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DEA Agrees To Hold Hearing On Proposed Ban Of Two Psychedelics Amid Pushback From Researchers – Marijuana Moment

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The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has scheduled an administrative hearing to get additional feedback from experts about its renewed push to ban two psychedelics after abandoning its original scheduling proposal in 2022.

More than a year after DEA announced its intent to classify 2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine (DOI) and 2,5-dimethoxy-4-chloroamphetamine (DOC) as Schedule I drugs under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), the agency has agreed to hold a hearing before issuing a final rule.

DEA Administrator Anne Milgram signed off on the hearing notice on Thursday. It says that the agencys administrative law judge will convene the meeting on June 10, at the request of three interested parties, including Panacea Plant Sciences, which had filed a motion contesting the proposed scheduling action last year.

Panacea Plant Sciences founder and CEO David Heldreth told Marijuana Moment on Monday that the company is prepared to fight the DEA attempt to schedule DOI & DOC.

Beyond the scheduling attempt, we believe the DEA administrative law judges and system are unconstitutional, he said, arguing that theres legal precedent based on prior Supreme Court rulings. We expect to file federal challenges to the ALJ prior to the hearing.

In its notice about the psychedelics ban last year, DEA said its arguments about the merits of the scheduling action remained the same as in its prior abandoned ban attempt. It is maintaining that DOI and DOC hold high abuse potential with no established medical value. But it also notably described a change in the process to request an administrative hearing, which left some with the impression that the agency was deliberately complicating the procedure in the face of likely challenges from the psychedelics research community.

But, ultimately, DEA accepted the multiple requests for a hearing.

Upon review of the requests for hearings, I have authorized a hearing, and direct the Chief Administrative Law Judge to assign the matter to an Administrative Law Judge who will complete all prehearing procedures, conduct a due process hearingand issue a recommended decision for the Agencys review and action, Milgram said.

A DEA spokesperson told Marijuana Moment on Monday that they expect the notice to be posted on the online docket on Tuesday.

DEA backed down off its original proposed ban of the psychedelics following challenges from Panacea and researchers from Emory University. It remains to be seen how the agency will navigate the scheduling issue following the hearing with experts.

DEA separatelywithdrew from a proposal to ban five different tryptamine psychedelics in 2022amid sizable pushback from the research and advocacy communities.

For DOI and DOC, the agencys 2023 notice about the scheduling proposal still lacks evidence that directly connects the compounds to serious adverse health events or demonstrated a high abuse potential.

To date, there are no reports of distressing responses or death associated with DOI in medical literature, it says. The physiological dependence liability of DOI and DOC in animals and humans is not reported in scientific and medical literature.

DEA said that anecdotal reports posted by people online signaled that the substances have hallucinogenic effects, making it reasonable to assume that DOI and DOC have substantial capability to be a hazard to the health of the user and to the safety of the community.

It did point to one report of a death of a person who had used DOC in combination with two other unspecified drugsas well as two reports of hospitalizations that it said were attributable to the use of DOC with other drugsbut scientists say that hardly constitutes reason enough to place them in the most strictly controlled schedule.

Meanwhile, DEA is also under significant public and political pressure to complete its review into marijuana scheduling after the agency received a recommendation to move cannabis to Schedule III of the CSA from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

A DEA official recently said on a podcast that the agency wants to correct misperceptions that its drug scheduling review process is done in a shroud of secrecy as it works to reach a final decision. He also said it sometimes takes up to six months for DEA to complete its analysis of health officials recommendationswhich is just about how long it has now been since the agency began its current cannabis assessment.

Vice President Kamala Harris recently urged DEA to finalize its cannabis review as quickly as possible and called it absurd and patently unfair that marijuana remains in Schedule I alongside drugs such as heroin.

President Joe Biden has also routinely touted his role in directing the marijuana scheduling review, including during his State of the Union address last month and in a new proclamation designating April as Second Chances Month.

Read DEAs notice about the psychedelics scheduling hearing below:

Top Marijuana Advocacy Groups End Merger Talks Despite Fundraising Challenges

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia.

