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Delta 8 FAQ: What You Should Know Before Trying Delta 8A photo depicting a person's open-mouthed face in silhouetted profile as they take a dropper of bright green liquid. Text: Kti's Delta 8 FAQ. WTF is it and should you try it?
When it comes to Delta 8, caveat emptor.
June 30, 2021
Kit
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Delta 8 FAQ: What You Should Know Before Trying Delta 8

Posted in Creative Commons, and Journalism

There’s a lot of buzz around Delta 8 right now, but I’m concerned people aren’t educating themselves about this new cannabinoid before using it.

Almost weekly, someone asks me about Delta 8 products. What are they, should I try them?

I appreciate that people look to me for guidance, so I thought I’d put together a few tidbits about Delta 8.

If you’re not aware, Delta 8, short for Delta-8-THC, is a close relative of Delta-9-THC. That’s main compound in psychoactive cannabis (“marijuana”). As you might guess, the two compounds are very chemically similar with somewhat similar effects. They both make you high but in slightly different ways. I’ll get into that below.

Read moreDelta 8 FAQ: What You Should Know Before Trying Delta 8
DEA Delays ‘Unprecedented’ Ban On Kratom Amid Popular Protest & Government Pushback
A close-up of a green kratom leaf. (Wikimedia Commons / ThorPorre)
October 5, 2016
Kit
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DEA Delays ‘Unprecedented’ Ban On Kratom Amid Popular Protest & Government Pushback

Posted in Archive, Journalism, and MintPress News

The Drug Enforcement Agency has delayed the implementation of its ban on kratom, a plant-based treatment for depression, anxiety, chronic pain and addiction that originated in Southeast Asia but has gained widespread popularity in the United States.

Although the DEA has abandoned the emergency scheduling decision announced on Aug. 30, the agency says it still plans to classify kratom as a Schedule I drug, alongside substances like heroin, cocaine, and even marijuana, which the federal government claims have no medical benefits.

“We have determined that it represents an imminent hazard, so we’re not going to drag our feet very long,” DEA spokesman Russ Baer said on Sept. 30, the day the ban was supposed to go into effect. “It’s not a matter of if, it’s just a matter of when.”

Read moreDEA Delays ‘Unprecedented’ Ban On Kratom Amid Popular Protest & Government Pushback
American Legion Asks Congress To Reschedule Cannabis As Vets Continue To Suffer Under War On Drugs
File: A member of the American legion on parade in a ceremonial uniform. (Flickr / Nicholas Erwin)
September 17, 2016
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American Legion Asks Congress To Reschedule Cannabis As Vets Continue To Suffer Under War On Drugs

Posted in Journalism, and MintPress News

The American Legion has called on the U.S. government to reconsider its stance on medical cannabis in order to benefit some of the millions of veterans the organization represents.

With a membership of about 2.4 million veterans, the Legion’s become a powerful voice in the growing debate over the potential benefits of the plant to victims of post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injuries, and a host of other conditions that veterans frequently face.

The Legion passed a resolution at its annual convention, which ran from Aug. 30 to Sept. 1 in Cincinnati, Ohio, urging Congress to reschedule marijuana. The resolution reads, in part:

Read moreAmerican Legion Asks Congress To Reschedule Cannabis As Vets Continue To Suffer Under War On Drugs
Amid Opioid Overdose Epidemic, DEA Wants To Ban A Popular Plant-Based Treatment For Addiction
The leaves of a kratom (Mitragyna Speciosa) plant. (Wikimedia Commons / ThorPorre) (Wikimedia Commons / ThorPorre)
September 6, 2016
Kit
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Amid Opioid Overdose Epidemic, DEA Wants To Ban A Popular Plant-Based Treatment For Addiction

Posted in Archive, Journalism, and MintPress News

The Drug Enforcement Administration appears set to schedule kratom, a plant used in traditional medicine in Southeast Asia that has gained popularity in the United States as a chronic pain management tool and a way to kick opiate addiction.

On Aug. 31, the DEA announced the impending kratom ban, due to take effect on Sept. 30. At that time, kratom will join other “Schedule I” substances like heroin, cocaine and cannabis which the government deems both dangerous and lacking in medical use.

In the statement, the DEA says the plant’s “active materials” pose an “imminent hazard to public safety.” Advocates for the plant’s continued legal use argue otherwise, saying kratom is a safe alternative to opioid painkillers that has already helped ease withdrawals symptoms for thousands of people weaning themselves off of other addictive substances.

Read moreAmid Opioid Overdose Epidemic, DEA Wants To Ban A Popular Plant-Based Treatment For Addiction
‘Orange Sunshine’: Tune In, Turn On With 100 Million Hits Of LSD (#SXSW)
1969: Ron Bevan, a core member of The Brotherhood Of Eternal Love, during a drug-buying trip to Afghanistan. (Orange Sunshine)
April 19, 2016
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‘Orange Sunshine’: Tune In, Turn On With 100 Million Hits Of LSD (#SXSW)

Posted in Journalism, and SXSW

LSD is back in the news, as scientists begin to study this intriguing substance again.

After spending years banished to the realms of forbidden science, a study published in March from The Proceedings of the National Academy Of Sciences USA used neural imaging to examine the areas of the brain activated by the psychedelic drug. David Nuitt, a lead researcher, told Nature that he thinks LSD has potential to treat addiction and depression.

In the 1960s and 1970s, scientists and psychotherapists were fascinated by the therapeutic potential of psychedelics like LSD and psilocybin (the active ingredient in hallucinogenic mushrooms), even as everyday Americans experienced their effects firsthand by the thousands. A politically-motivated surge in the war on drugs sent both research and psychedelic culture underground.

“Orange Sunshine,” which premiered at SXSW in March, tells the story of The Brotherhood Of Eternal Love, the hippie surfer cult that fueled America’s LSD boom. In the name of helping the country “turn on,” they created and distributed millions of hits of acid to celebrities and festival-goers alike.

Read more‘Orange Sunshine’: Tune In, Turn On With 100 Million Hits Of LSD (#SXSW)