Insights on the UNODC World Drug Report 2024

Specifically and only about MDMA

In the sprawling narrative of global drug policy, the 2024 World Drug Report’s chapter on MDMA suggests a surprising pivot: rather than attempting to snuff out synthetic drugs entirely, it calls for a more calculated approach, one that emphasizes harm reduction and underscores MDMA’s budding role in therapeutic landscapes. For all MDMA’s unpredictable alchemy—euphoria, serotonin depletion, and neurotoxicity—the Report sees potential, pointing to this psychoactive substance as both a problem and a possible panacea, depending on one’s perspective.

Priority - Harm Reduction

Harm reduction emerges as a priority. MDMA is, in its purest form, a delicate dance with serotonin and dopamine, yet too many users engage with the drug as if it were a freewheeling party trick. The UNODC urges practitioners, policymakers, and public health advocates alike to put public health first, not through punishment but prevention, particularly by promoting drug testing services and educating users on the importance of dose control, hydration, and safe environments. These recommendations highlight the risks of MDMA, especially its psychological impact on the young and vulnerable, who can be unprotected in an unregulated market filled with adulterated substances.

Therapeutic Value

The report also turns an eye to MDMA’s therapeutic value. In the United States, where controlled clinical trials explore MDMA’s potential to address PTSD, there’s a sense of cautious optimism. While these trials remain tightly regulated, interest is mounting for MDMA’s use in treating trauma. But such potential cannot be unlocked without shifting drug policy toward a model centered on human rights and public health, a shift the UN report suggests is essential, if the U.S. can ever reconcile MDMA’s potential for both euphoria and healing.

Antioxidants to the Rescue

Meanwhile, risks associated with MDMA are well-documented. The drug has a pesky habit of interfering with serotonin receptors in ways that can lead to memory deficits, mood swings, and even more severe mental health issues when used improperly. Neuroprotective measures, such as antioxidant support with vitamins C and E, alpha-lipoic acid and others, are touched upon in the report, a reminder that pharmacological solutions are as much about preserving health as they are about controlling doses.

Regulation of Precursor Chemicals

As synthetic drug markets rise, particularly in Europe where laboratories are churning out high-potency MDMA at alarming rates, the challenges remain significant. Regulatory bodies have intensified their focus on precursor chemicals—safrole oils, PMK, and BMK—that enable MDMA’s production, with new, transnational initiatives underway to curb the flow of these substances. U.S. enforcement efforts echo these concerns, spotlighting MDMA’s chemical ecosystem and bolstering checks on everything from international imports to local distribution networks.

The UN’s report ultimately advocates for a delicate balance. It encourages integration of harm reduction into MDMA policy—a recognition of the drug’s therapeutic potential and its capacity for harm. Like MDMA itself, this policy approach is one part euphoria and one part caution. The challenge lies in navigating both.

The Cosmic Joke of Finding Yourself

0. With a Little Help from My Friend Hammerhead Shark Alien

All right, folks, picture this: you’re on a journey. A deep, meaningful, soul-searching journey to uncover the mysteries of the universe. Or at least, that’s what you’ve convinced yourself it is. You’re armed with psychedelic psychotherapy and spiritual fervor, plunging into the great unknown, expecting revelations and maybe a handshake from God, or at least a friendly alien.

And then, somewhere along the way, you run into a Hammerhead Shark Alien, staring at you like you’re its family. You’re in an ayahuasca ceremony, sitting in a maloca in the Costa Rican rainforest and he is clutching the rattle your mentor Doug handed you, and you're wondering just what kind of cosmic joke you’ve stumbled into. It’s your “aha” moment, only it’s less “aha” and more “huh?” But here’s the kicker: this isn’t just a trip; it’s the start of a lifelong exercise in self-discovery, where every answer you chase ends up being inside you the whole time. Isn’t that a laugh?

I. Encounters with Hammerhead Aliens and Wind Chimes

So, there I was, out in the jungle, encountering beings from other dimensions. Real or imagined, who knows? But there they were, standing around, like they had better places to be but figured they’d drop by anyway. One in particular—a Hammerhead Shark Alien—decided to hang out and give me a look that said, “Welcome to the cosmic orchestra, pal.”