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DEA Agrees To Hold Hearing On Proposed Ban Of Two Psychedelics Amid Pushback From Researchers - Marijuana Moment

Meta’s VR Headsets Are Getting a Masturbation Mode – Futurism

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"It's for porn right?" And More

Shortly after the Apple Vision Pro's January release, many buyers were horrified to discover that their wildly expensive new headsets didn't let them download and watch porn. (This isn't all too surprising, given Apple's generally porn-avoidant history. Still, as 404 Media reported, buyers were pissed.)

Enter: Meta, which knows what the people buying its VR headgear really want.

Meta announced last week that its latest software update, v63, would let users of its Quest 2 and Quest Pro headsets more comfortably wear their devices while lying down. In a press release, the company noted that "there are myriad reasons you might want to use your Meta Quest headset lying down," explaining that users might want to lay back while watching a made-for-VR David Attenborough series on the Galapagos Islands, attending bizarre metaverse concerts in Horizon Worlds, meditating, "and more."

Don't play, Meta... we know what "and more" means. VR porn enthusiasts have been hankering for a better lying down mode for a while, and it seems that CEO Mark Zuckerberg's metaverse team has answered the call. Get cozy and freak on, y'all.

There isone catch to the update, though: lying down mode isn't yet available on the Quest 3, Meta's most advanced consumer-oriented headset to date.

But Meta does have a reason for this seeming discrepancy. Inan Ask Me Anything on Instagram this week, the company's chief technology officer and Reality Labs head Andrew "Boz" Bosworth addressed the user concern, explaining that Meta is indeed "planning to bring" the horizontal upgrade to the newer headset but has run into some slow-downs due to the Quest 3's differing "Smart Guardian" interface. (Put very simply, Meta's Guardian systems allow users to draw VR boundaries in their real-world space.)

"I don't have a date for you exactly," Bosworth continued. "But it is coming, and we're making good progress on it."

Of course, masturbation isn't the only reason why a Quest user might want to be able to more functionally lay back while wearing their headset. It's also certainly worth noting that the Instagram user who asked Bosworth about the update during his AMAexplained that it would make their Quest 3 experience as a disabled person far more comfortable an important accessibility consideration for Meta, which urges its "commitment to inclusive design" in its Quest documentation.

That said, some netizens' minds seem pretty fixated on the "and more" of it all.

"It's for porn," one Redditor wrote in response to the above AMA snippet, shared yesterday to a thread in the r/OculusQuest subreddit, "right?"

More on VR porn: Apple Fans Horrified to Discover Vision Pro Cant Play VR Porn

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Meta's VR Headsets Are Getting a Masturbation Mode - Futurism

NASA’s Hubble Telescope Captures "Last Gasp" Of Dying Binary Star System – NDTV

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NGC 2346 resides in the constellation Monoceros, NASA said.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) regularly captures stunning images of our universe, leaving space lovers mesmerized. The social media handles of the US Space Agency are a treasure trove for those who love to watch educational videos and fascinating images showcasing Earth and space. Now, in its recent post, the agency's Hubble Space Telescope shared a picture of the "last gasp" of a dying binary star system.

"At the center of the nebula NGC 2346 is a pair of stars that are so close together that they orbit around each other every 16 days! This #HubbleClassic shows the "last gasp" of this binary star system as it dies. Located about 2,000 light-years away, NGC 2346 resides in the constellation Monoceros." NASA said while sharing the image.

It is to be noted that NGC 2346 is a so-called "planetary nebula," which is ejected from Sun-like stars which are near the ends of their lives.

The central star of NGC 2346 is believed to be a relatively near pair of stars that orbit each other every 16 days, which makes the galaxy unusual. It is thought that the binary star was initially farther apart. But one of the binary's components essentially swallowed its companion star as it developed, grew larger, and became a red-giant star.

