We know from case studies that fake weed can cause hallucinations, rapid heartbeat, panic attacks, and overdoses. If that wasn't bad enough, we now have evidence that synthetic cannabinoids also have a major impact on the kidneys.

University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) nephrologists have reported for the first time in medical literature cases of acute kidney injury directly linked with synthetic marijuana use. The case studies are reported online in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology and will appear in the March 2013 print edition of the journal.

The authors report that nephrotoxicity -- the poisonous effect of a substance on the kidneys -- from designer drugs such as SPICE or K2, which mimic the effects of marijuana but are man-made and cannot be detected in routine drug tests, should be considered when a patient presents with acute kidney injury and no other evident cause...

“Cases of acute coronary syndrome associated with synthetic marijuana use have been reported, but our publication is the first to associate use with acute kidney injury,” said study co-author Gaurav Jain, M.D., assistant professor in the Division of Nephrology. “Tachycardia and seizures have also been reported with synthetic cannabinoids.”

In the journal, Thornley-Brown and colleagues outlined four different cases of previously healthy young men whose acute kidney injury was linked to ingestion of synthetic marijuana. Three of the patients had acute kidney injury marked by the excretion of an abnormally small volume of urine, known as oliguric acute kidney injury, and the fourth had a decrease in effective blood flow to the kidney, known as prerenal acute kidney injury. Three of the patients underwent a kidney biopsy that showed acute tubular necrosis, which is the death of cells that form the minute canals in the kidney that secrete, reabsorb, collect and transport urine. Left untreated, this can cause the kidneys to shut down. In these four cases, the patients recovered kidney function, and none required dialysis.

So if you've been smoking a bunch of fake weed, and have noticed problems urinating, quit smoking and see a specialist before your kidneys shut down.

In an interview in the Atlantic, Oxford ethicist Brian Earp proposes the idea that MDMA - and in fact, a battery of other substances as well - might have a role to play in keeping marriages together. You know, for the children. An excerpt:

For another example, consider the widespread use of Viagra to treat male impotence, a problem that prevents some couples, especially older couples, from having sex. Lack of sex reduces oxytocin levels, and reduced oxytocin levels can degrade a couple's romantic bond. If a drug-based treatment could help the couple restore a healthy sex life, this could improve their chances of sustaining a well-functioning relationship.

Beate Ditzen and her colleagues at the University of Zurich have shown that oxytocin nasal spray can facilitate positive communication--and reduce stress levels--in romantic couples engaged in an argument. Oxytocin, sometimes called the "love hormone" for its role in sustaining mother-infant and romantic attachment bonds, increased the ratio of positive to negative communication behaviors and facilitated a drop in cortisol levels after the conflict. These factors have been shown to play a major role in predicting long-term relationship survival. While commentators like Ed Yong have recently emphasized that oxytocin can have a "dark side" as well--for example, by promoting in-group favoritism--the key is to figure out which people, which situations, and which ways of administering the hormone will maximize its effectiveness and minimize any troubling side-effects. We're working on some research right now to sort these conditions out.

In earlier decades, MDMA (ecstasy) was sometimes used in couple's therapy to boost empathy and improve emotional communication skills. While this sort of use would be illegal today, there has been a recent resurgence of scientific interest in possible therapeutic uses of MDMA, for example to treat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. More research is needed, of course, but there is no reason why it should not be carried out, carefully and ethically, with proper social, procedural, and legal safeguards in place.

Seems clear cut to us as well that society might benefit from having this kind of option available in the tool kit. Earp takes it further than we might have considered, however:

Imagine a couple that is thinking about breaking up or getting a divorce, but they have young children who would likely be harmed by their parents' separation. In this situation, there are vulnerable third parties involved, and we have argued that parents have a responsibility--all else being equal--to preserve and enhance their relationships for the sake of their children, at least until the children have matured and can take care of themselves. One way to do this, of course, would be to attend couple's therapy and see if the relationship problems could be meaningfully resolved through "traditional" methods. But what if this strategy isn't working? If love drugs ever become safely and cheaply available; if they could be shown to improve love, commitment, and marital well-being--and thereby lessen the chance (or the need) for divorce; if other interventions had been tried and failed; and if side-effects or other complications could be minimized, then we think that some couples might have an obligation to give them a try. Of course, we aren't suggesting that anyone should be forced to take love drugs--or any drugs--against their will. But we do think that when children are involved, the stakes become higher for finding a workable solution to relationship difficulties between the parents.

