Cannabis is currently not classified or typically thought of as a psychedelic, but some mental health professionals say they would like to change that. It has been suggested that psychedelics – such as mushrooms – could also treat depression, PTSD, alcoholism, and so on. And psychiatrists also now believe that cannabis has some psychedelic properties that could be beneficial in treating various mental disorders. While this is certainly not news to anyone privy to the vast benefits of cannabis medicine, the study put out by these mental health professionals raises some interesting points.
While attending a recent conference in London regarding the science of psychedelics, New York psychiatrist Julie Holland suggested that cannabis medicine could be linked to “de-habituation” – an effect that is experienced by psychedelic drug users. This term is used by some mental health professionals to describe the experience a user might have on mushrooms in which they experience life in a child-like state of wonder, and that things that were once mundane and uninteresting end up becoming enthralling and engaging. According to Holland, some cannabis medicine might cause users to feel the same type of effect, which she believes could be a useful tool in treating mental health issues.
“The thing that I’m interested in with cannabis is how it does this thing where everything old is new again. That can be very helpful in psychiatry,” Holland said in an article appearing in Business Insider.
Holland is currently involved in a Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) study with the goal of determining whether cannabis is an effective treatment for veterans suffering from PTSD.
As with every other much-needed study on cannabis, of course the absurd stronghold of the federal government continually refusing to reclassify the medicine away from its current schedule one designation halts any would-be progress that such research would discover. Despite that absurdity, it is great to see mental health professionals such as Holland being open and vocal about her desire to possibly treat disorders with something other than potentially harmful pharmaceuticals. We need more doctors, nurses, science and medical educators and mental health professionals like Holland to have the courage to come forward and say enough is enough: Cannabis is indeed effective medicine, whether the powers that be like that fact or not.
What are your thoughts on the possible psychedelic properties of cannabis medicine? Do you think there is any merit to these statements? Let us know in the comments.
I would be careful in classifying Marijuana as a psychedelic. Of course, with genetics this affect can be manufactured. Marijuana in its natural state, is a stimulant. It allows the user to focus on events other than what typically consumes the mind. Yes, things may seem new, even a book, or cleaning house, but it doesn’t take over the mind and body to produce hallucinations or even expand consciousness to an uncontrollable state. The state of being, for an experienced marijuana consumers is: controlled mental awareness and a focused state of existence; the result is stimulation.
The understanding of psychedelic substance effects is as diverse as the uses for cannabis. However, I think the reality of thousands of years of continuous use by humans that seek comfort in its effects, speaks louder than any recent study, by professional academia, to assess the benefits or detriments of reasonable and relatively tempered cannabis use or even heavy usage effects. Clearly, it has been found to be effective ,at least to some degree, in the minds of millions of current and past users over the generations, in the relief of their symptoms of distress or just for stress relief/relaxation. It is effective for millions of users for many different uses and it seems it mostly comes from changes it makes in the brain itself, regardless of the area of the body that may be relieved of stress, pain, spasms, or whatever! Brain active agents are making changes in many ways and what is a “psychedelic” effect, OR NOT is an interesting subject , but may not really be specific enough for general public understanding. We need to bypass all this bullshit and just affirm that the people want the freedom to grow and use herbal medicines, including marijuana without restrictions or governmental intrusions, despite its effects as understood or misunderstood by some people. The denial of free access or use of any natural food or time proven herbal remedy by one group of citizens to another group that needs or at least desires that food or herbal natural medicine is deplorable and evil, mean spirited persecution of fellow citizens! This is the only argument I need to justify civil disobedience to unjust ,evil and mean spirited laws that exist controlling cannabis throughout the present prohibitionist period (post World War One). I welcome research, but it is past time to demand the ending of prohibition and the deregulating of personal gardens that grow any plant for personal or family use, regardless of research that claims this benefit or that negative aspect of any plant. Regulate industrial, commercial or governmental use or sales or add taxes as the politicians see fit, but stay out