Microdose Archives - Green Market Report

The annual Global Drug Survey (GDS), established in 2012, is an independent research organization based in London that run the world’s largest drug survey using an encrypted online platform to collect anonymous drug use data from across the world. 

To date over 900,000 people have taken part in GDS research.

Here are some of the pertinent findings from the most recent published survey done in 2021:

– Globally, the average drug user is overwhelmingly male (62.4 percent) white (85.9 percent), college educated or beyond (66.6 percent), and works fulltime (50.9 percent).

– 40.5 percent suffer from a mental health condition, with depression the leading condition (28.2 percent)

– The use of every drug measured in the survey rose globally in 2021. For example, cannabis use rose from 57.4 percent to 74.5 percent; use of MDMA rose from 26.3 percent to 44.9 percent; psilocybin more than doubled from 15.7 percent to 33.4 percent; and use of LSD rose from 16.4 percent to 32.3 percent in 2021.

– Respondents reported that maximizing pleasure and the fun from being with others as the main reasons they used drugs, with pleasure maximization trumping harm avoidance for cannabis, MDMA, cocaine, heroin, crystal meth, ketamine and nitrous oxide.

– Rates of seeking emergency medical help fell for most drugs surveyed, from 1 percent to .5 percent for MDMA, and .7 percent to .3 percent for psilocybin. Rates for LSD remained unchanged at 1.5 percent.

– Probably the most compelling finding was about microdosing. The survey found that, among those who microdose with LSD and/or psilocybin, around a third have also experimented with microdosing an array of other substances, most commonly MDMA, ketamine, 1P-LSD, and DMT. Regardless of the psychedelic that they microdosed with, respondents reported that it was well tolerated (though approximately 10 percent reported unwanted physical/psychological effects). The most common reason for reported undesired effects from microdosing appeared to be that the dose was too high. This is unsurprising given that most people will be relying on an unregulated market to obtain the psychedelics used for microdosing. About half of those also using a prescribed medication for their mental health condition reported that microdosing led to them stopping or reducing those other medications.

While researchers are generally in favor of microdosing, defined as 5-10 percent of a usual psychoactive dose, they caution that not enough is known. One study on microdosing concluded that while most anecdotal reports focus on the positive experiences with microdosing, “future research should also focus on potential risks of (multiple) administrations of a psychedelic in low doses. To that end, (pre)clinical studies including biological (such as heart rate, receptor turnover and occupancy) as well as cognitive (such as memory, attention) parameters have to be conducted and will shed light on the potential negative consequences microdosing could have.”

Still, for now anyway, the benefits of microdosing appear to outweigh the risks, as cited in another study. The most widely endorsed motivation for microdosing was enhancing mindfulness, followed by improving mood, enhancing creativity and enhancing learning. “The present findings suggest that microdosing psychedelics does not appear to be associated with increased acute negative outcomes, even among potentially vulnerable groups such as those with mental health concerns,” the study concluded.

Results of the next drug survey, GDS2022 that launched in November 2021 and ended in late January, 2022, will be published in May. For that 2022 survey, the GDS teamed up with world leading criminologists to find out how the drug laws have influenced life and the decisions that people made as a result.

Sidebar:

The term ‘microdosing’ appears to consist of three components:

1. The use of a low dose below the perceptual threshold that does not impair ‘normal’ functioning of an individual.
2. A procedure that includes multiple dosing sessions.
3. The intention to improve well-being and enhance cognitive and/or emotional processes.

Source: “Microdosing psychedelics: More questions than answers? An overview and suggestions for future research,” as published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, July 14, 2019.

Despite impressive growth and acceptance by the mainstream financial world, the psychedelic medicine industry is still in its infancy. The first companies went public in the spring of 2020, making the psychedelics industry a newcomer on the biotech scene. Despite this, the sector is continuing to take big strides, getting institutional investment and listings to major American exchanges like the NASDAQ and NYSE. 