What's that, you say? A totally batshit crazy cover of the classic Cardigans track "Lovefool" for the free downloading and everything? Sign me up. Time to learn more about Rainbow Chan obviously.

Happy Friday! Time for some pleasingly geometric visions from electronic artist The Cyclist, in his video for the song (natch) "Visions." From the forthcoming album Bones In Motion, due out March 26.

Although Bath Salts get most of the news headlines, according to a recent article in The Fix, PCP is still the number one cause of grisly psychotic episodes, especially in East Coast cities. The article has accounts of users murdering their own children, mutilating themselves, and attacking police. It also claims that PCP users who wind up in emergency rooms often take days to recover from catatonia and weeks to recover from internal injuries and broken bones.

This sounds like a typical media scare piece, they even refer to PCP as "wet" throughout the entire article, which is annoying. But the subhead of this article is oddly sympathetic.

The scariest drug on the street, "wet" makes a few users commit grotesque murders that even cops can't stomach. Crackdowns are getting ugly. What will it mean for the many people who use PCP safely?

The article says that police have formed a zero tolerance policy towards PCP users, calling them "zombies" to dehumanize them, and that the media is quick to pile on these characterizations. But it also says this is unfair to people who use PCP safely.

Many users protest that they’re unfairly tarred, that PCP can be used safely and responsibly. "Hell, no, I ain't never beat up on no cops," says Jared, a 25-year-old North Philadelphia heroin dealer and wet user for the past three years. "When I smoke wet I don’t even hallucinate, and I've definitely never had a bad trip like you read about in the papers where dudes be jumping out of windows and shit."

Jared admits that he once had a bad reaction to the drug, but the situation didn't escalate into anything that would make the evening news. "I was smoking once with these three dudes and I got paranoid real bad," he tells me. "Like suddenly I just knew these dudes were about to roll me so I started thinking that I had to get them first. I was definitely getting homicidal. But I just left, you know. I didn't hurt nobody."

So keep that in mind kids. When you get all psychotic and paranoid from smoking wet, don't go all homicidal and shit. Just chill.

So how's medical marijuana working out for the states that have approved it, you ask? (C'mon, I know you were wondering.) Let's study the example of Michigan's program, which costs $1.8 million to operate annually:

Michigan voters approved medical marijuana legislation in 2008, with the program coming online in 2009. In it's first year the program generated $308,400 in revenue. That number jumped considerably in 2010 to more than $3.6 million. This past year, with some 115,775 patient and caregiver registries and renewals, that number jumped to $10,425,600, according to an annual report from the state's MMJ program to the Michigan legislature.

Not exactly zillions and trillions of dollars, but nothing to sneeze at either. What are they spending it on?

Officials with the state say the money is going to "a new database, enhancing the telephone system and addition staff to process all of the cards."

Uh huh... sounds like one hell of a database. More importantly, sounds like job creation, which is definitely nothing to sneeze at.

[Via Toke Of The Town.]

A feud is developing between the LA Times and rave promoter Isomniac, Inc., after the Times published an article indicting Insomniac for 14 drug related deaths at its massive rave-style events since 2006. From the article:

According to an analysis of coroners' and law enforcement reports from nine states, most of the deaths were linked to Ecstasy or similar designer drugs -- hallucinogens tightly bound with raves.

Despite warnings of drug risks from law enforcement and health officials, the raves have received the blessing of local governments hungry for the revenue they deliver...

James Penman, the San Bernardino city attorney, said economics should never be a justification for raves...

"The city should have zero tolerance for any activity where drugs are an integral part," Penman said. "A rave without drugs is like a rodeo without horses. They don't happen."

Insomniac is fighting back against the Times' charges by claiming that hundreds of thousands of people come to their events and have a safe and enjoyable time, and that drug related deaths are few and far between. From a Spin article detailing Pasquale Rotella of Insomniac's response:

Instead of taking the report as the sobering indicator of a possible public-health issue, however, Rotella views it as a witch hunt targeting electronic-music fans. In a statement posted to Insomniac's website, Rotella began by praising his events' fans as "the best, most creative fans in the world" before going on the counterattack. "As part of their mission to twist facts to suit their sensational story," he complained, "the LA Times treated the opinions of a few people as gospel, turned everyone who enjoys electronic music events into villains, and ignored anyone that did not agree with their biased opinion..."

