We’re only one month into the new year but it’s safe to say that January is already the craziest month of 2021. And judging from last year, it’s pretty likely that this trend will continue well on into the rest of the year, so we need to properly set our expectations, buckle our seat belts, and enjoy the ride as much as we possibly can.
In this month’s recap we’ll be taking a look at the biggest psychedelic news stories that took place, including a cautionary tale about magic mushrooms, the psychedelic guru who stormed the U.S. Capitol, a city in Massachusetts that decriminalized natural psychedelics, a new psilocybin church in Salt Lake City, and much more.
Here is a slimmed-down video recap version that is available for those who prefer an easier-to-digest option:
There’s a lot to get through this month, so without further ado, let’s jump into the news:
Magic Mushrooms Grew in a Man’s Veins After He Injected Psilocybin Mushroom Tea
If you’ve ever thought about injecting magic mushrooms into your veins, you might want to give up on that idea after finding out what happened to a man who did just that.
A new case report published this month shared a frightening story about an opioid user who attempted to self-medicate his depression and drug dependence by injecting homemade mushroom tea into his body. The experiment caused a life-threatening infection that prompted psilocybin to grow inside of him and resulted in a month-long hospital stay.
Fortunately he survived, but this should serve as a cautionary tale for others to avoid this route of administration for magic mushrooms. After all, simply eating them or drinking mushroom tea has already stood the test of time for psychonauts all around the world.
A Self-Proclaimed Psychedelic Guru Known as the “QAnon Shaman” Stormed the Capitol
The United States underwent a traumatic event on January 6th when a diverse group of insurrectionists stormed the Capitol in an attempt to prevent the certification of the 2020 presidential election, resulting in five deaths and the evacuation of Congress.
Among them was a self-appointed psychedelic guru who goes by the name “QAnon Shaman.”
Advocating for psychedelic shamanism to heal the world while also taking part in a violent act, Jake Angeli is a living example of the wide spectrum of psychedelic users that includes not only left-leaning hippies but also alt-right conspiracy theorists.
Angeli has a long strange history in the psychedelic community, offering courses and consultations on woo-woo topics like ascension and ESP, protesting against the Black Lives Matter movement, and supporting conspiracy theories like the idea that COVID-19 is a hoax and the far right QAnon hogwash.
If you’re interested in learning more about the mysterious symbols tattooed on Angeli’s chest, be sure to check out Psymposia’s guide explaining what each one means in context.
Somerville, Massachusetts Decriminalized Natural Psychedelics
Somerville, Massachusetts hopped on the psychedelic policy reform bandwagon by decriminalizing natural psychedelics like psilocybin mushrooms, ayahuasca, and iboga.
A coalition including Bay Staters for Natural Medicine and Decriminalize Nature Massachusetts presented the legislation to the Somerville City Council which unanimously voted 9-0 to approve the decriminalization bill.
The resolution will prompt the city’s legal department to work with community activists to finalize an ordinance and asks the local police and district attorney to deprioritize the enforcement of use and possession charges.
A Former Mormon Politician Started A Psilocybin Church Called “The Divine Assembly”
A former Latter-day Saint politician with some impressive cajones formed a psilocybin church in Salt Lake City, Utah. Dubbed “The Divine Assembly”, the church serves magic mushrooms as a sacrament that enables its members to commune with the divine.
Since The Divine Assembly provides an illicit substance to its congregation, the church’s faith may eventually be tested in court to see if its members have a “sincerely-held religious belief” as required by the Religious Freedom Restoration Act if they want to continue using psychedelics as a religious group.
Until then, the church plans to continue serving its psilocybin sacrament without the federal government’s blessing.
Will Marijuana Be Legalized This Year?
Now that there is a Democratic majority in the U.S. Senate, stoners all over the country are asking whether we’ll see weed get legalized this year. Combined with Joe Biden’s recent presidential victory, the new Congress means that federal cannabis reform might finally be a possibility within the next two years.
When it comes to statewide reforms, several states have the potential to legalize cannabis this year: Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, and Wisconsin. And to sweeten the pot, Alabama, Kentucky, and South Carolina might legalize medical marijuana.
It’s too early to tell how many of these reform efforts will succeed, but one thing’s for sure—it’s shaping up to be a progressive year for cannabis policy.
New Psychedelic Reform Group Sets Its Sights on Federal Decriminalization
A new psychedelic reform group known as the Plant Medicine Coalition has set its sights on lobbying Congress to federally decriminalize natural psychedelic medicines. The group is a women-led, non-profit, grassroots advocacy organization, showing that women are leading the charge in this area of drug policy reform.
The Plant Medicine Coalition’s leader also founded the campaign that got psychedelic decriminalization passed in Washington, D.C. during last November’s election, so they are certainly experienced enough to make significant waves toward decriminalizing natural psychedelics across the United States.
Florida and Hawaii Could Legalize Psilocybin Therapy
A lawmaker in Florida is planning to introduce a psilocybin therapy legalization bill that could put the state on the map as the first in the Southeast—and the first red state—to approve a non-cannabis-related psychedelic reform bill. The legislation is modeled after the recently-approved voter initiative that passed in Oregon during last November’s election, so it would not allow recreational users to possess or consume magic mushrooms but would instead set up a legal framework for psilocybin therapy.
Hawaii's Senate is one step ahead of Florida because it already filed a new bill that would establish designated treatment centers and deschedule the psychedelic from the state's list of Schedule I controlled substances.
Meanwhile, recreational users in Colorado might have the option to trip on shrooms from the comfort of their own home in the near future. Kevin Matthews, who led Decriminalize Denver’s successful 2019 campaign to decriminalize psilocybin in the city, is beginning work on an effort to decriminalize magic mushrooms all across Colorado.
The Third (and Likely Final) Season of Hamilton's Pharmacopeia Is Out
Fans of the show Hamilton’s Pharmacopeia, where host Hamilton Morris explores the history, chemistry, and social impact of psychoactive substances, have a reason to rejoice because the third season of the popular docuseries is out now.
The new season’s reception has been favorable, with the first four episodes that have been released so far focusing on 5-MeO-DMT, methamphetamine, Xenon, and the extraordinary alkaloids of Africa. This is likely to be the show’s final season, so be sure to soak it all up while you can.
Mount Sinai Launched a New Center for Psychedelic Research
There still aren’t a whole lot of centers that are dedicated to researching psychedelics in the world, but a new one opened up this month. The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai launched a new center that is going to explore using psychedelics for PTSD, depression, anxiety, and other stress-related conditions.
And Mount Sinai isn’t wasting any time—they’ve already published a study that found that repeated IV injections of ketamine significantly reduced the severity of symptoms in people with chronic PTSD.
Hopefully we’ll eventually get to a point where there are such a plethora of psychedelic research centers that it’s not big news when a new one opens, but until that happens I’m going to keep highlighting new ones in these updates.
Additional Top Stories
Iceland is considering decriminalizing all drugs.
UFC and Johns Hopkins to study using psychedelics to help fighters’ brains heal.
Lawmakers and medical organizations in South Dakota, Montana, and Mississippi are trying to overturn voter-approved cannabis policy reforms.
A new method capable of analyzing drug residue found in tooth tartar could uncover the drug habits of ancient people.
The mayor of Amsterdam is trying to ban tourists from the city’s famous coffeeshops.
A new study found that classical music may not be as superior for psychedelic therapy as was once thought.
Activists in Washington, D.C. and a Michigan dispensary are giving out free cannabis to encourage people to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
That’s all for this month’s update. Remember to always test and weigh your drugs and until next time—keep thinking wilder.
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