In 2012, I had my first psychedelic experiences, as a subject in a clinical trial at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicines Behavioral Pharmacology Research Unit. I was given two doses of psilocybin spaced a month apart to treat my cancer-related depression.

During one session, deep within the world the drug evoked, I found myself inside a steel industrial space. Women were bent over long tables, working. I became aware of my animosity towards my two living siblings. A woman seated at the end of a table wearing a net cap and white clothes, turned and handed me a tall Dixie cup.

You can put that in here, she said. The cup filled itself with my bilious, sibling-directed feelings. Well put it over there. She turned and placed the cup matter-of-factly on a table at the back of the room. Then she went back to her tasks.

Whenever I speak with her, Mary Cosimano, the director of guide/facilitator services at Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research, mentions the women in the chamber and the cup. My experience struck a chord. For me, the women in the chamber have become a transcendent metaphor for emotional healing.

Ive thought about having a necklace made, with the cup, as a momento, she said the last time I saw her at a conference. Have you thought about it?

Prior to their 1971 prohibition, psilocybin and LSD were administered to approximately 40,000 patients, among them people with terminal cancer, alcoholics and those suffering from depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder. The results of the early clinical studies were promising, and more recent research has been as well.

The treatment certainly helped me. Eight years after my sessions, researchers continue to prove the same point again and again in an ongoing effort to turn psychedelic drug therapy into FDA-sanctioned medical treatment. This cant happen soon enough.

Psychopharmacology as a field had stalled. Many patients dont respond to conventional treatment with SSRIs, says Charles Grob, M.D., professor of psychiatry and biobehavioral Sciences at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, and the first modern clinical researcher to treat advanced-stage cancer patients suffering from depression and anxiety with psychedelics.

There is little hard evidence to show that long-term psychotherapy is effective in treating mental illness, depression or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). And theres the cost, which fewer and fewer insurers underwrite and ordinary people cant afford.

The failure of the psychotherapeutic process is located at its epicenter: the power disparity in the therapeutic dyad. Merely walking through the consulting room door, the patient subordinates herself to the therapist, who, by virtue of a title, is presumed to know more about her than she does herself. Transference and countertransferanceoffspring of Freudian psychoanalysisare cogs in the same moribund engine. The field will not change until the therapeutic relationship as it has been structured since the 19th century disappears.

Psychedelic drug therapy subverts the timeworn patriarchal hierarchy by creating an atmosphere of cooperation and trust rather than competition and domination. Or, to state it more bluntly, what women do in structured settings rather than what men do; women create cooperatives, men create hierarchies.

The treatment space is furnished like a lounge, with couches, chairs and table lamps. A music track plays. Two trained guides, one male, one female, are seated close by, ready to help if the emotional path becomes difficult. Guides are not therapists; instead they serve as trusted companions along a perilous, transformative spiritual journey. The sessions are led by the subject herself, by her feelings and perceptions throughout the experience and the way she processes them afterward.

The drug is a skeleton key which unlocks an interior door to places we dont generally have access to, says psychologist William A. Richards, one of the researchers who successfully treated patients with hallucinogens in the 1960s and early 1970s. Its a therapeutic accelerant.

MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) is rapidly proving effective in treating PTSD. MDMA is an entactogen: it touches within in a way talking does not. Michael Mithoefer, a psychiatrist in Charleston, S.C., who has worked with military personnel and first responders, conducted a phase II clinical trial using MDMA to treat PTSD.

[Treatment is] not just revisiting the traumatic experiences, he said. Its a process of affirming a different experience on all levels, including in the body.

During MDMA sessions, subjects become more emotionally flexible and able to stay the course while exploring difficult memories. Many experience an enduring change in their response to emotional triggers. Clinicians hope to see MDMA approved by the FDA for PTSD treatment as early as 2022.

Treatment with psychedelic drugs represents a paradigm shift in the approach to mental health. For me, the change in the field is embodied by the presence of the busy women along my journey. The women treated my feelings as matters of fact, not to be avoided, reviled or fled from, but so obvious and ordinary they could be poured into a Dixie cup and set aside.

The success of the cancer studies has led to investigational treatment for patients suffering from intractable depression, early-stage Alzheimers, anorexia nervosa and smoking addiction. Within a few years, the patriarchal therapeutic model could be a thing of the past, supplanted by short-term guided treatment with psychoactive drugs.

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The Power of Psychedelics - Scientific American

The acclaimed author Aldous Huxley once wrote of the use of psychedelics: "It's a very salutary thing to realize that the rather dull universe in which most of us spend most of our time is not the only universe there is. I think it's healthy that people should have this experience."

