In the News
A collection of the most recent news, press mentions, and media assets.
Ganjapreneur – December 15, 2022
2023 Cannabis Industry Predictions: Cultivation, Agtech, Science, Hemp, & Psychedelics
In the coming year, we’ll see initiatives bolster research examining the therapeutic potential of psychedelics in treating a range of mental health conditions, and solidify psychedelic therapy as the next frontier in mental health treatment. However, research continues to be held back by bureaucratic red tape and funding limitations, and widespread efforts to increase profitability in the psychedelics industry will fuel heightened tensions between corporate- and community-based approaches to psychedelic access. We may see widening inequality in the indigenous, traditional and grassroots communities from which plant medicine has originated, and we must seek out approaches that engage with meaningful reciprocity to honor these communities and ensure equal access.
High Times – November 10, 2022
Colorado Voters Approve Psychedelics Decriminalization Measure
Psychedelics such as psilocybin, mescaline, and DMT have also been used for centuries by indigenous American cultures for medicinal and spiritual purposes. Matthew X. Lowe Ph.D., research director at psychedelic research nonprofit Unlimited Sciences, says that there are numerous health and wellness benefits “that come from consuming psilocybin.”
Nutrition Insight – October 20, 2022
The US State of Colorado is preparing to vote this November on whether to legalize healing centers using magic mushrooms for treatments amid surging mental health concerns worldwide. The vote will also include whether to decriminalize the possession, growing and sharing of hallucinogenic plants and fungi for personal use.
“We are facing a worldwide mental health epidemic, and new treatment methods are critically needed to overcome the shortcomings of traditional treatments. Psychedelics have the potential to shift this trajectory positively,” Matthew X. Lowe, director of research for Unlimited Sciences, tells NutritionInsight.
Ethos – October 18, 2022
Americans Want Psychedelic Treatments for Depression. Will Legislation Catch Up?
Ayahuasca, the DMT-rich brew used widely across South America, is seeing an uptick in research, too. Psychedelic magazine DoubleBlind reports that a new study will see immigrants and refugees trial ayahuasca to process trauma. That research is being helmed by Unlimited Sciences out of Colorado Springs, Colorado.
“We thought this would be a fantastic opportunity to be able to educate and bring awareness to both the positive and negative experiences of these group-based ceremonies,” Matthew X. Lowe, director of research at Unlimited Sciences told DoubleBlind.
Forbes – September 21, 2022
Colorado Will Vote On Legalizing Psychedelic Mushrooms In November
Matthew X. Lowe Ph.D., research director at psychedelic research nonprofit Unlimited Sciences, says that there are numerous health and wellness benefits “that come from consuming psilocybin.”
“Preindustrial Mesoamerican cultures have consumed psilocybin for thousands of years in ritualized contexts to enhance psychotherapeutic healing, religious insight, and self-exploration,” he writes in an email. “In recent years, there has been renewed interest in the therapeutic potential of psilocybin in treating a range of different psychiatric disorders, including depression, anxiety, suicidality, substance use disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorder, among others.”
The Daily Beast – September 16, 2022
Forget Weed. Legal Shrooms, DMT, and Mescaline May Be Next.
Unlimited Sciences, a Colorado-based nonprofit organization that researches psychedelic drug use, is currently working with 8,000 study participants, 1,000 of whom have completed a five-month prospective observational study. Del Jolly, the group’s appropriately named co-founder, said their “very preliminary” research into psychedelic drug use since Denver decriminalized psilocybin at the local level in 2019 suggested that the average user was 39.5 years old.
Psychedelic Spotlight – August 24, 2022
Can an Ayahuasca Ceremony Heal Immigrant and Refugee Trauma?
In an airy room overlooking the mountains, soft voices and the smell of sage surround an altar with carefully placed crystals, candles, instruments, and sacred herbs. The pale sun is low on the horizon, casting long shadows as each attendant is cleansed with sage and invited to take their place in the circle. Pillows, blankets, and mats encircle the room, reminiscent of an inviting childhood slumber party. The individuals seated in the circle are mostly Arabic-speaking women from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), including immigrants and refugees of various backgrounds originating from Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Morocco, and the United Arab Emirates.
Filter Magazine – August 18, 2022
Can Ayahuasca Help to Heal Refugees’ Trauma?
A new study will seek to discover if ayahuasca is effective at helping a group of Middle Eastern and North African refugees, primarily women, to heal from trauma. While previous research has examined the effectiveness of ayahuasca for trauma, it hasn’t touched this population from a region of the world that has seen much warfare and and suffering.
Maleek Asfeer, a Saudi Arabian filmmaker now based in Colorado, organized an ayahuasca ceremony and reached out to the researchers to offer them the chance to collect data on it. The study was approved by the FDA and is being conducted in accordance with HIPAA patient privacy rules.
Healio – August 11, 2022
Study to Investigate Ayahuasca’s Effects on Trauma Linked to Migration
Psychedelic research nonprofit Unlimited Sciences announced a new study that intends to measure the potential healing effects of ayahuasca on refugees and immigrants with past experiences of trauma.
