In the summer of 1951, the residents of a quiet town in southern France were racked with mysterious hallucinations that the authorities blamed on mouldy bread. But now, an American journalist claims that the villagers were the unwitting participants in a secret CIA experiment to discover the mind control potential of psychedelic drugs.
At least five people died, more than 30 were hospitalised and almost 300 taken ill in the unexplained outbreak in Pont-Saint-Esprit, a town in the Gard, south-east France.
On 17 August 1951, local doctors' surgeries were filled with people complaining of sudden nausea, diarrhea and insomnia. Hours later, many of them were in the grip of terrifying and often violent hallucinations.
The home affairs select committee (HASC) yesterday published its report on the cocaine trade, and what a woeful job they have done. It is hard to believe that this committee was the same one that in 2002 called for the government to initiate talks at the UN level to discuss "alternatives ways – including the possibility of legalisation and regulation – to tackle the global drugs dilemma". The current report lacks evidence, contradicts current expert thinking and, frankly, panders to a "tough on drugs" stance that by their own admission does not work.
MAPS, the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, has announced its international conference on psychedelic research will take place April 15-18 in San Jose, California. The conference will bring together international experts on psychedelic substances and will be the largest such conference to take place in the United States in 17 years.
The Psychedelic Science in the 21st Century conference is open to the general public and registration information is available at www.maps.org/conference.
Some of the studies to be presented at the conference will examine: MDMA in treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder, psilocybin (the psychedelic compound in psychedelic mushrooms) in treating anxiety associated with life-threatening illnesses, LSD-assisted psychotherapy in patients with anxiety associated with life-threatening illnesses, and the recreational, spiritual and cultural uses of psychedelics.
You don’t need psychedelic drugs to start seeing colors and objects that aren’t really there. Just 15 minutes of near-total sensory deprivation can bring on hallucinations in many otherwise sane individuals.
Psychologists stuck 19 healthy volunteers into a sensory-deprivation room, completely devoid of light and sound, for 15 minutes. Without the normal barrage of sensory information flooding their brains, many people reported experiencing visual hallucinations, paranoia and a depressed mood.
The interim Czech government, led by chief statistician-turned-Prime Minister Jan Fischer, Monday took another step towards making casual marijuana smoking a worry-free affair.
Fischer’s cabinet defined what constitutes “small amounts” of cannabis for personal use, clarifying the country’s new penal code that from next year decriminalizes cultivation and possession of the plant by individuals.
As of Jan. 1 ordinary Czechs can grow up to five marijuana plants or have several marijuana cigarettes in their pockets without fear of criminal prosecution. Previously what constituted a small amount was not specified and the police and courts loosely interpreted the penal code case by case, often resulting in incarceration of home growers. Read more »
The use of LSD and mind-altering states has convinced two local therapists that MDMA-also known was the street drug ecstasy-could help people suffering with post-traumatic stress disorder. Psychiatrist Ingrid Pacey and psychologist Andrew Feldmar aim to study whether MDMA-assisted therapy could benefit people who've tried traditional counselling and drug treatment with little relief.
The U.S.-based non-profit sponsoring the study, the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic studies, or MAPS, and the Metro Vancouver therapists have received two of four approvals they need to proceed. Health Canada and an independent review board have given approvals, but eight months on, Pacey's waiting for an exemption under Canada's Controlled Drugs and Substances Act to distribute the drug. The pharmacist involved with the study needs to be granted a licence to import the drug from a Swiss university.
Carolyn Gregoire
Sept. 29, 2009
The McGill Tribune
After nearly 25 years of suffering from debilitating cluster headaches - commonly referred to as "suicide headaches" because of their length and intensity - Bob Wold was faced with a difficult - and unusual - decision: get brain surgery or take a tab of LSD.
Six years ago, his clusters became nearly unbearable. Wold was scheduled for several surgeries when he learned that acid, though controversial, was a known cure for clusters. After a year of research, he decided to give LSD a try, and took a small dose - roughly a quarter of what is used for recreational purposes. Read more »
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By. RFI
The new parliamentary report on the cocaine trade lacks evidence and contradicts current expert thinking on the drug
By. High Times
By 
The interim Czech government, led by chief statistician-turned-Prime Minister Jan Fischer, Monday took another step towards making casual marijuana smoking a worry-free affair.
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