Humans have used psychoactive substances in an effort to enhance their minds for thousands of years. In recent years, a trend of entrepreneurs turning to natural psychedelic substances in small doses, known as a microdose, came to prominence. The practice of small-dose consumption is said to produce benefits like increased concentration, creativity, and mood without the psychoactive "trip" often associated with such substances.

The trend has sustained lately, with some entrepreneurs embracing larger doses to improve their job performance. But many remain in the dark on such substances and their effects.

Cannaclusive cofounder Mary Pryor says she believes the public is mostly unaware of the depth of the psychedelics space.

Mary Pryor. Mary Pryor

"We all need different things to support us," said Pryor, who provides marketing and social strategy to many ventures, including McCann and Tonic CBD. Pryor said the discussion is steeped in stigma and fears of dangers of the substance, which she said isn't helping anyone. "That's unfair, and it's not accurate," she said.

While the use of psychedelics is becoming less taboo, it remains a concern to some. Such an acknowledgement was made by Iowa Rep. Jarad Klein in 2019 when he introduced a decriminalization bill in his state. The bill was defeated in a floor vote in June.

Pryor advocates for frank discussions surrounding measured, calculated psychedelic use. Deliberate use includes Pryor's microdosing of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), psilocybin ("magic mushrooms"), N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT), and ketamine.

Her regimen includes a microdose of LSD about every two weeks and mushrooms once a month on the weekend. DMT and ketamine can be more challenging to obtain, so using them on a schedule is difficult, she said. Pryor explored ketamine treatments but had to pause them as facilitators shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic. DMT, which Pryor said was more difficult to source, is something she'll use when the opportunity presents itself, she said.

Pryor said mushrooms helped her relax, while LSD takes the pressure off and provides a jolt of energy. However, she said she didn't feel the "trip" often associated with larger-dose consumption, so she's able to get through her to-do list.

She said microdosing has also helped her cope with the loss of several family members and friends during the pandemic.

"It's helped me cope through mass grief," Pryor said of her dosing routine. She added, "It's been an extra level of comfort, to a degree."

Allison Krongard, a co-CEO and cofounder of the cannabis accessory line Her Highness, recently began microdosing using mushroom-infused chocolates. The daily regimen lasted eight weeks during the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving Krongard feeling a boost in creativity and helping "unlock answers to problems," she said. She said she expected to resume the process again soon, this time combining mushrooms with her morning coffee.

Allison Krongard, left, and Laura Eisman. Allison Krongard

A fan of the results so far, Krongard acknowledged the outcome has not been what she anticipated.

"I expected boosted creativity but find myself drawn to analyzing problems when [the psilocybin] kicks in," she said.

Not everyone is on board with regimented dosing. Some, like Emojibator cofounder and CEO Joe Vela, instead prefer to use LSD and mushrooms when needed or as he said, "At least once a year, or whenever I feel it could help."

Joe Vela. Joe Vela

Vela also said he believed psychedelics improved his energy and creative levels. "Even a microdose can flip the prospect of a long, boring task into one that is exhilarating," he said.

Vela said he used various dosages of the two psychedelics to kick-start his ideation and lift any creative blocks he encountered. His first breakthrough came while he was touring the country with his band, Tweed, which coincided with the development of his company concept.

When he consumes a more substantial dosage, the pleasure-tech cofounder and musician typically takes one or two hits of LSD, or between one and three grams of psilocybin, he said. When microdosing, he combines "a finely grinded fingernail size" dose of mushrooms into his coffee, he said. Aside from those loose parameters, Vela doesn't follow a routine but hopes to have one in place at some point. That said, he's found results from varied dosages, he said.

Vela explained how his LSD and mushroom trips have left him feeling humble and connected to the earth. On one occasion, he recalled seeing what he described as an infinite feedback loop that connected all living things. "I think this has encouraged me to consider my impact on the world with business and personal decisions, for example, creating free platforms for education, like Masturbation Month," Vela said.

Like with any illegal substance, it's best to receive any psychedelics from reliable sources, be it a seller or cultivator. Doing so provides buyers with the best chances of securing quality substances.

Consumers are advised not to dive in headfirst once they've obtained their psychedelics. Instead, proponents like Her Highness' Krongard suggest the "start low; go slow" method that's been applied to consuming various drugs, both medicinal and recreational. Krongard likes the slow approach because "it's easy to get your bearings" when gradually consuming, she said.

Regardless of the approach, Vela encourages people to lose their expectations for the trip. "If you put too much pressure on generating a good business idea, it's not going to happen." Vela said. "Creativity happens most when you are relaxed and you are listening without judgment."

Emojibator's founder suggested taking the focus off of the final goal. "Instead of worrying about the finish line on a project or idea, consider asking yourself, and the people joining you, open-ended questions," he said. Some of Vela's favorites include: "How can we do this bigger?" and "What will leave a lasting impression?"

