PSYCHEDELICS AS EXIT
DRUGS
Jensen et al (2024) have discovered, all over again,
what the LSD researchers found out in 1950s.
"This open-label, single-group study investigated
single-dose psilocybin therapy in ten treatment-seeking adults (eight men and
two women; median age 44 years) with severe AUD. The treatment involved two
preparation sessions, a high-dose psilocybin session (25 mg), and two
integration sessions. Pharmacokinetics were determined by noncompartmental
analysis, and changes in alcohol consumption, craving and self-efficacy, were
assessed with a linear mixed model.
"Results
Notable between-participant pharmacokinetic variations
were observed, with peak plasma psilocin concentrations ranging from 14-59 µg/L.
Alcohol consumption significantly decreased over the 12 weeks following
psilocybin administration. Heavy drinking days were reduced by 37.5 percentage
points (95% CI, -61.1, -13.9, p = 0.005), and drinks per day decreased by 3.4
units (95% CI: -6.5, -0.3), p = 0.035). This was corroborated by reports of
rapid and sustained reductions in craving and increases in selfefficacy.
"Conclusions
Despite pharmacokinetic variations, a single 25 mg
psilocybin dose was safe and effective in reducing alcohol consumption in AUD
patients. Larger randomised, placebo-controlled, single-dose AUD trials are
warranted."
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/383382218_Single-Dose_Psilocybin_Therapy_for_Alcohol_Use_Disorder_Pharmacokinetics_Feasibility_Safety_and_Efficacy_in_an_Open-Label_Study/fulltext/66ca05b897265406eaaa61ea/Single-Dose-Psilocybin-Therapy-for-Alcohol-Use-Disorder-Pharmacokinetics-Feasibility-Safety-and-Efficacy-in-an-Open-Label-Study.pdf?_tp=eyJjb250ZXh0Ijp7ImZpcnN0UGFnZSI6InB1YmxpY2F0aW9uIiwicGFnZSI6InB1YmxpY2F0aW9uIn19
[3481]
Lodetti et al also made the same rediscovery in 2024:
"Alcohol is a harmful drug, and reducing its
consumption is a significant challenge for users. Furthermore, alcohol
dependence is often treatment-resistant, and no completely effective treatment
model is available for chemical dependence. Classic psychedelics, such as LSD,
psilocybin, and ayahuasca have been used in different clinical and pre-clinical
trials, demonstrating promising pharmacotherapeutic effects in the treatment of
treatment-resistant psychopathological conditions, such as addiction, especially
related to alcohol dependence. In this work, we conducted a narrative review of
the emerging research regarding the potential of psychedelics for alcohol use
disorder treatment. Psychedelic substances have demonstrated potential for
treating drug addiction, especially AUD, mostly by modulating neuroplasticity in
the brain. Given that serotonergic psychedelics do not produce physical
dependence or withdrawal symptoms with repeated use, they may be considered
promising treatment options for managing drug use disorders. However, certain
limitations could be found. Although many participants achieve positive results
with only one treatment dose in clinical studies, great inter-individual
variability exists in the duration of these effects. Therefore, further studies
using different doses and experimental protocols should be conducted to enhance
evidence about psychedelic substances."
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0278584624001970
[3482]
And de Jonge et al (2024) discover in "Psychedelic
Research for Alcohol Use Disorder with Comorbid Major Depressive Disorder: An
Unmet Need"
"In AUD, a growing evidence base for psilocybin
treatment shows a promising beneficial and sustained effect on measures of
drinking frequency. In MDD [major depressive disorder], a recent meta-analysis
has demonstrated that psilocybin therapy provides a large and consistent
reduction in depressive symptoms compared to no treatment. Co-occurrence of MDD
and AUD is quite prevalent, and this comorbidity exacerbates symptomatology of
the two individual disorders and complicates their treatment."
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11920-024-01567-4 [3772]
In an article for Deutsches Ärzteblatt international,
Spangemacher et al (2024) feel that psychotherapy's embrace of psilocybin
(although the Defendant believes this idea misses the point) is a first for
psychiatry:
"This review is based on pertinent publications (since
1969) that were retrieved by a selective search carried out in August 2024 in
the PubMed and ScienceDirect databases employing the keywords “psilocybin” AND
“long-term effects” AND “mental disorders”, with an emphasis on randomized,
controlled clinical trials (RCTs).
"Results: The available RCTs document the efficacy of
psilocybin mainly against depression, including otherwise medically refratory
depression. Most of the trials revealed a strong effect, with Cohen’s d ranging
from 0.67 to 2.6; they used a variety of depression scales and follow-up
intervals. Evidence was also found for the efficacy of psilocybin against
substance use disorders (alcohol in particular) and symptoms of anxiety
accompanying life-threatening somatic illnesses, such as cancer. Initial
uncontrolled studies have also shown significant improvement after the
administration of psilocybin for other indications.
"Conclusion: Treatment with psilocybin differs
fundamentally from classic psychopharmacotherapy. Its potentially
transdiagnostic, rapid, and sustainable efficacy and its positive effect on
further dimensions of mental health beyond the patient’s symptoms and
psychopathology imply that it may have diseasemodifying and salutogenic
mechanisms of action. Psychotherapy accompanied by the administration of
psychedelic drugs may turn out to be the first disease-modifying treatment in
the history of psychiatry."
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Moritz-Spangemacher/publication/387461413_Psilocybin_as_a_Disease-Modifying_Drug-a_Salutogenic_Approach_in_Psychiatry/links/67af66a8207c0c20fa8a2495/Psilocybin-as-a-Disease-Modifying-Drug-a-Salutogenic-Approach-in-Psychiatry.pdf?_tp=eyJjb250ZXh0Ijp7ImZpcnN0UGFnZSI6InB1YmxpY2F0aW9uIiwicGFnZSI6InB1YmxpY2F0aW9uIn19
[4840]
"In New Zealand...
"A clinical study using mushrooms containing the
psychoactive psilocybin to treat methamphetamine addiction has just completed
its first phase of trials.
"Over the past month the first cohort of participants
have undergone sessions at Rangiwaho Marae south of Gisborne.
"Jody Toroa, a trustee at Rangiwaho Marae, said the
goal of the study is find a way to care for whānau in the grips of meth
addiction, mental illness and PTSD."
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/te-manu-korihi/539320/marae-based-study-into-psychoactive-mushroom-for-treating-methamphetamine-addiction-completes-first-phase-of-trials
[3946]
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The Englishman stands
for the rights of everyone disadvantaged, discriminated against, persecuted, and
prosecuted on the false or absent bases of prohibition, and also believes the
victims of these officially-sanctioned prejudices have been appallingly treated
and should be pardoned and compensated.
The Englishman requests the return of his CaPs
and other rightful property, for whose distraint Slovenia has proffered no
credible excuse or cause.
The Benedictions represent both empirical entities as well as beliefs. Beliefs
which the Defence evidence shows may be reasonably and earnestly held about the
positive benefits of CaPs at the population level, in which the good
overwhelmingly outweighs the bad. Below, the latest version of this dynamic
list.
THE BENEDICTIONS
REFERENCES
TIMELINE OF DRUG LAW v. SCIENCE