💧Silk Road Founder Freed + MAPS Cannabis Research

Welcome back to The Drop In, DoubleBlind’s newsletter serving up news, culture, and independent journalism about the psychedelic underground straight to your inbox.

Today’s edition of The Drop In dives into the latest developments on MAPS’ cannabis clinical trial, Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht walking free, a vivid profile of Pablo Amaringo — the visionary Indigenous artist who brought ayahuasca’s spirit to life — and an intriguing study on MDMA’s potential to enhance women’s libido. Get the full stories below! The rabbit hole awaits.

Enjoy the brain food 🧠🍄

Mary Carreón
Senior Editor

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MAPS Pushes Cannabis Research for PTSD Treatment

The psychedelic powerhouse navigates FDA hurdles to explore the therapeutic potential of cannabis for veterans with PTSD.

On January 15, 2025, the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) made advancements on the cannabis research front by submitting the 2024 Cannabis Data Safety Update Report (DSUR) to the FDA. This report, which functions as an annual update on its investigational drug studies, also included protocol amendments for its ongoing PTSD study called MJP2.

The FDA cleared the use of smoking cannabis as the sole administration method at the end of 2024. Although vaporizing flower was also deemed acceptable for safety, the agency requires additional data about the vape device before allowing its use in the protocol. But, to expedite the study’s launch, MAPS amended its protocol to temporarily exclude the vaporization of cannabis. 

“Our priority is ensuring clinical sites have a clear and actionable protocol,” MAPS wrote in the DSUR. The organization plans to address the FDA’s concerns and hopes to reintroduce vaporization as an option down the road, emphasizing its commitment to offering participants a choice in consumption method.

MJP2 builds on lessons learned from MAPS’ earlier Phase 2 trial, MJP1, which tested four types of cannabis flower that was smoked. Although that trial did not show significant differences between cannabis and placebo in reducing PTSD symptoms, all groups, including the placebo, demonstrated improvements. The report said, “Higher-powered studies that mitigate placebo response and extend treatment duration appear warranted.”

MAPS founder Rick Doblin underscored the broader significance of this research. “Given the increasing prevalence of self-administration of cannabis among U.S. military veterans with PTSD, there is strong public interest in whether cannabis may be an effective treatment,” Doblin said. 

As MAPS pushes forward, the stakes remain high for veterans and others seeking relief from PTSD.

Trump Pardons Silk Road Mastermind Ross Ulbricht

Ross Ulbricht walks free after President Trump grants him a pardon, closing a chapter on one of the most high-profile cases of the digital age.

On January 21, President Donald Trump pardoned Ross Ulbricht, the founder and creator of the Silk Road, a notorious dark web marketplace that facilitated over $200 million in illicit sales of drugs, guns, fake IDs, and more. Arrested in 2013 and handed two life sentences plus 40 years in prison, Ulbricht has become a symbol of government overreach to some and a cautionary tale to others.

Trump’s announcement, delivered on his social media platform Truth Social, was as brash as ever: "The scum that worked to convict him were some of the same lunatics who were involved in the modern day weaponization of government against me. He was given two life sentences, plus 40 years. Ridiculous!” Wired reports.

Libertarian groups and cryptocurrency advocates lobbied for Ulbricht’s release for years, calling his sentence “draconian.” At the Libertarian National Convention in May 2024, Trump expressed his support for Ulbricht, painting him as a martyr of the digital age. Trump promised to commute Ulbricht “on day one” if re-elected.

Ulbricht launched the Silk Road in 2011, when he was 21 years old, and used the anonymity of the Tor network and Bitcoin to facilitate drug sales to illegal services. Prosecutors alleged that Silk Road transactions had fatal consequences, citing overdose deaths linked to drugs purchased on the site. Ulbricht was also accused of attempting to arrange murders to protect the marketplace, though no evidence of actual killings ever emerged.

Freeross.org, the official website for the campaign to free Ulbricht from prison, issued a new banner at the top of the webpage that reads, “Our immense gratitude to President Trump for giving Ross a second chance and to all those who have supported us throughout the years. From the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU!!!”

Over 600,000 people signed a petition calling for Ulbricht's release, according to the campaign page, which also highlights endorsements from community leaders, criminal justice advocates, prominent entrepreneurs, celebrities, and politicians spanning the ideological spectrum — all of whom agree his sentence was excessively harsh.

Noam Chomsky, a legendary political intellectual and author, said he believes Ulbricht’s case is a “shocking miscarriage of justice.” Kat Murti, the executive director of the Students for Sensible Drug Policy, said: “Ross Ulbricht’s double life plus 40-year sentence for his role in creating the Silk Road online marketplace is blatantly unjust.” Keanu Reeves also backed Ulbricht: “The Silk Road and trial of Ross Ulbricht involve many important and complex issues that impact the life of Mr. Ulbricht and us all.”

The Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) wrote in a celebratory Instagram post (that has since been removed) that Ulbricht’s case sparked crucial conversations about the role of freedom, harm reduction, and the consequences of prohibition. “This moment challenges us to rethink systems that punish the exploration of alternatives and to imagine a world where freedom and equity take precedence over criminalization. At MAPS, we envision a future where policies are grounded in evidence and prioritize harm reduction, healing, and personal growth.”

We hope to hear more from Ulbricht soon as he steps into this new chapter of freedom.

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Wisdom of the Leaf Summit: All Things Coca

Looking for a reason to go to Peru for a few days? (Or pretend you're there while you watch from your laptop?)

Dr. Dennis McKenna (brother of the late, great Terence McKenna) and renowned ethnobotanist Wade Davis are hosting an incredible summit in the Sacred Valley of Peru called Wisdom of the Leaf. Its focus is the preeminent plant of the Andes: Coca.

For thousands of years, coca was regarded as a gift of the gods. This incredible little leaf packs an astonishing array of benefits. Their goal is to liberate this healing plant and bring its medicine back to the world. It's a rare chance to learn directly from the world's leading experts on coca, Indigenous practices, and phytopharmacology.

The summit is Feb 3-7. All of the recordings will be available after the conference.

Learn More or donate to the organization here.

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Watch Now

Ketamine use is growing rapidly around the world. In the UK, there's a proposal to reschedule ketamine in the UK and put it in the same drug category as heroin. Now seems like a good time to take a deeper look at this powerful compound, how it works, and what you need to know to stay safe. 

Watch our All About Ketamine video here.