Above all else, the artist and entrepreneur implores people to stay in the moment. From there, each person must find what works best for them, he said.

"Everyone's body is different, so it might take a different combination of timing and dosage to get your desired effects," he added.

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How entrepreneurs microdose on psychedelics to spur new ...

Pure Extract Technologies Inc. (Pure Extracts) represents a differentiated growth opportunity that has attractive leverage to both the cannabis extraction and the psychedelics markets. We have a favorable outlook on how the business is approaching each of these markets and find this to be significant.

While most companies are focused on the cultivation and sale of cannabis and psychedelic products, Pure Extracts is focused on extracting the most valuable molecules from each substance. The margins that are associated with this facet of the business are high which we view as an attractive aspect of the story.

Pure Extracts has plans to submit its Dealers License application to Health Canada. The granting of the license would allow the Company to extract psilocybin for businesses that need the extract to conduct clinical trials. The current market price of extracted psilocybin is massive and it is not expected to decline anytime soon.

A Differentiated Growth Story to be Aware of

Another of the reasons we are excited about Pure Extracts is the diversity of the business. From cannabis vapes, tinctures and edibles to psilocybin, the Company is focused on extracting and selling key THC and CBD input products to other businesses. Pure Extracts is also immersed in the functional mushroom market and has positioned itself to become the premier commercialization and manufacturing partner for both functional and psychedelic firms.

During the last decade, there has been a substantial rise in demand for functional mushroom products and the industry has benefited from an increase in the number of people that are focused on the natural health market. Most functional mushroom products are powdered, and this format limits the amount of active ingredients that can be consumed. Through the extraction process, Pure Extracts can create a concentrated dose of active ingredients that can be accurately measured and consistently manufactured, which will open-up new markets with new consumers. By offering a differentiated process, the Company will be able to stand out from the competition and we expect this to play an important role in the success of the product.

Forms Strategic Relationship to Support Growth

One of the most exciting aspects of the Pure Extracts story is related to the consulting agreement that it has with Dr. Alexander MacGregor, Founder & CEO of Transpharm Canada Inc., the parent company of the Toronto Institute of Pharmaceutical Technology. Through the relationship, Pure Extracts has access to Transpharms fully compliant Health Canada licensed GMP manufacturing and testing facility.

The agreement accelerates Pure Extracts ability to formulate and develop new psychedelic therapies and thereby serve as the commercialization engine for extracting psychedelics for its partner companies. We believe that this will be a key driver of shareholder value over the long term.

As the Company works on obtaining a Dealers License from Health Canada, Pure Extracts will initially sell functional mushroom products and is applying to Health Canada for a Natural Health Products (NHP) site licence. Once the Company is granted the license, it will be able to buy, sell, test and produce psychedelics within an EU Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) environment. The management team has been highly focused on forming strategic partnerships prior to its being granted a Dealers License and has signed several NDAs with functional product firms to explore joint development strategies.

In the Middle of a Major Transition

Pure Extracts is in the middle of a major transition and the expansion into the psychedelic market is an extension of its extraction capabilities. Going forward, the Company will continue to be laser focused on rapidly scaling its hemp and cannabis extraction business and we will monitor how the management team is able to execute on this.

So far, Pure Extracts has been contacted by several functional and psychedelic mushroom companies to formulate and commercialize biomass for them. We believe that there will be strong initial demand for the Companys services and will monitor how this side of the business is able to ramp up.

One of the additional reasons we are excited about Pure Extracts is due to the expectations that are associated with their operations. The Company expects the functional mushroom extraction business to ramp up later this year. The functional mushroom business will help Pure Extracts learn more about the different types of mushroom species and allow it to more accurately formulate them into other compounds that will ultimately make the psychedelics more effective.

An Opportunity that is on our Radar

Pure Extracts will be able to generate revenue on the cannabis side of the business as it continues to execute on the psychedelic and functional mushroom vertical. Over the long term, we expect the business to find substantial synergies between the cannabis and the psychedelic and functional mushroom divisions.

Later this Fall, Pure Extracts plans to complete a go-public transaction and this is an opportunity that we are closely following. When compared to other businesses that are focused on the psychedelic market, we believe that Pure Extracts represents a differentiated opportunity that has substantial potential catalysts for growth.

If you are interested in learning more about how Pure Extracts plans to disrupt the psychedelic industry, please send an email to support@mushroomstocks.com to be added to our distribution list.

Authored ByAnthony Varrell

Anthony Varrell is Managing Director of StoneBridge Partners LLC. SBP continues to drive market awareness for leading firms in the cannabis industry throughout the U.S. and abroad.

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Pure Extracts Has Significant Leverage To Both The Cannabis and Psychedelic Sectors - Technical420 - Technical420