Subsequently, the companion star spiralled downwards inside the red giant, releasing gas into a ring surrounding the binary system. Later, a faster stellar wind arose perpendicular to the ring and inflated two enormous "bubbles" when the red giant's hot core was revealed. "This two-stage process is believed to have resulted in the butterfly-like shape of the nebula. NGC 2346 lies about 2,000 light-years away from us, and is about one-third of a light-year in size," the European Space Agency explained.

In the image, a two-lobed structure of gas is seen expanding out from a central pinkish region. It almost resembles dark red and orange wings. The black background of the space is dotted with some small stars.

Since being shared, the post has amassed over 58,000 likes and several reactions on the platform.

"Lovely," said a user.

"Hubble is cool," stated another user.

A third user said, "The science is so amazing"

"Wow," remarked a person.

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NASA's Hubble Telescope Captures "Last Gasp" Of Dying Binary Star System - NDTV

Tech Giants Refuse U.S. Consumer Security to Oversee Digital Wallets – The Tech Report

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The Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA), a lobby group representing major tech companies such as Apple, Google, Amazon, Meta, and X, expressed concerns about a proposed plan by the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).

The CFPBs proposal seeks equal oversight of digital wallet and payment app providers, including tech giants, to ensure consumer protections similar to traditional payment methods.

The CCIAs head of regulatory policy, Krisztian Katona, cautioned against the potential negative impact of the proposal, suggesting that overly broad or burdensome digital regulations could impede innovation and harm new startups in the industry.

The lobby group emphasized that extensive supervision like the one imposed on banks might not be the most effective approach.

In the comment letter addressed to the CFPB, the CCIA pointed out a perceived flaw in the proposal, stating that it failed to identify the specific consumer risks it intended to address.

The letter argued against viewing non-bank digital providers and banks as direct competitors, emphasizing the markets reality, where their collaborations often benefit consumers through complementary services.

The Financial Technology Association, representing members such as PayPal and Block Inc., echoed similar concerns in a separate comment letter released on the same day. They argued that existing regulations were adequate, urging the CFPB to suspend the rulemaking process.

The association, which includes companies like Venmo and Cash App, also believed that unnecessary regulations could stifle innovation and hinder the industrys growth.

The adoption of digital payment systems has continued to increase, given the advantage they offer users over traditional methods.

Notably, digital payments offer high convenience and security, adding to their user-friendly features and benefitting businesses and consumers.

Due to this support, there is a projected 26.93% compound growth in their adoption between 2021 and 2025.

This rise gives birth to a significant trend in the competitive industry, resulting in a consolidation period where large tech companies surpass regional and community banks in terms of trust associated with digital payments.

The IMF acknowledges the significance of digital payments in reshaping the industry and encourages more collaborations and competition between big tech companies and regular financial institutions.

Besides that, digital wallets have proven helpful in streamlining payment processes and bringing existing systems together, whether online portals for internet-based operations or contactless terminals for face-to-face transactions.

This ease of integration enhances accessibility and convenience for customers and businesses, contributing significantly to the widespread adoption of digital wallets.

In addition to these benefits, the cost-effectiveness of digital wallets compared to traditional payment methods makes them an attractive option for businesses aiming to reduce transaction costs.

This affordability further incentivizes their adoption across various industries, positioning digital wallets as indispensable tools for most tech organizations.

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Tech Giants Refuse U.S. Consumer Security to Oversee Digital Wallets - The Tech Report

Elon Musk expresses concern over FAA’s focus on DEI – Washington Examiner

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Billionaire Elon Musk has directed his attention to the Federal Aviation Administrations focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion, stating Monday morning that he could not believe this is happening.

Musk, who has spoken out against the DEI movement recently, shared a story on social media that revealed the FAA is seeking to hire people withsevere intellectual disabilities. Among these disabilities defined by the FAA include those involving hearing, sight, partial or complete paralysis, and epilepsy.

Just had a conversation with some smart people could not believe this is happening, Musk wrote on X, his social media platform once known as Twitter.

Musks concerns about the FAAs use of DEI in its hiring comes about a week after a Boeing 737 Max 9, operated byAlaska Airlines, had a piece of it blown off during its takeoff. The government is currently investigating what caused the piece to blow off from the plane.

