SUMMARY: With the issuance of this final rule, the Deputy Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) places the substance 5- methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT), including its salts, isomers and salts of isomers whenever the existence of such salts, isomers, and salts of isomers is possible, into schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). This action by the DEA Deputy Administrator is based on a scheduling recommendation from the Assistant Secretary for Health of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and a DEA review indicating that 5-MeO-DMT meets the criteria for placement in schedule I of the CSA. This final rule will impose the criminal sanctions and regulatory controls of schedule I substances under the CSA on the manufacture, distribution, dispensing, importation, exportation, and possession of 5-MeO-DMT.

[Thanks Tom!]

Some scientists believe that the drug MDMA (ecstasy), which is known to increase feelings of social connection and empathy, may have psychotherapeutic benefits for those with disorders often associated with a lack of feeling connected to others, such as in schizophrenia, autism, or antisocial personality disorder.

Up until now, scientists have had a hard time objectively measuring the effects of this drug, and there has been very little research in humans. Researchers from the University of Chicago, who conducted research on healthy volunteers, have reported their new findings in the current issue of Biological Psychiatry.

"We found that MDMA produced friendliness, playfulness, and loving feelings, even when it was administered to people in a laboratory with little social contact. We also found that MDMA reduced volunteers’ capacity to recognize facial expressions of fear in other people, an effect that may be involved in the increased sociability said to be produced by MDMA," said author Dr. Gillinder Bedi.

These findings suggest that MDMA makes others appear more attractive and friendly, and this may be the reason for its popularity as a recreational drug. Furthermore, it makes others appear less intimidating, which may allow an individual to feel more confident in social risk-taking.

All illicit substances, including heroin and cocaine, should be legalised, according to a former drugs minister who will today become the most senior politician to push for a dramatic change in the strategy for tackling Britain's drug problems.

Bob Ainsworth, a former Parliamentary Under-Secretary with responsibility for Drugs and Organised Crime and Minister of State for the Armed Forces, will argue that it is better for addicts to receive their fixes on prescription rather than relying for their supply on the international criminal gangs that make billions of pounds from the trade.

Mr Ainsworth told The Independent last night: "We need to take effective measures to rob the dealers of their markets and the only way that we can do that is by supplying addicts through the medical profession, through prescription. We cannot afford to be shy about being prepared to do that."

The call met with a stinging retort from fellow Labour MP John Mann, who carried out an inquiry into hard drug use in his Bassetlaw constituency while Mr Ainsworth was drugs minister.

A party source described the legalisation proposal as "extremely irresponsible".

The former minister who had responsibility for drugs policy, Bob Ainsworth, has called for all drugs to be legally available

This Daily Mail article contains a poll for today only asking "Should drugs be decriminalised"

Please vote to decriminalise drugs.

The harms of drug use is best minimised by education, and drug abuse is best treated by health programmes. The criminalisation of drugs makes criminals out of ordinary citizens and puts money in the hands of organised crime gangs.

The poll is currently 69% in favor of decriminalization.

The European Court of Justice has ruled that Dutch authorities can bar foreigners from cannabis-selling coffee shops.

The court said the city of Maastricht was within its rights when it passed a 2005 law stopping foreigners entering cafes that sell marijuana.

The law was aimed at curbing so-called drug tourists driving from Belgium and Germany to buy marijuana.

Correspondents say the government wants to extend the restrictions nationwide.

There are some 700 coffee shops in the Netherlands. The cultivation and sale of soft drugs through them is decriminalised but not legal.

The owner of a Maastricht coffee shop had challenged the 2005 law, arguing that the policy breached EU laws on free movement of goods and services.

However, Thursday's ruling said the restrictions still complied with EU law.

According to Azarius.net, under the proposed legislation, only those with a registered 'wietpas' (weed pass) would be allowed to buy cannabis in what has been touted as the most radical attempt to overturn the Dutch cannabis laws in decades.

[Thanks Tomas!]

A mother and daughter face drug charges after Baker Middle School officials found Ibuprofen in the girl’s purse, Columbus police said.

Principal Marvin Crumbs learned Monday morning that the 12-year-old might have a knife in her purse. As he searched through her purse, he found a bottle of 12 pills, reports state.

The bottle was labeled as Ibuprofen, 800 milligrams with 15 tablets. It had 11 whole pills and one pill broken in half. The medication from Martin Army Community Hospital had no patient or doctor’s name on it, police said.

According to state law, Ibuprofen is classified as a dangerous drug if a single dose is more than 200 milligrams. Pharmacist Terry Hurley, owner of Dinglewood Pharmacy, said 200 milligrams is the cap for over-the-counter Ibuprofen sales. Dosages that are 400 and 800 milligrams are prescription only, he said.

Officials contacted the girl’s 35-year-old mother, who told the school she gave her daughter the pills. The mother also said that she knows a nurse who works on Fort Benning who gave her the pills, police report.

School policy states that school officials must contact police when any drugs are found on campus.

The mother was charged with distributing a dangerous drug. The daughter was charged with possession of a dangerous drug, police said.

Some interesting responses in the comments to this story. [Thanks Barnaby!]

My research explores techniques to provoke the authentic expression of the spiritual Self and the manifestation of global spiritual awakening.

"Chemical Theatre" is an interdisciplinary body of work documenting the ten years evolution (November 2001-2011) of the "Painting dress" by Bérangère Maïa Parizeau. "Nierika" is the title of the written documentation of the interdisciplinary process of the "Painting dress". It will be printed in book format by LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing AG & Co. KG. The book will be published on 100% post consumer recycled fiber & totally chlorine free process using soy-based ink. This book is in the process of being revised for publication.

Soul-concept nierika signifies the passage way or barrier between this reality and non-ordinary reality.

The "Painting dress" is an allegory weaving intimately my creative process with ancient and contemporary shamanism. In relation to this transformative healing process, the concepts discussed in this treatise overlap entheogen rituals, mystical experiences, cannabis as medicine, organic vegan raw diet, yoga, meditation, earth democracy, sustainable living, cob house building, organic farming and global spiritual awakening. These radical visionary ideas participate in the death of postmodernist irony, enchanting into spiritual awakening and global transformation.

The official video for the song "Seven" by Artemis from her album Auralei, was created from "There is a little absurdity in everything", a performance artwork in which I smoke DMT for video, in Oakland, California, in 2005. This performance art ritual for video was filmed by Reed Rickert and photographed by Jenny Connolly. The other artists involved: Angela Milash, Audrey Haller, Travis Hough, Bluejay Silverback, John Rogers and Guillermo Galindo.

The greatest endorsement for drugs is, well, how often celebrities, the people who pretty much have it all, do them. So here's a great collection of all the greatest times a celebrity has been caught high on camera: from cocaine to "salvia", from Lohan to Moss.

Funny!