Psychedelic Science for the People

Can cannabis make you more creative? Jordana Wright, a photographer and the author of Cannabis for Creatives, reveals her findings after conducting more than 30 interviews with artists about how they use cannabis in their work. We discuss the limitations of studying creativity in a laboratory setting and why Jordana took an anthropological approach to better understand the connection between cannabis and creativity. We discuss the neuroscience connecting cannabis and creativity, and she shares what she learned from asking artists about how they use cannabis, from what strains work best for them to what rituals and practices support them using the plant intentionally and consciously. 

Buy the book here:

https://rockynook.com/shop/print/cannabis-for-creatives/

https://www.amazon.com/Cannabis-Creatives-Artists-Enhance-Inspiration/dp/1681986957

Dr. Clancy Cavnar, PsyD, a clinical psychologist and co-editor of the book, The Therapeutic Use of Ayahuasca, discusses the healing benefits of using ayahuasca, especially for treating trauma and addiction. People often report a numinous or spiritual quality to their psychedelic experiences that serve as the foundation for healing and change. These spiritual awakenings can’t be tested by the scientific method but are a profound component of the therapeutic experience. Dr. Cavnar shares her knowledge and wisdom on the world of ayahuasca and shamanism through the lens of her experience as a Western clinical psychologist.

Psychedelic-assisted therapy has been clinically proven to treat trauma, but the headlines sometimes gloss over the nuances of this process. Dr. Amanda Khan, a clinical psychologist, shares her experience offering ketamine assisted therapy and post-psychedelic integration sessions. While psychedelics (such as MDMA, ketamine, and ayahuasca) can be powerful molecules for evoking change, healing trauma is a complex process that requires intention, preparation, and integration. Dr. Khan shares her knowledge from the clinical and research realm and we talk about how to use psychedelics safely and effectively to treat trauma, whether it’s PTSD, moral injury, or the everyday painful experiences that leaves an impact on our psyche.  

It’s no secret that cannabis sold in legal dispensaries is often laced with residual pesticides and insecticides. What kind of danger does this present? Dr. Max Leung, a professor at ASU and an expert on cannabis toxicology, shares the data and discusses the connection between insecticide exposure and seizures. He explains the threats for patients with neurological disorders and we discuss how we can develop better pesticide practices and regulations within the cannabis industry to keep patients safe. 

The cannabis plant performs some magical alchemy. Chemistry Professor Dr. Donald Land, PhD explains how compounds in cannabis change as molecules bind together and separate at different phases in the supply chain. He shares what cannabinoids you’ll find in a cannabis plant when it’s raw, when it’s heated, and when it’s exposed to air. We also discuss the different medicinal effects that we may experience when we consume the same cannabis through different methods, like inhalation vs. eating.

Welcome to Season 3 of Cannabis Science Today—this is the podcast where we explore cannabis as a plant and how it can be used as medicine. In this season, we are taking a holistic approach to understanding cannabis and psychedelic medicine. We’ll discuss everything from the soil and the pesticides used to cultivate plants, to how these medicines affect our body chemistry, to the importance of the set and setting in which we use and integrate this medicine. We’re still digging into the chemistry and biology of these plants, but we’re also going to be spending more time exploring the psychological realm, so we can understand how these medicines affect our brain and behavior.

Can cannabis be used as a sleep aid? Dr. Oludare Odumosu, a biochemist and CEO of Zelira Therapeutics, discusses a new cannabinoid-based formula designed to treat insomnia. We discuss how cannabinoids (such as CBN, THC, and CBD) might be able to offer therapeutic relief for the nearly 15% of adults suffering from chronic insomnia. He also discusses the results of the randomized double-blind placebo-controlled crossover trial to test the Zelira formula on patients with chronic insomnia.

Dr. Kelan Thomas, PharmD, a psychiatric pharmacist, shares the latest clinical research on psilocybin (the active ingredient in "psychedelic" mushrooms) and other classic hallucinogens. We talk about the chemical profiles of psychedelics, the psychological benefits of these medicines, as well the potential risks and side effects. We also discuss preliminary research on micro-dosing and he shares some of the potential cardiovascular risks that might arise with this practice.

Dr. Lisa Monteggia, a neuroscientist and Professor of Pharmacology at Vanderbilt University, shares her groundbreaking research on the antidepressant effects of ketamine. In this episode, we discuss how ketamine affects the brain—she reveals the neural mechanisms it induces in the brain, how it works differently than other antidepressant medicines (like SSRIs), and why dosing is so critical. We discuss Ketamine’s ability to induce plasticity in the brain and how that could revolutionize treatment for refractory depression.  

Dr. Gul Dölen, a neuroscientist and Associate Professor at the Brain Science Institute at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, discusses MDMA’s potential to reopen the critical period for social reward learning in animal research models. She shares how MDMA affects the brain’s capacity to process new social information and how long this enhanced neuroplasticity lingers. She also shares what happens to octopuses (typically anti-social creatures), when they are observed on MDMA, and the importance of pursuing science for curiosity’s sake.