🫠 This Week in Psychedelics

Welcome to Tricycle Day. We’re the psychedelics newsletter that knows changing your mind is a sign of maturity and emotional intelligence. At first, we weren’t gonna ask you to share this email. But then we realized we were dead wrong. See how high EQ we are? (Seriously, please forward to everyone.)

Here’s what we got this week.

• Microdosing LSD for depression works 🤌

• Dr Bronner’s wants to pay for your psilocybin session 🍄

• RIP to a psychedelic pioneer 🇨🇦

• How to master integration for leadership 👑

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MICRODOSES

🔬 Research

Confirmed: High-dose psilocybin treats depression more effectively than the SSRI, escitalopram (aka Lexapro).
Die before you die: Near-death and psychedelic experiences are distinct but overlap in profound ways.
Suffering is optional: LSD changes how the brain processes pain.
Cognitive load: Classic psychedelics affect executive function, attention, and memory differently from MDMA.
Exposé: MAPS awarded a $200k grant for a pilot study of MDMA-assisted Massed Exposure Therapy for PTSD.
Tell your doctor if… Scientists have developed an inventory and assessment protocol for 32 side effects of psychedelics.

🏛️ Policy

Get out the vote: What to know about Massachusetts’ psychedelic ballot question.
Canary in the coal mine: A DEA administrator is comparing ketamine overprescription to the opioid epidemic.
Diggin’ for dirt: The FDA is expanding its probe into Lykos after rejecting its application for MDMA-assisted therapy.
Mystery ingredients: Diamond Shruumz’ recalled products are still making people sick, and scientists aren’t 100% sure why.

📈 Business

Go whole hog: Clearmind Medicine has received a new patent for its MEAI-based binge behavior treatment.
Crossing borders: Optimi Health shipped its first load of MDMA to Australia, and psilocybin is up next.
Pump and dump: This Portland psilocybin center has a checkered past and a penny stock for sale.
Quest complete: Soul Quest, one of the nation’s oldest ayahuasca churches, is officially closing.
Return on investment: CEOs are spending $15k on mushroom retreats to become better leaders.

🫠 Just for fun

Older than dirt: A short prehistory of psychedelics.
No judgment: Shaming people who take antidepressant pills is a form of psychedelic exceptionalism.
Out of your head: Psychedelics take you into a transpersonal dimension of reality.
Meme of the week: Applying for a job as a psychedelic-assisted therapist…

THE PEAK EXPERIENCE

Gloat away, microdosers

Microdosing haters, you may wanna sit down for this.

For years, the scientific community has been locked in a heated debate over microdosing. Does taking imperceptible amounts of psychedelics actually do anything? Or are the success stories all just a crock of sh err, placebo effect?

Well, MindBio Therapeutics just dropped a fistful of data from their Phase 2a clinical trial that’ll make even the staunchest of skeptics do a double-take.

Here's why microdosing advocates are having their "I told you so" moment.

• 💪 Results that last: Three months after an 8-week LSD microdosing treatment, patients still showed a 62.8% reduction in depressive symptoms. (That’s not a typo, folks.)

• 🏡 You can take it with you: Unlike other psychedelic pharma treatments, MindBio's approach lets patients self-administer at home. No tripsitter necessary.

• 🤙 Ease of use: The trial showed "excellent safety, adherence, and tolerance." In human speak? Microdosing didn’t cause people problems, so they actually stuck with it.

• 💰 Budget friendly: CEO Justin Hanka claims this could be a "globally scalable, effective, affordable way to treat patients." (Gotta be cheaper than sitting with 2 therapists for 8 hours, right?)

MindBio isn’t stopping now, either. They’re already knee deep in two Phase 2b trials (another for depression and one for cancer-related distress). Plus, several newly approved studies in women’s health are on deck. To fund this medical microdosing master plan, Haywood Securities is helping MindBio court investors with deep pockets.

Sure, it's early days, and we've seen plenty of promising treatments fizzle out. But if MindBio can keep riding this wave, we might be looking at a future where "take two and call me in the morning" assumes a whole new meaning.

Just remember, kids: Don't try this at home. Oh wait… guess that’s the whole point, huh? 🫠

AFTERGLOW

On their soapbox

Lather up, ladies and germs. Because Dr. Bronner's, the soap company that's been getting you squeaky clean for decades, wants to wash away your worries, too. The eucalyptus-scented giant just donated $50,000 to Bendable Therapy, a nonprofit psilocybin treatment center in Central Oregon, to help more people access life-changing psychedelic care.

Now, this isn't Dr. Bronner's first psychedelic rodeo. They've been pouring millions into psychedelic policy reform and research for years. CEO David Bronner’s contributions to New Approach PAC even helped get Oregon’s Measure 109 passed back in 2020. Seems like the company’s actually trying to clean up society’s act, not just human bodies (which comes as no surprise to anyone’s who ever read their sticker labels).

Let's face it. Psychedelic therapy ain’t cheap. Some psilocybin centers in Oregon are charging north of $4,000 for a single session. Bendable Therapy, however, has a unique scholarship model that connects clients with licensed guides, irrespective of their ability to pay. With Dr. Bronner's cash infusion, more Oregonians will get to try psilocybin and decide for themselves if we are, indeed, “All-One.”

Legends never die

Pour one out for Thomas Hartle, a legend of modern psychedelic history. The 56-year-old Saskatoon native, who became Canada's first sanctioned psychonaut in 2020, passed away on August 13th after a long battle with colon cancer. But don't cry for Hartle. He went out on his own terms, thanks to an unprecedented journey with psilocybin.

Hartle's journey from straight-laced Canadian to psychedelic pioneer began when traditional antidepressants left him feeling emotionally flat. Intrigued by Johns Hopkins research showing psilocybin's potential to ease end-of-life anxiety, he secured Health Canada’s first-ever legal exemption and took the plunge. That first trip was a doozy—seven grams. But it led to a profound shift in his perception of death, from lights-out to a "transition from one thing to another."

But Hartle wasn't content to keep the magic to himself. He recorded his sessions, hoping to pave the way for others. His advocacy, along with groups like TheraPsil, which helped him exercise his “right to try,” has pushed Canada closer to broader psilocybin access. For those still waiting, Hartle's legacy offers hope and an important reminder. Sometimes, the best way to face the void is with an open heart and an open mind.

CYCLISTS’ PICKS

UNTIL NEXT TIME

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DISCLAIMER: This newsletter is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice. The use, possession, and distribution of psychedelic drugs are illegal in most countries and may result in criminal prosecution.