Back home, things got weirder. Wind chimes outside my house started insisting they be part of my psychedelic therapy sessions. Yep, you heard that right—wind chimes. Now, I know what you’re thinking: it’s just the wind talking. But I figured, hey, if I was listening to hammerhead shark aliens, what’s the harm in following the chimes, too? Next thing I know, the chimes are adding some kind of cosmic harmony to these sessions. And clients? They loved it. Go figure. Turns out there’s magic in those things you ignore every day—maybe the universe talking in a language only the slightly off-kilter can understand.

II. Meeting a Buddha (and Other Friends in High Places)

In the middle of all this, I encountered a Buddha named Amoghasiddhi. The way he just sort of floated in, peaceful and calm, you’d think he had nowhere better to be, just hanging out in some opalescent glow. And like any good cosmic figure, he showed up without a word, just waiting for me to realize some “great truth.” Which, by the way, is more annoying than you’d think when you’re waiting for answers.

But here’s the funny thing: these sessions started giving me a sense of purpose beyond one-off therapy gigs. I was starting to see some bigger picture—or at least, that’s what I told myself. Inspired by Amoghasiddhi, I teamed up with Shane, a client-turned-partner, to start “Rolling Buddy.” Because what’s enlightenment if you can’t make it a business venture.

III. The Real Revelation (Spoiler: It’s All You)

And here we get to the heart of it all—the quiet doubts and the sneaky little voice saying, “This is all a bit ridiculous, isn’t it?” Because, well, I’d spent years attributing my insights to aliens, gods, and wind chimes, all the while ignoring the possibility that maybe, just maybe, it was me. The good old, everyday human me, with no supernatural help required.

A talk with my spiritual mentor, Lujan Matus, finally set me straight. His words broke through the fog, making it clear that the power I’d been attributing to cosmic visitors was really my own, always had been. All the wisdom, the healing? Yeah, that was just me. Not Amoghasiddhi, not the Hammerhead Shark Alien, not even the wind chimes. Me, with all my doubts, insecurities, and the need for approval I’d carried around since childhood. Somewhere along the line, I’d lost sight of the obvious—my strength came from within, not from strange figures or spirit guides. 

IV. Embracing the Cosmic Joke

In the end, what’s the takeaway from all this? That life’s ultimate trick is to get you to search the stars for answers that are already in your own hands. My journey with mediumship, with the hammerhead aliens, the chimes, and even the opalescent Buddha, taught me one simple thing: that all the mystery, all the magic, is just us learning to be okay with ourselves. We dress it up in symbols, in God, in beings from other dimensions, because the truth is so simple it’s almost disappointing.

So, here I am, walking a little lighter, no longer looking to the cosmos to give me permission to live my own life. Instead, I’m taking the reins myself, with my heart, body, and that slightly ridiculous brain of mine all playing along. And, if I’m honest, I still keep the wind chimes around—just in case the universe has one last joke to tell.

The Body’s Hidden Healer

How Psychedelics and Holistic Medicine Connect

Once dismissed as mystical or unscientific, ancient healing practices are finding new validation through modern science. These practices offer a bridge between traditional wisdom and cutting-edge biology. A perfect example is Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and its concept of the Dan Tian, or "three burning spaces" within the body. These areas—linked to the body’s thoracic, abdominal, and pelvic regions—house the "three treasures": jing (vital essence), qi (subtle breath), and shen (spirit). The body’s fascia, long thought of as structural support, is now understood as a dynamic system that connects these treasures, offering a deeper connection to our health.

Emerging research aligns the concept of fascia with the extracellular matrix (ECM)—the gel-like substance in our tissues that plays a pivotal role in cellular health, emotional states, and even "body memory." This “fluid matrix” can be seen as the body’s internal translator, converting inner experiences into outward responses. Just as fascia gives the body flexibility, the ECM provides the mental and emotional flexibility necessary for healing. (Oxford et al., 2019).