A social media user responding to Musk suggested how catastrophic DEI could be when hiring people in the medical industry, with the user suggesting people could DIE due to DEI. Musk agreed, responding yes to the hypothetical scenario.

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Musk has made himself a vocal critic of DEI over the past few weeks, stating Monday that discrimination based on anything other than merit is wrong. He also argued last week thatDEI discriminatesagainstpeople based on their race and that DEI itself is both immoral and illegal.

Other billionaires who have recently voiced their opinions against DEI include hedge fund billionaire Bill Ackman, Lululemon founder Chip Wilson, and 2024 Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.

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Elon Musk expresses concern over FAA's focus on DEI - Washington Examiner

Metaverse cloning tech uses AI to create virtual versions of you that live in games you cant always c… – The Sun

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ARTIFICIAL intelligence cloning is poised to become the next big thing in the technology sector - and maybe even our lives.

Meta recently unveiled its AI-powered chatbots and many of them feature likenesses of celebrities - or celeb AI clones.

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This is thanks to its Llama 2 technology, which can generate AI "characters" or "animations" based on real people.

Another company called Delphi lets users create virtual clones of themselves or anyone else.

To generate an AI clone via Delphi, all users need to do is upload some form of identification and as many as thousands of files, including emails, chat transcripts, and even YouTube videos.

It's apparent that this technology is quickly taking over the industry and this is only the beginning, experts say.

MichaelPuscar, Co-founder ofAI firm NPCx, which is developing its own AI cloning technology for the gaming sector, explains the phenomenon further.

"Our aim is to allow video game players toclonethemselves into video games, acting on their behalf in the game when theyre unavailable to play," he told The U.S. Sun in an email.

"You can imagine the following situation: you and I are set to play Call of Duty tonight but at the last minute, your partner unknowingly made a dinner reservation. Now Im stuck, or am I? Im not if I can play with or against yourclone," Puscar said.

NPCxs product is called BehaviorX, and it has not yet been released to the public, he said, but it could be central to the development of the metaverse.

The term metaverse was popularized by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerburg and describes a virtual world that combines social media, cryptocurrency, augmented reality, and gaming.

"Our clones need to exist in not just a video game environment but in the Metaverse as well," Puscar said.

"In both cases, the goal is such that when you interact with these clones they are in every way indistinguishable from the person from whom they were cloned."

To create theclones, NPCx asks players to play the game and observe them and their environment in great detail.

"We specifically ask them to take certain actions in the game, not unlike how actors are asked to take specific actions on a motion capture stage," Puscar said.

"This gives us what we need to train our models and create theclone."

Puscar added that by generating characters based on real-world people, the company can also create non-player characters (NPCs) with deep personalities, who act and react in realistic ways.

When asked what the appeal of AI clones is in gaming, Puscar had a simple answer.

"For gamers, playing alongside or againstAIclonesof real-world players orcelebritiesadds an element of realism and excitement to the gaming experience," he said.

"It's about creating a more engaging, interactive, and personalized form of entertainment that resonates with the user's interests and preferences."

Beyond gaming and chatbots, Puscar anticipates seeing AI cloning technology employed in a variety of applications.

"This could include virtual training environments, interactive educational tools, personalized digital assistants, and more," he said.

"The entertainment industry, in particular, stands to benefit significantly, with possibilities ranging from personalized movie experiences to virtual concerts featuring digitalclonesof artists.

Still, while this all sounds like good fun, the ethics around digitalclonesare "perilous," Puscar explained.

"Once youve trained yourclone, your likeness is acting in ways out of your control. In theory, if the algorithms are working properly, it is acting in ways that you would act," he said.

"But we cannot control the counterparty, and you can imagine situations where someone nefarious decides to simulate sexual acts with aclone, uses profane language, or otherwise attempts to put them into compromising situations."

Therefore, it is imperative to make sure thatclonesare created and used ethically, he said.

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Metaverse cloning tech uses AI to create virtual versions of you that live in games you cant always c... - The Sun