When I was growing up, drugs were painted as the worst possible thing you could do in your life. We had “Just Say No”, D.A.R.E. programs, and ostensibly scary but actually laughable. PSAs to teach kids to never try anything. not even once. Now, we’re seeing that drug use is usually a symptom of larger problems (usually socioeconomic) and there is less of a stigma, especially with the legalization of recreational marijuana. This is lucky for us, because that disappearing stigma means that research can be done into traditionally recreational drugs, and that research is promising to make our lives better.
1. Marijuana
I don’t need to tell you about the medical benefits of marijuana, (but I will): It can treat seizures, glaucoma, anxiety, insomnia, pain, nausea, and a whole host of other things. It’s currently legal for medicinal use in 23 states, Guam, and Washington D.C. But there’s another thing to consider, and that’s its use in helping our non-human friends. There are treatments using cannabis that help dogs, cats and horses. As for the horses, the treatment is actually an old one that’s come back into use; in fact, the U.S. government used to issue it in veterinary kits for the cavalry. These medical doses of marijuana, sometimes provided in tincture form, help aging animals overcome arthritic pain and increases their appetites, allowing their final days to be much more pleasant. There is a brand of the medicine called Canna Companion which contains omega-3s and anti-inflammatories and is low in THC, which is where the high comes from in traditional marijuana use.
2. MDMA
Last week, I wrote about PTSD and some common misconceptions. This week, I have some good news on that front: 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, or MDMA, is the pure form of Ecstasy, and it is being used to treat PTSD along with other ailments such as anxiety and depression. Pure MDMA (not the E you buy for fun, which is often laced with unhealthy additives like speed) has been shown to be completely safe for consumption, and when combined with talk therapy has proved to be incredibly successful in treatment. One report says that 83% of those who underwent the combined therapy were cured of their PTSD, compared to 25% who had talk therapy without the use of MDMA. This is not to suggest that if you are suffering you should purchase MDMA; these doses are strictly monitored by healthcare professionals and are not a catch-all cure. Canada was at the forefront of this research, and it is now being tested for use in the United States.
3. Mushrooms
Shrooms, caps, zoomers, whatever you prefer to call them, “Magic Mushrooms” contain psilocybin, which causes hallucinations. More importantly, they can be used, again in clinical settings, to treat addiction, depression, cluster headaches and even Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Doctors can provide micro-doses of the mushrooms, and the experiences had by the patients while on the drugs can help alleviate their suffering. In fact, brain scans have shown that psilocybin effectively shuts down the portion of the brain that causes depression.
4. LSD
Lysergic acid diethylamide, or LSD, was actually initially researched in the US (after being discovered in Switzerland) with the express purpose of helping those afflicted with schizophrenia, but because of its psychedelic properties, it was classified as an illegal drug. LSD has been shown to cure addiction to alcohol and opiates, as well as providing relief for depression and anxiety. Like with shrooms, this drug is given in microdoses and the resulting experiences are effective in reducing or completely eliminating symptoms of the aforementioned diseases.
5. DMT
,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is a compound found in organic material, and is synthesized for its hallucinogenic properties. You may have heard of Ayahuasca; that is simply DMT used for shamanic purposes. DMT can also treat all of the above mentioned ailments, but has not yet received the same support in research as the other drugs we’ve covered; that may soon be changing.
Author’s note: Thanks to Mom for bringing Pot for Pets to my attention. Happy Mother’s Day! I love you!
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