According to a company release, the study — expected to commence this summer — will engage mostly female immigrants and refugees seeking remedial therapy through the psychoactive hallucinogenic, which has been identified as a candidate for the treatment of trauma.
CPR News – August 16, 2022
Heather Jackson calls it the mother’s wall and it usually comes on very suddenly.
She can’t make regular decisions, like what to cook for dinner. She realizes the kitchen trash is full and starts to go to take it out and then discovers something else needs to be done and she sets the trash bag down, only to discover it eight hours later.
“I can feel the wall coming,” said Jackson, CEO of Unlimited Sciences, a psychedelic research company and a mother of two in a town south of Denver. “And I think the wall is coming because I need something to rest on.”
Benzinga – August 10, 2022
Psychedelic Treatments Vary Greatly By Cost And Setting, What About Efficacy?
“It’s essential that modern retreat centers learn from indigenous practices and understand how to mitigate the risk of harm,” Matthew X. Lowe Ph.D., research director for Colorado-based psychedelics research nonprofit Unlimited Sciences.
At the same time, calls for access are made as concerns over affordable pricing and indigenous inclusion remain.
High Times – August 8, 2022
Normalizing Psychedelics: An Interview with Matthew X. Lowe
Over the past few years, psychedelics are finally becoming more normalized, but for the most part, that just means psilocybin. LSD is still considered, even by many who are interested in the world of mushrooms and cannabis, to be a taboo substance. Unlimited Sciences and Matthew X. Lowe would love to change that. We chatted with him about the moves he’s been making to change the culture and bring psychedelics access to those who need it.
High Times – July 27, 2022
DEA Rescinds Proposal to Ban Five Psychedelic Drugs
Matthew X. Lowe Ph.D., research director at the psychedelic research nonprofit organization Unlimited Sciences, tells High Times that the psychedelic drugs that the DEA had sought to ban have therapeutic potential that should be explored through research.
“The compounds 4-OH-DiPT, 5-MeO-AMT, 5-MeO-MiPT, 5-MeO-DET and DiPT are lesser-known psychedelic substances of the tryptamine class,” Lowe wrote in an email. “The effects of these psychedelic compounds on humans were first documented by Alexander and Ann Shulgin, who famously synthesized and studied the effects of these and hundreds of other psychoactive compounds.”
The Emerald Magazine – June 22, 2022
The Next Steps in Psychedelic Health Treatment
Another psychedelic research group looking to gain more knowledge about psychedelic treatment is Unlimited Sciences. Formed in 2018 by Heather Jackson, Unlimited Sciences has a goal to create the world’s largest collection of real-world data surrounding psychedelics. They hope to use this resource to develop an understanding of how to use psychedelics safely and effectively.
In 2018, Unlimited Sciences partnered with John Hopkins University, the largest psilocybin registry in the world, to conduct an observational research study on psychedelic treatment.
Ganjapreneur – June 1, 2022
Matthew X. Lowe: Advancing Medicinal Cannabis and Psychedelics Research
Ganjapreneur recently connected with Matthew X. Lowe, the Research Director for Realm of Caring and for Unlimited Sciences — which is a psychedelics research firm — to discuss cannabis and psychedelics medicinal research. This interview covers why this research is necessary, who benefits from it, the methods used to understand the healing possibilities of these compounds, and more!
VICE – February 11, 2022
How to Microdose Drugs Based on What You’re Using
Another reason to go slow—whether microdosing once or repeatedly over the course of several days, weeks, or months—is to prevent building up a tolerance. It’s best to wait a few days after microdosing before taking anything again, said Matthew X. Lowe, research director for the psychedelic research non-profit Unlimited Sciences, which is currently conducting a study on the health outcomes associated with full-dose psilocybin with Johns Hopkins University. “It is a commonly practiced three-day cycle that follows the ‘Fadiman Schedule’, where for 48 hours, you remain substance-free,” he said, “and on the third day, you microdose.”
Benzinga – March 6, 2022
The Road to Psychedelics Legalization
In the midst of a psychedelic renaissance, it’s crucial to recognize that the use of psychedelics is not a new phenomenon. But what has changed in recent years is a concerted effort to increase our scientific understanding of their applications in natural medicine and therapeutic healing—and everyone who’s interested can play a part.
The colorful road to psychedelics legalization has been intertwined with human history for thousands of years. Anthropological reports indicate that psychoactive substances in the form of plants, fungi, roots, seeds, and even the secretions of animals have been used by humans for millennia.
The Denver Post – February 11, 2022
Mushroom rabbi grows ceremonial psilocybin for Denver congregation — but is that legal?
“Set” and “setting” are two words that come up frequently in discussions about spirituality and psychedelic use. According to Matt Lowe, research director at Denver nonprofit Unlimited Sciences, “set” refers to the mindset a person has when they ingest psychedelics and “setting” refers to the environment in which they do it — two things that differentiate intention-driven use from recreational.