeming them schedule 1 drugs. As such, the push for decriminalization and legalization is partially to enable more research into both full dose and microdosing.
Cautions
Some critics argue that while they support decriminalization, they’re afraid legalization will lead to more problems. Carrying and use shouldn’t come with jail time, but they’re afraid that legalization will lead to businesses springing up with psychedelics as a focus.
While there have been several people who have raised fears regarding promoting psychedelic use, their focus has been on the need for getting education out there. Family history or predispositions to mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorders are things to be aware of, as using psychedelics increases the possibility of activating certain dormant mental disorders.
One of the most common concerns in regards to psychedelics is the possibility of a “bad trip,” which can lead to aggression, fear, and paranoia. While 76% of people analyzed actually stated that, after the fact, their “bad” trips led to a general increased feeling of well-being, there have been reports of aggression and suicidal thoughts during the ordeal.
Studies show that psychedelics have the potential to help people who suffer from various ailments, but additional research is needed to firmly establish their effectiveness. Amidst the discussions of the benefits of psychedelics, valid concerns have been expressed about the potential ramifications of legalization and wide-spread use. Studies suggest, however, that with proper precautions, like the clinics proposed and an increase in factual education, those concerns are addressable.
What are your thoughts on the sweeping request for psychedelics to be reevaluated for their medical potential? Do you think they have any merit? Do you think the clinics are necessary?
Additional studies:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5813086/