A missing piece of the sector’s growth puzzle was industry events and in-person networking. With Covid-19 shutting the world down just as psychedelics firms were launching, the industry missed this crucial part of its evolution. However, with restrictions beginning to ease, the industry now has a chance for the all-important networking, education, and dynamic interactions that can only happen when people are able to meet face to face. While some other smaller industry events have been happening for a few years, an upcoming event is looking to establish itself as the go-to psychedelic medicine gathering. 

Wonderland by Microdose Psychedelic Insights 

Since its inception less than 2 years ago, Microdose has quickly established itself on the business side of psychedelic medicine. The media company has been running virtual events for over a year, with dozens of virtual conferences that have brought together industry leaders, CEOs, scientists, and investors. Its Psychedelic Capital and Molecular Masterclass series has been highly successful in helping the industry come together and virtually network. 

Now Microdose is taking the next step with Wonderland. Wonderland will take place November 8-9, 2021 at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Miami. The event will be the industry’s largest-ever event, with over 2,000 attendees and an impressive line-up of industry researchers, investors, journalists, and CEOs.

As described in the company’s press release: Wonderland: Miami will offer the industry a unique in-person convergence of business, science, music, and emerging technologies. The event is a thought-leadership platform and an opportunity to connect with influential leaders in science, policy, and business. It will also act as a launching pad for innovative content connected to the psychedelic medicine space, with musical showcases and documentary screenings, providing compelling entertainment and collaboration opportunities for attendees.

Microdose has announced an impressive line-up of speakers, here are some highlights:

Mike Tyson, Wesana Health

Mike Tyson, an investor in Wesana and company advisor, has suffered from traumatic brain injury. The former heavyweight champion says psychedelics would have helped him with his mental health during his career.

Lamar Odom, Mental Health Advocate

Lamar Odom, two time NBA Champion, Olympic Gold Medalist, NYT best selling author, and ex-addict is now stepping into his second half in life as an astute businessman, mental health advocate and mentor.

Dr. Robin Carhart-Harris, PhD, Professor of Neurology & Psychiatry

Robin Carhart-Harris has published over 115 scientific papers. He founded the Centre for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College London in April 2019. In 2021, he was listed in TIME magazine’s ‘100 Next’, a list of 100 rising stars shaping the future. 

Dr. Matthew Johnson, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Matthew W. Johnson, Ph.D., is The Susan Hill Ward Endowed Professor of Psychedelics and Consciousness Research at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He  is one of the world’s most widely published experts on psychedelics, publishing over 150 scientific papers. He has been interviewed by Anderson Cooper on 60 Minutes, the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, the BBC, CNN, Fox Business News, NPR, and in Michael Pollan’s book How to Change Your Mind.

Rick Doblin, Executive Director MAPS

Rick Doblin, Ph.D., is the founder and executive director of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), an organization that’s been leading the charge for the advancement of psychedelics for decades. 

In addition to top speakers, the event will also offer a range of programming that will span a variety of topics surrounding the psychedelics industry and beyond. Some examples include:

• The Pathway to Federal Acceptance
• Next-Generation Psychedelics
• Microdosing: Fact or Fiction?
• Patent Wars
• Finance and Psychedelics

From Richard Skaife, the chair of Microdose and Founding Partner at The Conscious Fund: 

”We launched Microdose at the start of what was to become a global lockdown for most of the world; quickly becoming a category leader in virtual events and sector insights for the psychedelic medicine industry. Jumping forward by 15 months as the world starts to return to an open economy we are delighted to bring our next event format to life: Wonderland, from Microdose.

Wonderland is all about real-life events. High-quality programming in some of the world’s most exciting locations and breathtaking venues. Wonderland in Miami will be for many the first time the industry has come together in person. We can’t wait to welcome you to Miami to see what we have created.”

Wonderland will take place November 8-9, 2021. For more information on the event, check out the Wonderland website.