🧪 Molecules, Miracles & Mud

👋 Welcome

Happy Psychedelic Science week!

If you're heading to Denver for Psychedelic Science 2025, come find us at booth 1720. We’ll be running daily raffles with some genuinely awesome prizes, and we’ll be filming social media videos all week.

If you’ve got a wild trip tale, a burning question, or just want to see some friendly faces and vibe for a minute, swing by and say hello!

So whether you're sitting on your couch enjoying a cup of coffee or waiting in line to get through TSA screening (try to contain your excitement), there are some fascinating stories, research, and headlines to keep you distracted.

Let's dive in!

🔝 Weekly Highlights

• 🍄 Priest Takes Psilocybin, Says He Met God
  An East End priest went on a guided mushroom journey - and came back with a more intense faith and a divine story to match. Read his trip report
  

• 💰 Bia Labate Redefines the Risk Debate
  In this compelling Lucid News piece, Bia unpacks why “harm reduction” needs a broader lens—and why set, setting, and systems still matter.
  

• 🎭 Bonnaroo 2025: Rained Out, Freaked Out
  Tennessee’s iconic festival got canceled after flood-level weather hit the site. It got so bad that nearly every festival goer agreed - canceling it was the only move to make. See the muddy mess here
  

• 🧠 New Study Shows Psychedelic Attitudes Are on the Rise
  A large-scale analysis reveals growing public warmth toward psychedelics. It’s not quite Woodstock yet, but we’re getting there. See the data

🧬 Quick Hits

RESEARCH 🔬

• 🧪 One Dose, Less Drinking – Psilocybin may significantly reduce alcohol use with just a single session. Check the findings
  

• 🧬 Brain Reboot Mode: On – New research shows psilocybin reorganizes large-scale brain networks. See what’s lighting up

POLICY 🏛️

• 🛑 Surprise Veto in Iowa – The governor blocked a synthetic psilocybin bill, catching lawmakers flat-footed. Catch the twist

BUSINESS 📈

• 📈 Cybin’s Got Good News – The company dropped a bullish corporate update highlighting regulatory momentum. See the signals

CULTURE 🎭

• 🌀 Trip and a Prayer – Psychedelic experiences can both provoke and soothe spiritual struggles. Read the study
  

• 🎶 Surf to Psychedelia: Brian Wilson’s Best – The Guardian lists 12 of his greatest tracks across all eras. Feel the vibrations

🌈 Main Features

1. 🍄 Psilocybin Shows Long-Term Power in Cancer Care

A single 25mg dose of psilocybin. A deep breath. And two years of relief. In a recent clinical trial, cancer patients with major depression were given a single dose of psilocybin—plus therapeutic support—and over half were still feeling the benefits two years later. That’s not just “better than placebo.” That’s “what if emotional healing came with an expiration date of never?”

Out of 28 patients, more than half showed significant, lasting reductions in depression. A solid chunk even hit remission. Anxiety? Also down. Side effects? Minimal. The only lingering effect seems to be the radical notion that suffering might not be the final act of a cancer diagnosis.

Next, researchers are testing two-dose protocols to see if even more people can cross that threshold into long-term relief. And if this pans out, psilocybin could be on its way to becoming a cornerstone of compassionate oncology care.

A single mushroom. A guided session. A glimpse of light. Sometimes, that’s enough to change everything.

2. 🧠 LSD Lite? Healing Without the Hallucination

UC Davis researchers have reimagined LSD—preserving its brain-healing potential while dialing down the perceptual fireworks. The new compound, dubbed JRT, keeps the magic of neuroplasticity alive, helping regrow damaged neurons and restore brain circuitry, especially in conditions like schizophrenia and chronic stress.

The secret? A microscopic flip—just two atoms in LSD’s structure. That subtle shift created a molecule that still interacts with serotonin receptors but activates different pathways, skipping the hallucinatory dimension while still fostering deep neural repair.

In animal studies, JRT encouraged more dendritic growth than LSD itself and showed promise in reversing the cognitive and emotional effects of prolonged stress. It didn’t elicit the classic head-twitch response in mice—a common proxy for psychedelic effects—but did improve mood, flexibility, and brain resilience.

This isn’t about replacing the psychedelic experience—it’s about expanding the toolkit. For those who can’t or shouldn’t take the full ride, JRT might offer another way in. Healing pathways, just with a different kind of passport.

💡 Secondaries

🌸 Blue Lotus, Ancient Trip – This overlooked gem from UC Berkeley dives into the psychoactive secrets of Egypt’s mystical flower. It flew a bit under the radar when it first dropped a few months ago - but it’s still a fascinating read. Enter the lotus

🎁 Psychedelic Utility Belt

• 📚 Resource Drop: The Psychedelic DJ by Matt Xavier is your backstage pass to soundtracking deep journeys. Equal parts clinical guide and musical map, it covers playlist curation, Gestalt integration, and how to hold space like a pro.
  

• 🎟️ Don’t Miss: The Shulgin 100 Celebration is just days away—honor Sasha’s century with psychonaut legends, stories, and all the vibes that made the godfather of psychedelics unforgettable. You can also catch Matt live in action at the celebration!

👋 Signoff

That’s the blend this week. From divine downloads to canceled dance floors, we hope you’re feeling a little more connected - and a little more curious.

Safe travels to everyone heading to Denver!

And remember: you’re doing just fine, whether you’re melting into oneness or just trying to find your socks.

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