Journal of psychoactive drugs最新文献

Indigenous to West Africa, akuamma seed (Picralima nitida) is used in traditional medicine and demonstrates opioidergic activity. Little is known about its role in management of pain or other ailments among people in the United States. This study presents findings from a web-based survey conducted between December 2023 and July 2024. Summary statistics characterized individuals reporting lifetime akuamma seed use, including demographics, substance use history, pain severity, and motivations. Between-group comparisons were conducted for those with and without lifetime akuamma seed use. Among 369 participants, 28 (7.6%) reported lifetime akuamma seed use. Those with lifetime akuamma seed use were older (44.7 years, p = .04), females (64.3%, p = .004), or currently disabled (32.1%, p < .001). They reported less alcohol (p = .033), more kava (78.6%, p = .001) and Delta-8 THC (71.4%, p < .001) use; all had tried kratom. Those who had tried akuamma seed indicated greater pain severity and reported use for pain management and opioid substitution; 60.7% reported pain relief from akuamma seed. No participants met DSM-5 criteria for akuamma seed-related substance use disorder modified. Akuamma seed may be used in the United States alongside other unscheduled psychoactive substances, particularly, psychoactive botanical-derived products. Additional research is needed to evaluate safety, efficacy, and health outcomes associated with akuamma seed.

The use of traditional medicinal plants in therapeutic settings has gained increasing attention for their potential in mental health and addiction treatment. This study explores the ethnomedical use of Brunfelsia grandiflora (chiric sanango) within the therapeutic framework of the Takiwasi Center in the Peruvian Amazon, where it is integrated into strict plant-based dietary regimens ("dietas") to support addiction recovery and psychological well-being. The research combines data from semi-structured interviews with therapists, traditional healers, and other staff members, along with patient-reported experience data from the institution's database. A total of 74 case reports were analyzed to assess both the physiological and psychological effects of chiric. Findings indicate that the plant induces notable physical effects, including numbness, tingling, dizziness, and cold sensations, while also facilitating deep psychological introspection, emotional processing, and enhanced social engagement. Participants frequently reported shifts from distressing emotions to states of clarity, acceptance, and resilience. These effects suggest that chiric sanango may serve as an important adjunct in psychotherapy and addiction treatment. This study highlights the intersection of Amazonian ethnomedicine and modern therapeutic practices, emphasizing the need for further pharmacological and clinical investigations into the psychoactive properties of B. grandiflora and its potential role in mental health interventions.

Alcohol consumption is associated with nearly 200 health conditions. As cannabis-infused beverages emerge in the legal market, their potential as a substitute for alcohol is of growing interest. This study investigates whether cannabis beverages may reduce alcohol use.A total of 438 anonymous adults who used cannabis in the past year completed a survey including cannabis use and alcohol consumption items from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). Chi-square and t-tests compared alcohol use between cannabis beverage users and non-users, and before vs. after cannabis beverage initiation.About one-third (33.6%) of respondents used cannabis beverages, typically consuming one per session. Users were more likely to report substituting cannabis for alcohol (58.6%) than non-users (47.2%). They also reported fewer weekly alcoholic drinks after starting cannabis beverages (M = 3.35) compared to before (M = 7.02), and binge drank less frequently (80.7% reported less than monthly or never, vs. 47.2% before). Those who cited reducing other substance use were more likely to use cannabis beverages (45.8%).Findings suggest cannabis beverages may support alcohol substitution and reduce alcohol-related harms, offering a promising alternative for individuals seeking to lower alcohol intake.

The gateway hypothesis posits that the use of some "gateway drugs" may precipitate initiation of use of other drugs. A commonly examined pathway in this regard is the use of tobacco/nicotine leading to the use of marijuana. There is a dearth of research that has examined nicotine vaping specifically as a predictor of marijuana and that has integrated social learning processes of rule-breaking peer association into this pathway. The present study sought to address these gaps in the literature by examining nicotine vaping as a mediator of the relationship between rule-breaking peer association and marijuana use. The Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development data were analyzed. Generalized structural equation modeling was used to assess relationships of interest. Greater rule-breaking peer association predicted increased marijuana use risk at follow-up. Nicotine vaping was a significant mediator here, accounting for about 8% of this relationship. Implications are discussed.

The resurgence in research with classic psychedelics (e.g. LSD, psilocybin) underscores their potential for improved well-being; however, the interpersonal context and mechanisms of psychedelic impacts remain unknown. In a sample of 798 participants (81 couples), this survey study tested whether use of a psychedelic with a romantic partner (v. not together) was associated with couples' shared understanding (i.e. shared reality) and changes in relational well-being. Multilevel dyadic analyses provided overwhelming support for hypotheses that taking a psychedelic together would be associated with greater shared reality and more positive relational changes (e.g. improved physical intimacy, emotional closeness, satisfaction). Shared reality mediated positive relational changes. Taking a psychedelic alone was indirectly associated with the decision to end a romantic relationship. Although limited by cross-sectional design and low dyadic participation, results emphasize the importance of a socially informed approach to the development of psychedelic therapies, with potential to increase treatment effectiveness and mitigate harms.