The Psychedelic Effect on the Body's Healing Systems

Perhaps one of the most promising revelations in modern medicine is the potential impact of psychedelics on these deeply interconnected systems. Psychedelics, such as psilocybin and LSD, are known to dramatically alter perception and consciousness, but recent studies suggest they also affect the ECM by loosening its structure, potentially allowing for the formation of new neural pathways (Nardou et al., 2023). This dynamic shift is thought to facilitate “resetting” entrenched mental patterns, making way for new insights and behavioral changes, especially in individuals with trauma, depression, or anxiety disorders.

The psychedelic influence doesn’t stop there. These substances also modulate the brain's Default Mode Network (DMN)—a network of brain regions associated with self-reflection and ruminative thought. Disrupting this network, especially in individuals suffering from conditions like PTSD or major depressive disorder (MDD), may break the cycle of obsessive thinking, enabling healing and the possibility for new perspectives (Gattuso et al., 2023). By temporarily suspending habitual thought patterns, psychedelics offer a unique opportunity to reframe deeply ingrained psychological and emotional responses.

Integrating Holistic Therapies for Long-Term Transformation

While psychedelics can offer profound insights, it is the integration with holistic therapies—like Reiki, acupuncture, and somatic practices—that truly nurtures lasting transformation. These therapies don’t just follow the psychedelic experience—they support and reinforce it, making the healing process whole. Practices like Reiki focus on energy flow and physical alignment, which can contribute to the maintenance of the ECM’s gel-like structure, essential for cellular health and neurogenesis (Wood, 2008). Acupuncture, similarly, works by stimulating specific points along the body’s meridians, supporting the body’s intrinsic healing abilities, which works directly in line with and aids in ECM function. 

Matthew Wood, in his book Holistic Medicine and the Extracellular Matrix: The Science of Healing at the Cellular Level, explains that the ECM is not only integral to cellular communication and immune function but also serves as the body's “self-healing” system. Wood emphasizes that understanding the ECM is key to bridging the gap between traditional medicine and modern science. His perspective aligns with current research on the ECM's role in synaptic plasticity and its adaptability, which is crucial for mental and emotional resilience. Supporting ECM health through holistic therapies after a psychedelic experience could stabilize and prolong the benefits of those insights, helping the body and mind adjust in a way that fosters long-term change (Marcoli, 2015).

The Synergy of Psychedelics and Holistic Medicine

The integration of psychedelic therapies with holistic practices represents a promising new paradigm in mental health. By combining the neuroplastic benefits of psychedelics with the stabilizing effects of holistic therapies, we open the door to a model of healing that is both profound and sustainable. As psychedelics facilitate new neural connections and reset deeply rooted patterns, holistic therapies help solidify and integrate those changes, reinforcing the body’s natural healing processes. This emerging synergy offers hope for those seeking not just symptom relief, but a lasting transformation of body and mind.

Shamanism: A Holistic Approach to Healing

Shamanic traditions have long recognized the power of plant medicines, like ayahuasca and peyote, in restoring balance to the body, mind, and spirit. In shamanism, healing isn’t just about the physical body—it encompasses spiritual and emotional well-being too. Shamanic healers use these psychoactive plants to enter altered states of consciousness, facilitating access to deeper levels of knowledge and insight. This aligns with modern understandings of the ECM, which acts as a connective tissue system supporting both physical and emotional healing. Just as ancient rituals integrated plant medicines with spiritual practices, contemporary therapeutic models now blend psychedelics with holistic therapies like acupuncture, Reiki, and somatic work, promoting long-term stability and well-being.

Community and Group Experience

Another crucial element in psychedelic healing is community. In traditional shamanic settings, group ceremonies play a key role in healing. Unlike conventional medical settings, which are often solitary, communal psychedelic experiences foster shared transformation. These group environments create a support system that can help integrate profound insights and reduce feelings of isolation often associated with mental health challenges. Research shows that these community-based psychedelic experiences activate neurotransmitters like oxytocin, which are linked to trust, bonding, and emotional resilience (Carhart-Harris et al., 2018; Kettner, 2021; Winkelman, 2013).

These group settings don't just amplify the experience—they actively contribute to a more socially connected and resilient healing process. By tapping into the power of community, individuals can form meaningful relationships that support long-term psychological well-being.