of our homes, gardens and personal space! Stay focused on the moral issues, the facts of the long history of human use and that millions find relief from pain, suffering, debilitating conditions, or just a relaxing and or uplifting of their spirit that doesn’t leave them hung over and has little or no adverse effects that upset their life outside of the effects of current legal and corporate persecutions! The fact that alcohol use is legal and far more dangerous than any herbal remedy ! The facts that more people die from food allergies every year than from all the cannabis plant deaths(excluding hangings with cannabis ropes!) since the beginning of history- ZERO! The fact, that in the near future, there may be court trials for the violations of the constitutional rights and for denying human rights and justice, of past governmental and civil authorities deemed leaders in the persecutions of herb users. Collusion with private prisons, influencing Judges at the highest level, judges clearly siding against the spirit and rightful meaning of our constitution, confiscation of assets for personal glory and gains, etc. , may lead to prosecutions of some big politicians and legal professionals(lawyers and judges)for these crimes. I hope that we can achieve an ending to this civil war declared by our leaders against their own people soon, before they lead to destroying our nation in conflicts and injustice. Use the truth, it was ignored long ago, and it still is being pushed aside by our enemies, with lies, half truths and intimidations, but demand that they refute the truths! Demand they recognize the truths about the largest and longest “drug test” in history! 5,000 years of continuous use by countless millions of human subjects, with no deaths from overdosing. 5,000 years of millions of people seeking and enjoying the effects of cannabis with no resulting adverse effects on reproduction. 5,000 years of use by people suffering from debilitating and/or painful health conditions getting relief from suffering. The truth that almost anybody can grow in their home garden cheap and useful medicine that also is good for just plain relaxation and pleasure. The fact that every day tens of millions of people use cannabis and they don’t run amok, but instead raise families, work farms, hold jobs and many create inventions, music and art that society loves. Stop hanging on the newest studies and demand acting on the existing facts to liberate the millions of victims of this evil prohibition!
Let us not forget about why they want to re-class the drug. Does that mean it would be a whole new ball game for laws governing cannabis and a whole new struggle? For example, right now it is a schedule one drug. But what if calling it a psychedlic requires even more regulation. Or would it just make it more medincinally accepted? Or maybe it would do both? There are several different schedules it would then fall into and I am not sure that would be a good thing. Would it have to be more controlled than what it is right now if it is re-classsed? Another question I have is that why is there so much attention on worrying about a drug that has never ever in the thousands of years that it has been used for medicine produced one death but no one is asking why doctors shouldn’t be held more accountable with prescribing oxycodon for things like a sprained ankle or opioids for pain when this safe alternative is there just not being used.
Overdose is not the only risk related to prescription opioids. Misuse, abuse, and opioid use disorder (addiction) are also potential dangers. In 2014, almost 2 million Americans abused or were dependent on prescription opioids. As many as 1 in 4 people who receive prescription opioids long term for noncancer pain in primary care settings struggles with addiction. Every day, over 1,000 people are treated in emergency departments for misusing prescription opioids.
And yet they tell us that they aren’t sure if cannabis is safe to take but they will prescribe things that do this to you? That’s messed up. It isn’t that they are being sold for private, recreational use. It’s that people are trying to manage symptoms and build tolerance to their medication. In a desperate attempt to stop pain they are taking that one more pill that kills them or lands them in the hospital for an additional problem that they were prescribed!! WTH! It’s not an accident that all these people are dieing. Many people that I speak with are not fully told how dependency works with opioids and not told why they are so dangerous, instead they are casually prescribed this poison and then it’s an accident when people die? No accountability for the ones we rely on for information? Many of the studies that are done on scripts are also done by the manufacturer and are restested until they figure out how to make the study come out with the best numbers and those are the numbers we are fed on commercials so that they can make money on our deaths. Lyrica, for example, has awful success rates! Only forty percent of people who take Lyrica are helped for the pain but are altered because of side effects and there are thousands who have opted to not take it because of side effects. If you go back in the medical journals you can find this all out for yourself.