Anxiety disorders are chronic health conditions affecting the quality of life of millions of people. Psilocin, the active moiety of psilocybin, provides an anxiolytic effect; however, when orally administered as psilocybin, it only offers a moderate level of bioavailability and less predictable pharmacokinetics, potentially making effects after absorption variable and increasing the risk of adverse hallucinations, depending on the dose. As such, we investigated a recently developed stable salt of psilocin, psilocin mucate (L-130), which delivers increased bioavailability and, thus, more precise control of therapeutic levels. We examined factors related to L-130's safety, as well as its effectiveness in addressing anxiety at a commonly used macro dose level, along with dosing schedules similar to those noted in the literature. Clinical assessments and blood analyses suggest psilocin mucate is safe and has no toxicological effects. Compared to vehicle controls, daily dosing of L-130 led to significant reductions in cortisol levels and improved performances on several anxiety-related behavioral tasks: the Elevated Plus Maze, the Open Field Test, and the Novel Object Recognition Task. However, weekly dosing did not generally produce significant results. Overall, daily dosing of L-130 was able to produce anxiolytic behaviors, but larger studies are needed to determine optimal doses and dosing schedules.

This study examines how macroeconomic conditions and antidepressant use affect drug-use crime, using panel data from 19 cities and counties on Taiwan's main island between 2012 and 2023. Using fixed-effects panel estimation, we control for regional heterogeneity and include a linear time trend to track changes in the number of drug-use suspects. The empirical strategy is designed to mitigate endogeneity bias and yields three key insights. First, drug use is more prevalent in regions characterized by lower income inequality, lower unemployment, a lower female population ratio, and higher population density, suggesting that certain well-intentioned policies may inadvertently increase drug accessibility. Second, greater antidepressant use is significantly linked to fewer drug-use suspects, highlighting the preventive role of mental health support. Third, the number of drug-use suspects has been increasing at an annual rate of approximately 7%. These findings underscore the need to integrate mental health into drug prevention efforts and to consider the complex effects of socioeconomic reforms.

Nicotine dependence remains a leading cause of preventable mortality worldwide. Pharmacotherapy and behavioral interventions offer modest efficacy with limited long-term success. Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) is an emerging approach to nicotine cessation with a growing evidence base. As PAP research expands, understanding how nicotine users' attitudes shape treatment engagement becomes critical. We surveyed daily nicotine users (N = 534) to assess their perceptions and attitudes toward PAP versus standard cessation interventions. Point-biserial correlations and multiple linear regressions examined predictors of treatment interest and credibility. Findings suggest that familiarity with treatment options predicts perceptions of credibility for both interventions (standard: β = 0.16, p < .001; PAP: β = 0.36, p < .001). Credibility in turn predicted willingness to initiate both standard interventions (β = 0.34, p < .001) and PAP (β = 0.71, p < .001). Past psychedelic use influenced perceptions of (β = 0.16, p < .001) and willingness to initiate PAP (β = 0.10, p < .01). Motivation to quit predicted attitudes toward both treatment options (standard: β = 0.25, p < .001; PAP: β = 0.27, p < .001). Providers might leverage these findings to tailor educational materials to increase familiarity, potentially improving adherence and outcomes.

Sober living houses (SLHs) provide abstinence-based living environments for individuals in recovery from substance use disorders. The social model approach to recovery that is used emphasizes helping in recovery. Here, we test whether greater social model activity is related to more helping in the house, and whether these helping behaviors subsequently predict stronger support among SLH peers. Longitudinal data were collected from N = 205 SLH residents with past-year alcohol use disorder who entered 28 SLHs in Los Angeles, California. Regression models tested whether social model activity (Recovery Home Environment Scale, RHES) was related to support (Client Evaluation of Self and Treatment, CEST). A multiple mediation model tested whether this relationship was mediated by giving and receiving help in the SLH. Higher RHES scores were significantly related to higher CEST scores, greater help given, and greater help received. Both the RHES and help received showed significant direct effects on the CEST. The significant direct and indirect effects suggest that the effect of the RHES on CEST scores appears partially mediated by helping in the SLH. SLH managers and operators can build strong social environments that increase helping and support among residents by focusing on elements from the social model.

Kratom has been widely reported to alleviate depression and anxiety; however, its effects on depression and anxiety in people who use methamphetamine (METH) are rarely investigated. This study constructed network structures of kratom use, depressive symptoms, and anxiety symptoms to gain a preliminary understanding of the possible psychopharmacological mechanisms by which kratom affects depression and anxiety. R package (Version 4.4.1) was used to construct network structures, calculate expected influence and bridge expected influence, estimate networks accuracy, and stability. A sample of 403 males who used METH with and without kratom-use history were recruited for this cross-sectional study. Compared with those without kratom-use history, those who co-used METH with kratom had several lower levels of depressive symptoms. The central depressive symptom was "sleep disturbance" (BDI-16) and the central anxiety symptom was "heart pounding or racing" (BAI-7). Kratom dosage per consumption was the most important kratom-use indicator that was associated with depression and anxiety. Our preliminary findings indicate that kratom may affect depression and anxiety in males who used METH in a dose-dependent and frequency-dependent manner. The most correlated symptoms and bridge nodes in this network analysis should be considered as potential targets for intervention.