Psychedelics are emerging as a promising new field of research for possible benefits to treat conditions such as depression and PTSD, but studies have mostly focused on full doses of powerful drugs such as psilocybin. Now, however, the concept of micro-dosing psychedelics has become popular, with many claiming that small amounts enhance feelings of attention and cognition, well-being and relief from anxiety. Yet as more and more consumers dabble with these drugs, scientists are warning them to be careful, as evidence is still limited about their effect, and there’s no proof they help people—or if there’s any positive impact at all. Much of early research has been anecdotal, consisting of enthusiastic survey responses from users, but these have been small studies that did not compare a microdose to a placebo. The studies are therefore tied to users’ expectations and not reliable, so caution is required when using psychedelics, especially when it comes to sourcing and accurate dosing. There is a growing movement to decriminalize such drugs—but we should first conduct clinical trials to ascertain whether widespread use of psychedelics, in full or microdoses, poses a public health risk.
Meanwhile, although more than two in three Americans support legalizing marijuana, and a majority of states have legalized the sale of either recreational or medical cannabis (or both), federal-level legalizationstill appears to be far off. Although Democrats currently control Congress and the White House—which pro-pot groups believed would usher in a new era of cannabis reform—the Biden administration has been slow to move on the issue. And with midterm elections coming up, and the Democrats portrayed as soft on crime relaxing marijuana laws is not a priority. Also, some moderate Democrats say they want to see more research before legalizing at a time when rates of abuse of other drugs have risen, along with a surge in overdose in opioid-related deaths. President Biden has essentially avoided the issue, having previously supported allowing states to legalize on their own but not addressing marijuana’s status as a controlled substance.
And finally, the lack of federal legalization isn’t stopping the growth of marijuana sales—especially for cannabis-infused beverages, which are regarded among enthusiasts as a less invasive way to consume the drug. A report in Forbes notes that while the flower market share is declining in both the U.S. and Canada, the beverage category is one of the new product categories that saw positive market share growth, up 45 percent last year. As the rapid commercialization of cannabis follows legalization, expect more innovative marijuana products to go on sale—hopefully with oversight from government agencies.