To drive home his us-against-the-world point, Rotella has posted a cartoon [above] to his Instagram account that depicts smiling, tutu-clad ravers dancing beneath the words, "PEACE, LOVE, UNITY, RESPECT" -- and a pair of doves bearing, presumably, olive branches -- while a Los Angeles Times reporter paints a picture of rape and mayhem beneath a banner reading, "DANGER, DRUGS, DEATH, GREED."

Hillsborough County Commissioners in Florida are moving forward with a proposed ordinance that would provide law enforcement with another tool in the battle against synthetic drugs.

With synthetic drugs, such as bath salts, K2 and Spice, becoming a major concern throughout Hillsborough, commissioners directed staff last summer to create a law that would help law enforcement agencies shut down the flow of the chemically created drugs within the county...

The county’s reasons for wanting to do so are summed up in the proposed ordinance:

“Synthetic drugs may be more potent and dangerous than the controlled substances they are designed to mimic due to the unapproved chemicals and chemical compounds contained within them."

Which poses the question: Why not legalize the safe and natural drugs instead of moving to ban the synthetic drugs? You are only digging the hole deeper when your first instinct is to ban everything.

From NORML

Today, Representatives Jared Polis and Earl Blumenauer introduced two legislative measures that would end the federal prohibition on marijuana and permit for the regulated production and retail sales of cannabis to adults in states that have legalized its consumption.

Representative Polis’ legislation, The Ending Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2013, would remove marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act, transfer the Drug Enforcement Administration’s authority to regulate marijuana to a newly renamed Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Marijuana and Firearms, require commercial marijuana producers to purchase a permit, and ensure federal law distinguishes between individuals who grow marijuana for personal use and those involved in commercial sale and distribution.

Speaking on the bill, Rep. Polis stated, “This legislation doesn’t force any state to legalize marijuana, but Colorado and the 18 other jurisdictions that have chosen to allow marijuana for medical or recreational use deserve the certainty of knowing that federal agents won’t raid state-legal businesses. Congress should simply allow states to regulate marijuana as they see fit and stop wasting federal tax dollars on the failed drug war.”

Salon ran a short article on psilocybin therapy for cancer patients.

Psilocybin, the hallucinogen found in “magic” mushrooms, may have the power to help cancer patients deal with the psychological suffering associated with cancer, claims new research from the New York University College of Dentistry (NYUCD). Previous studies have suggested that psilocybin may help ease depression and increase “openness.” And according to Anthony Bossis, PhD, a clinical assistant professor at NYUCD and Langone Medical Center, it may also relieve cancer patients of some of the “existential distress” that can accompany a life-threatening diagnosis. “The emotional, spiritual and existential distress that can often accompany a diagnosis of cancer often goes unidentified and untreated,” says Bossis.

This is taken from the chapter, "Use of the Classic Hallucinogen Psilocybin for Treatment of Existential Distress Associated with Cancer," published in the book Psychological Aspects of Cancer. More on this research from Science Daily:

"The primary objective of this phase I, double-blind, controlled pilot study is to assess the efficacy of psilocybin administration on psychosocial distress, with the specific primary outcome variable being anxiety associated with advanced and/or recurrent cancer," said Bossis. "Secondary outcome measures will look at the effect of psilocybin on symptoms of pain perception, depression, existential/psychospiritual distress, attitudes toward illness, quality of life, and spiritual/mystical states of consciousness," said Bossis.

The clinical vignette describes a patient who, over the course of three years, experienced extreme fatigue, pain, overall body aches, discomfort and psychological distress due to cancer and intensive biweekly chemotherapy. The patient became increasingly anxious and depressed and was enrolled in two study sessions; in one he received psilocybin and the other placebo. Despite continuing the arduous chemotherapy schedule, suffering from illness, and undergoing additional surgical procedures, the patient continued to report a marked improvement in attitude, coping, and mood 18 weeks after his session and stated, "my quality of life is dramatically improved," the patient said...

The Psilocybin Cancer Anxiety Study is currently recruiting additional subjects. To enroll or learn more, please visit BluestoneCenter.org or nyucanceranxiety.org.