Imagining a New Kind of Healing Space

Imagine a future where hospitals and healing centers are designed not around hierarchical models, but as spaces where ancient wisdom and modern science coexist, honoring the divine healer within each individual. In this future, holistic therapies and psychedelics aren’t separate or compartmentalized but integrated into a fluid, holistic healing process. In these settings, patients are not just passive recipients of treatment but active participants in their healing journey. They are seen as whole beings, connected to both the wisdom of the past and the advances of the future, supported by community, and guided by practitioners who understand the intricate dance between body, mind, and spirit. This new model of care would offer a path to lasting transformation, providing a truly integrated approach to health.

References

Carhart-Harris RL, Erritzoe D, Haijen E, Kaelen M, Watts R. Psychedelics and connectedness. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2018 Feb;235(2):547-550. doi: 10.1007/s00213-017-4701-y. Epub 2017 Aug 10. PMID: 28795211.

Gattuso JJ, Perkins D, Ruffell S, Lawrence AJ, Hoyer D, Jacobson LH, Timmermann C, Castle D, Rossell SL, Downey LA, Pagni BA, Galvão-Coelho NL, Nutt D, Sarris J. Default Mode Network Modulation by Psychedelics: A Systematic Review. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol. 2023 Mar 22;26(3):155-188. doi: 10.1093/ijnp/pyac074. PMID: 36272145; PMCID: PMC10032309.

Kettner, Hannes, Fernando E. Rosas, Christopher Timmermann, Laura Kaertner, R. L. Carhart-Harris, and Leor Roseman. "Psychedelic communitas: intersubjective experience during psychedelic group sessions predicts enduring changes in psychological wellbeing and social connectedness." Frontiers in Pharmacology 12 (2021): 623985.

Marcoli, Manuela, Agnati, Luigi F., Benedetti, Francesco, Genedani, Susanna, Guidolin, Diego, Ferraro, Luca, Maura, Guido and Fuxe, Kjell. "On the role of the extracellular space on the holistic behavior of the brain" Reviews in the Neurosciences, vol. 26, no. 5, 2015, pp. 489-506. https://doi.org/10.1515/revneuro-2015-0007

Nardou R, Sawyer E, Song YJ, Wilkinson M, Padovan-Hernandez Y, de Deus JL, Wright N, Lama C, Faltin S, Goff LA, Stein-O'Brien GL, Dölen G. Psychedelics reopen the social reward learning critical period. Nature. 2023 Jun;618(7966):790-798. doi: 10.1038/s41586-023-06204-3. Epub 2023 Jun 14. PMID: 37316665; PMCID: PMC10284704.

Oxford JT, Reeck JC, Hardy MJ. Extracellular Matrix in Development and Disease. Int J Mol Sci. 2019 Jan 8;20(1):205. doi: 10.3390/ijms20010205. PMID: 30626024; PMCID: PMC6337388.

Winkelman, M. (2013). Shamanism and psychedelics: A biogenetic structuralist paradigm of ecopsychology. European Journal of Ecopsychology, 4, 90-115.

Wood, M. (2008). The Earthwise Herbal: A Complete Guide to Old World Medicinal Plants. Berkeley: North Atlantic Books.

Wood, M. (2021). Holistic Medicine and the Extracellular Matrix: The Science of Healing at the Cellular Level. Rochester: Sacred Planet Books

Take a Breath

How Psychedelics Can Free Us from the Tyranny of Our Egos

Hello, Earthlings! Welcome to Planet Modernity, where people actually think that productivity equals happiness. Yes, you, with the screen glowing at you. Let’s face it: our lives have turned into a dizzying game of getting things done, with our egos acting as little tyrants, shrieking for more efficiency, more control, and more profits. To this, I ask: Why? Why do we live like this? Isn’t there something, you know, better?

Enter psychedelics: little capsules, tabs, and powders that suggest maybe—just maybe—we could be something more than productivity machines. They offer us a chance to, well, get out of our heads. And getting out of our heads might be exactly what we need, not only to feel alive but to remember what it means to be a human being, which, by the way, does not involve being a cog in a machine.

Your Ego is a Tyrant. Accept It.

