MDMA and Ayahuasca in Ritual and Therapy

Dr. Charles Grob was the first researcher granted FDA approval to study these drugs.

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  • Dr. Charles Grob began clinically studying ayahuasca and MDMA in the nineties, the first researcher to be granted FDA approval.
  • Grob has also conducted studies on psilocybin and end-of-life care, which garnered great results.
  • The future of psychedelics research is moving quickly thanks in large part to Grob's decades of clinical work.
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Legalized marijuana linked to lower opioid abuse; death rates

A new study analyzed more than 1.5 billion opioid prescriptions over eight years.

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  • A new study analyzed over 1.5 billion opioid prescriptions between 2011 and 2018.
  • Researchers discovered opioid prescription reductions of 11.8 percent and 4.2 percent in states that passed recreational and medical cannabis laws.
  • The U.S. government needs to reschedule cannabis because researchers believe it has therapeutic value.
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Illinois set to approve insulin price cap of $100 for month supply

The move reflects a broader nationwide effort to lower prices of the life-saving drug.

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  • Some 30 million Americans have diabetes and must take insulin, but about 25 percent of them can't routinely afford the drug.
  • In recent decades, the cost of insulin has skyrocketed, partly because only three companies make insulin in the U.S.
  • There's some indication that recent efforts to make insulin more affordable are picking up steam.
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Imprisonment: Doctor who illegally prescribed 500,000 doses of opioids to serve 40 years

Dr. Joel Smithers was recently sentenced to decades in prison for the numerous illegal prescriptions he gave out.

Image source: Southwest Virginia Regional Jail Authority/photofunny.net
  • According to law enforcement officials, every individual who visited Smithers' practice in Martinsville, Virginia, was given an opioid prescription.
  • Patients traveled hundreds of miles to visit his practice, where Smithers only accepted cash or credit cards and not insurance.
  • Smithers and similar doctors represent one part of the chain of responsible parties who contributed to the opioid epidemic.
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The world's first psilocybin research center is opening in Jamaica

FieldTrip is advancing the realm of clinical psychedelic testing.

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  • FieldTrip Ventures is opening the world's first psilocybin research center at the University of the West Indies.
  • More research on magic mushrooms follows mounting evidence of the efficacy of ketamine and MDMA.
  • Ronan Levy of FieldTrip believes psychedelics could help treat a wide range of mental health conditions.
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