- The Drop In by DoubleBlind
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- 💧 Journals want researchers to disclose their drug use
💧 Journals want researchers to disclose their drug use
PLUS, Russian robot dog arrested for drugs
Mary Carreon // Senior Editor
16 Dec
Happy Monday! Welcome back to The Drop In, DoubleBlind’s psychedelic newsletter serving up news, culture, events, and ~tea~ from the underground straight to your inbox.
Today’s featured story highlights a fiery debate within the psychedelic space: Should psychedelics researchers have to disclose whether they've taken the drugs they're studying? Currently, they’re not required to, but some people — and research journals — argue they should be. What do you think? Journalist Mattha Busby pens a piece for us about this issue. You can find it below!
If you keep scrolling you’ll also find a sneak-peak story from Double Blind Magazine Issue 12 about the best psychedelic rock albums of all time. Did your favorite make the list?
Stay tuned for a feature on LSD in Pakistan and the evolution of psychedelic artists 🎨👅
Happy trails, friends🖖
Mary Carreón
Senior Editor
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Featured
Should Psychedelic Researchers Disclose Personal Use of the Drugs They Study?
Advocates argue disclosing psychedelic use fosters transparency, while critics warn it could fuel bias and undermine credibility.
Disclosing conflicts of interest is a normal part of publishing scientific papers. If you’re doing studies on opioids, for example, but also getting stacks of cash from Big Pharma to prove opioids are just fine for everyone, that just might skew your findings.
But does the same apply to psychedelics?
“Psychedelic naive” patients are the FDA’s new (and, so far, completely unrealistic) bar for clinical psychedelic studies. Their reasoning is that if someone has had a psychedelic experience, they are too biased to yield usable data. Now, some want researchers to disclose their personal use of psychedelics.
On the other hand, personal experience may be the very thing driving research forward, and creating public stigma around it could slow or even stop progress. We dive into this sticky debate in our latest feature here.
Our Latest
Psychedelic rock emerged from the counterculture of the ’60s, fueled by LSD and experimental sounds that shattered musical boundaries. From wild and untamed to haunting and groovy, it created cultural shockwaves and sonic textures that are still reverberating today. Here’s our breakdown of the top 25 psychedelic rock albums.
& More Must-Reads
Mind-blowing, toe-curling sex can feel like a psychedelic experience… but is it actually a psychedelic experience? These researchers speculate that orgasms may release DMT in your brain. Read the full story here.
Party responsibly with the awareness that we’re all just part of the same unified consciousness viewing itself subjectively. The implication here is that consent is, in fact, radically psychedelic. Here’s why.
Alcohol-infused holidays are more or less the norm in our society. If we’re not mindful, it can easily slip into something more escapist than celebratory. Psychedelics helped one journalist reframe the experience of inebriation and rediscover beauty. Read this real, non-moralizing, and heartfelt reflection on the world’s most common intoxicant.
Support Our Work
Support Independent Psychedelic Journalism in the Age of Algorithms
The Psychedelic Movement is one of the most important grassroots-led movements happening in the world today.
Our society is tumbling down a rabbit hole of disconnected digitalization and isolation. We all feel it.
Psychedelics can reconnect us to nature, to each other, to our ancestors, and to ourselves. They reawaken our creativity, our inspiration, our sense of aliveness.
The truth is everyone has their own agenda and slants information in their own way.
This is just human nature.
And that’s why independent psychedelic journalism is so vital. DoubleBlind is not beholden to any industry, influencer, or agency. We go beyond soundbites to give you the truth free from the filters of major media outlets.
But the reality is that tech overlord algorithms and censorship are effectively silencing independent voices like ours.
So we are adapting and evolving our publishing model.
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The ask?
Buy us a virtual cup of coffee (or hit of LSD, your pick!). That’s all it takes to keep independent journalism alive.
Together, we can guide the psychedelic movement to benefit ALL beings––not just the wealthy and privileged.
Learn with Us
🧑🔬 Back around 2009, 3MMC got a reputation as “legal MDMA” and became a huge fad in the underground electronic music world, especially in Berlin. Since then it’s been made illegal, but even more widespread. So what exactly is it? Read the full story here.
💊 Prescriptions for chronic pain drove the opioid epidemic. Could microdosing LSD be a better alternative? Here’s what the research says about microdosing for chronic pain.
💖 Considering a more heart-centered, soul-affirming shift in careers in 2025? Here’s what you need to do to become a psychedelic therapist.
DoubleBlind Supports
DONATE: Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy saves lives, but it’s financially out of reach for many of the people who could benefit the most. Thank You Life is a psychedelic non-profit that makes Ketamine-assisted therapy accessible for those who cannot afford it on their own. Donate today to fund a life-changing treatment.
At DoubleBlind, we believe in reciprocity—the idea that everything in the world is interconnected and that we have a responsibility to uplift a psychedelic ecosystem that centers equity, inclusivity, and healing for all. Through our work, we hope to help our community participate in this effort with us.
Together With Allies Botanicals
A Botanical Care Package for Psychedelic Journeys
Whether for ceremony or celebration, Allies Botanicals' organic tinctures are your trusted companions in the psychedelic space. They’re the perfect care package for your (or a friend’s) most important journeys.
Latest Youtube Video
Mainstream media is in the process of an about-face in how they talk about psychedelics, and it’s starting to influence the Boomer generation.
In this interview, Shelby talks with journalist Abbie Rosner about the surprising trend of Boomers taking psychedelics and how they are reshaping cultural norms around spirituality and consciousness. Watch the full video here.
Around the Web
A robot drug courier dog advertising a dark web drug store was “apprehended” in a Moscow train station. Welcome to our new Black Mirror normal. Read the bizarre story in Athens News.
Since his passing, tracks featuring Ram Dass clips have become a mainstay of psychedelic music. Here’s one of our favorites from Jon Hopkins and East Forest.
The United Healthcare CEO assassin is now being characterized as “interested in psychedelics.” Let’s hope psychedelics don’t become the next casualty. Get the scoop in Daily Mail.
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