The great joke here is that we all think we’re in charge of our lives. I know, I know: that’s what we’re supposed to believe, and it’s a nice story. But, in truth, most of us are just obedient followers of our many egos including our social ego. The ego calls the shots, and we, like well-trained pets, follow along, doing whatever it says. Work harder! Achieve more! Don’t listen to those silly things your body or heart says—they don’t know what’s important.

It’s sad, really. You get a heart and a body, and they’re supposed to be part of this whole operation, right? But they’re mostly ignored. You’re probably too busy trying to make money or trying to get that one person to like you, or making up imaginary problems about the future, which you’ll probably never get around to solving. It’s like we’ve taken our one precious life and handed the reins to a stressed-out accountant. Some joke.

Psychedelics as the Cosmic Punchline

Now, in a rare twist of cosmic generosity, the universe gave us psychedelics—little gifts that might as well have a warning label that says, “CAUTION: MAY MAKE YOU REALIZE YOU ARE A HUMAN BEING.” Psychedelics, as it turns out, give the brain a moment of sweet surrender. They shut down the little ego machine and let you see the world with fresh eyes. If only for a while, you actually get to feel what it’s like to be free.

And here’s where it gets wild: When your ego takes a little time-out, you can finally feel the wisdom of your body, which actually knows how to breathe and move and exist without your interference. Your heart gets a say, too, maybe even a few notes of joy or awe. It’s like your body and heart throw a little welcome-back party, as if they’re saying, “Oh, you! You haven’t been here in years!”

Psychedelics are the ego’s vacation. They’re the universe’s way of reminding you that you don’t have to be CEO of yourself all the time. You get a little time off from your ego, and it’s like stepping outside for the first time in years. Maybe it even makes you laugh, realizing how absurdly hard you’ve been trying to “control” everything, even your own life.

An Exercise in Whole-Humanness

So there you are, finally outside of your own head, with the ego’s tight grip momentarily loosened. You start noticing things—like how alive you feel when you’re not endlessly narrating everything. You notice that your body, that thing you drag around like a suitcase, is actually a pretty incredible piece of machinery on its own. Your heart, meanwhile, pipes up with its own ideas, maybe about love, or beauty, or peace. Who knew, right?

This is the experience of what we might call whole-humanness—the mind, heart, and body all working together, playing nice for once. This is what psychedelics do: they invite the whole gang back in, letting them throw their two cents into the pot. And you might even realize that your body and heart are far better at navigating this strange experience called life than the mind alone ever was. Some people call it enlightenment. I call it just waking up.

Warning: Don’t Get Too Comfortable

But let’s not get carried away. Psychedelics aren’t magic wands. They don’t offer permanent bliss, nirvana, samadhi or enlightenment. They just give you a little taste, a chance to see what life might be like if you weren’t constantly running from one thought to another. Think of it as a wake-up call. They show you what’s possible, but it’s up to you to make sense of it afterward, to figure out how to live without being the ego’s puppet.

So what do you do with this experience? You don’t try to become some saint, for one thing. You just try to live with a bit more awareness. Maybe you start to wonder why you’re letting the ego run the show all the time. Maybe you get curious about what your body and heart are saying now and then. Maybe you let yourself feel things instead of overanalyzing them to death. Maybe you let yourself go soft and loose, melting into the sofa like a housecat stretched out in a sunbeam, sinking so deeply into stillness that you almost forget you were anything but a warm, drowsy bundle of contentment.

Invitation to Oneness

Here’s the thing: psychedelics aren’t just hallucinogens that fit perfectly into the brain’s serotonin receptor sites. They’re invitations. They’re a cosmic reminder that you don’t have to be a prisoner of your own mind. They’re the universe’s gentle, slightly sarcastic way of saying, “You’re more than an ego.” They give you a little window into what it feels like to be a real human being—one that doesn’t have to justify its existence through logic alone.

So if you’re brave (or curious, or just a little bit sick of it all), you might just take up this invitation. You might take a little journey to remember what it feels like to be whole, to let go of all those stories the mind tells you. Just don’t forget the punchline: you were never supposed to live as a thought machine, anyway. You’re here to be a person, with a heart, a body, and maybe even a little peace. Isn’t that wild?