Psilocybin for Mood etc

[pdkid]

Really happy to see that psychedelics are finally being researched again and that they are slowly making their way into the mainstream. Hopefully the stigma around them subsides. I have seen first hand how a microdose protocol can do wonders, especially in improving mood, depression and breaking negative cycles. If able, I do not think one needs to wait for research results or legalities for that matter to catch up to what has been used as medicine around the world, for thousands of years, in a handful of Indigenous cultures.

This was published the other day, highlighting research looking at psychedelics and Parkinson's:

"Silo Pharmaceuticals is addressing an enormous need to develop and test novel treatments for major depressive disorder, bipolar depression, chronic pain and mood symptoms associated with Parkinson's disease."

usatoday.com/story/sponsor-...

This site has a lot of good background info, including the benefits of microdosing: thethirdwave.co/psychedelic...

There is also a book by Michael Pollan called "How To Change Your Mind" that focusses on psychedelics. It is written for the mainstream and easy to read. There is a podcast out where he summarizes the ideas he talks about in the book.

[saraoutwest]

Totally interested in this. Thanks

[Usufruct]

Is this legal in Canada? Someone sent me the following link about microdosing. Apparently they only ship within Canada.

microgenix.net/index.php/sh...

[pdkid in reply to Usufruct]

I will respond more with thoughts on that link but for now from Wikipedia! >>>

Mushroom spore kits are legal and are sold openly in stores or on the internet as the spores and kits themselves are legal as they do not contain psilocybin/psilocin. Psilocybin and psilocin are illegal to possess, obtain or produce without a prescription or license as they are schedule III under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. Online dispensaries exist that openly sell microdoses to Canadian patients with medical prescriptions. Police tolerate the activity, citing focus on more harmful criminal drug activities. In September 2019, a motion to prevent the sale of magic mushrooms was defeated by Vancouver council. Efforts are underway to obtain exemptions for medical and research use under CDSA Section 56. In 2020, eleven end-of-life patients, including possibly also a first non-palliative patient, received exemption to pursue psilocybin-assisted therapy to help ease anxiety and depression. in 2020, 16 health professionals got permission from the Ministry of Health to use psilocybin themselves to help develop therapies for future use. Dried psilocybin mushrooms are also sold openly online.

[pdkid in reply to Usufruct]

Hi again! Microgenix is one of many online dispensaries that offer psilocybin capsules. I definitely know of another called Mota (who also sells cannabis products). I'm not sure if they ship outside of Canada.

motacannabisproducts.biz/ca...

There are also online shops that sell psilocybin spores, so that you can grow it yourself at home. As the actual mushroom is absent from this, it is totally legal. For example: sporeslab.io/

Separately, there are online shops that sell mushroom growing kits, with all the equipment you need. They sell these not just for psilocybin, for culinary mushrooms... I am not sure as I have not grown it myself, but the technique for growing psilocybin is a bit different than growing oyster mushrooms and other ones commonly eaten... I believe it is a lot simpler to grow psilocybin! One of the most important things you need is an extremely sterile environment: gardenerspath.com/plants/ve...

Last, if you are able to get a hold of psilocybin, you can grind the dried mushroom in a coffee or spice grinder, weigh out a microdose on a kitchen or jewelry scale and put them in capsules yourself. A microdose is anywhere from 0.05 grams to 0.15 grams, depending on your tolerance. For comparison, a macrodose that will take you on a trip starts at 1 gram. Though I do think 0.5 grams will make you feel a slightly elevated high.

As you dig into how to microdose, one thing to keep in mind is to proceed with caution and go in with intention! It can seem daunting or scary because of how its been portrayed in the media, but the "high" from a proper microdose is imperceptible, and at the most will make your sense feel slightly elevated.

[MarionP]

Too bad it is not accessible to the mainstream, as a competitor to Big pharma it is likely to be many many years before it ever become so... Originally it was banned for political reasons, as a response by conservative authorities who were upset with the generation that refused to participate in the Vietnam war. All such psychedelic substances were blamed for helping motivate young people to resist warmongering and were subjected to the exact same type of scaring and banishment and prohibition strategies that were used with marijuana in the 1930s for the same reason. Anybody ever remember the phrase "what if they gave a war and nobody came?" That's what the authorities were afraid of.

[pdkid in reply to MarionP]

Yes, all very true!! So annoying!! Where are you based? It is now legal in Oregon!! Scientists are now also studying Ibogaine as a PD treatment... apparently it doesn't only elevate mood in PD, but also helps regenerate dopamine production?!?

ibogainealliance.org/ibogai...

[MarionP in reply to pdkid]

Wow, so good to know. Can I visit there and purchase some or is it only available to State residents? I'd certainly be willing to travel for the purpose if it was something that is achievable. Really would like to know what you think about that.

Unfortunately I am currently deep in Neanderthal country, about 2500 miles from oregon, In a state that has tried it's best to become Mississippi and overshot so effectively that it became Georgia (similar to Alabama but Alabama is really more laid back, better than Georgia). We used to have a very good school system but 50 years of genetic (read: hyper-conservatism) regression has had its effect. Unless they don't card you in Minnesota or illinois, it's going to be a while. Suffice it to say that by that time my state's population will have been cut in half because that's how many people here refuse to vaccinate. Maybe when I get some real money I can relocate to New York or someplace where they have a little better attitude. Of course, my wife and I have a pact that is if either of us begin to approach death by reason of whatever, we will relocate to Oregon certainly because they don't have a prejudice against deciding when you go to that big beyond. Meanwhile, we'll have to operate under the radar to get our hands on mushroom kits we can discreetly obtain through more forward thinking sources. (Know of any? 🙂)

[pdkid in reply to MarionP]

I'm not entirely sure but I think you CAN just go there.... you can also go to Jamaica where it is legal Or come up to Canada and order online (for some reason they turn a blind eye to psilocybin sale activity online up here).

Double Blind Mag is super informative in the world of psychedelics. Here are a bunch of articles about legalization in Oregon (and I think maybe California?)

doubleblindmag.com/?s=orego...

2500 miles doesn't seem so bad... one mile at a time

I'm not sure where you can get mushroom growing kits online in the US but I bet you can... In Canada, this is a pretty good one! sporeslab.io/

This book will tell you everything you need to know:

donner.nl/the-psilocybin-mu...

This is a good one too... it only has one chapter on microdosing but its good at giving the overall picture of how to work with psilocybin:

barnesandnoble.com/w/your-p...

What are you hoping to achieve with them? Hope you can find some...

[MarionP in reply to pdkid]

Very interesting, many thanks!