Psychedelic Science for the People

We can read all of the scientific research studies in the world, but ultimately, we must learn to trust our own intuitive teacher when working with cannabis and plant medicines. Meagan Pilawski, a nurse and cannabis ceremony facilitator, shares her journey using cannabis to treat her own autoimmune disease, multiple sclerosis. In this episode, we discuss how cannabis and other psychedelic medicine...

Microdosing psychedelics (i.e. taking a fraction of a dose of psilocybin or LSD) is gaining popularity as an alternative medicine for depression, anxiety, and ADHD. What are the benefits? Does it really work? And is it safe in the long term? Dr. Peter Grinspoon, a primary care physician and educator at Massachusetts General Hospital, shares his insight on some of the scientific studies about micro...

Looking to taper off opiates or other pharmaceutical medications? Or seeking guidance on cannabis dosing? Colleen Higgins, a registered pharmacist and the author of The Cannabis Prescription: How to Use Medical Marijuana to Reduce or Replace Pharmaceutical Medications, is here to help. We talk about effective ways to use cannabis to reduce dependency on pharmaceutical medicine, as well as how pati...

Thirty percent of patients with treatment-resistant depression attempt suicide at least once during their lifetime. Can a psychoactive tea brew from the Amazon help? Dr. Fernanda Palhano-Fontes, a neuroscientist and research engineer in Brazil, reveals the results of a randomized controlled trial examining the impact of Ayahuasca on suicidality. Dr. Fontes and her team have conducted a number of s...

The Beatles, Steve Jobs, and Bob Dylan are just a few innovators who credited the hallucinogenic LSD (aka Lysergic acid diethylamide) for their creative breakthroughs. The lab results are catching up. Dr. Isabel Wießner led Brazil’s first double-blind, placebo-controlled study to test the effects of LSD on humans. In this episode, she reveals the effects of LSD on consciousness, thinking, creativi...

Magic mushrooms or Lexapro? What about Magic Mushrooms + Lexapro? As psychedelics gain momentum as a potential treatment option for PTSD and depression, these questions are at the forefront. Dr. Ben Malcom, a clinical psychiatric pharmacist, shares the latest research on potential drug-drug-interactions between common psychiatric medications, such SSRIS, and psychedelics, like MDMA and psilocybin....

Curious about cannabis sexual enhancement oils? Are CBD vaginal suppositories safe? Pam Miles and Dr. Cindy Orser, the visionaries behind Apothercare Advocacy and Research, share what they have learned from testing the safety and efficacy of over 30 intimate care products, some of which contain THC and CBD. We discuss how cannabis suppositories, sexual enhancement products, and washes and douches...

Oregon became the first state to decriminalize psilocybin in 2020 and many other states are expected to follow suit. Dr. Kevin Boehnke, a Research Investigator in the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of Michigan, shares his research on the therapeutic uses of cannabis for chronic pain and discusses his latest paper, “Applying Lessons from Cannabis to the Psychedelic Highway.”  As we...

Step aside, terpenes!  Dr. Jordan Zager, a biochemist and the founder of Dewey Scientific, shares some cutting-edge research about other volatile compounds found in cannabis. He explains that lesser-known compounds, such as esters, may be  responsible for the fruity flavor and aroma found in certain strains. Dr. Zager also shares what he learned from a research project comparing the chemotype data...

You’re probably already familiar with Delta-9 THC, which is the primary cannabinoid in the cannabis plant known for its psychoactive effects. But what’s going on with Delta-8 THC? In this episode, Dr. Eric Leas, from the University of California San Diego's School of Public Health, discusses the differences between Delta-9 and Delta-8 THC and a loophole in the Farm Bill that has led to a growing,...

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 cann...

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 scien...

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 trau...

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...

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 exp...

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...

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 placeb...

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 s...

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 di...

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 t...

Dr. Jonny Lisano, an exercise physiologist who specializes in the field of cannabis and exercise science, reveals patterns he has observed in his research between cannabis use and exercise performance. We discuss how cannabis use affects (and doesn’t affect) anaerobic fitness, pulmonary health, and the presence of C-Reactive proteins in your blood. We also discuss whether cannabis should be consid...

Nick Jikomes, PhD, neuroscientist and the Director of Science & Innovation at Leafly, shares what he has learned analyzing crowd-sourced data from patients/consumers on cannabis strains and products. Dr. Jikomes reveals that there are only a handful of chemical subtypes among high-THC strains and he shares the three primary chemical profiles you might find at a dispensary. We also discuss the asso...

Psychiatrist Dr. Julie Holland, MD, reveals how psychedelic medicines, like cannabis, MDMA, and psilocybin can help us feel more connected to ourselves, our community, and the natural world. We discuss what happens to our brains when we take psychedelics, why we are hardwired for connection, and the difference between the recreational and medical models of using these substances. 

Dr. Peter Grinspoon, MD shares his recovery story after facing an addiction to prescription painkillers. We discuss some of the issues with current addiction therapy and rehabilitation programs and how we can improve the experience of recovery and reduce dependency on opiates by incorporating cannabis into addiction therapy.   

Can cannabis improve your sex life? OB/GYN Dr. Genester Wilson-King reveals research indicating cannabis's potential as a natural aphrodisiac. We also talk about whether cannabis affects fertility, whether cannabis is safe to use during pregnancy, and using cannabis as medicine to treat endometriosis.