2016 is shaping up to be a big year for talking about psychoactive drugs. Europe's EMCDDA came out with its "The internet and drug markets" report; people are grumbling about the UK Psychoactive Substances Bill; MDMA and ayahuasca are getting both positive and negative media attention, and "novel psychoactive substances" (NPS) continue to be a big topic of health and law debates.

Is it true that any press is good press? Are the discussions getting more nuanced, covering more points of view, and leading more people to recognize that psychoactive drugs are tools that can (and should) be used with care, and with knowledge of their risks and benefits?

It was cold and foggy in Skylonda in February 1996 as some of the first Erowid pages were published, including the DMT, GHB, Kava, LSD, MDMA, Mescaline, Mushrooms, Freedom & Law, and Meditation Vaults.

The 2nd Worlds of Consciousness Conference had just convened psychedelic and consciousness researchers and 840 participants in Heidelberg, Germany. Speakers included Betty Eisner, Roland Fischer, Albert Hofmann, Hanscarl Leuner, Ralph Metzner, and Sasha Shulgin.

Students for Sensible Drug Policy Conference
(April 15-17, 2016) in Washington, DC, USA
ssdp.org/events/ssdp2016/

Keynote speakers and panels addressing the timely topics in policy, harm reduction, leadership, organizing, and advocacy.

Teatime : This One Time, at Trim Camp... In 2015, Teafaerie took a deep dive into consciousness exploration in South America. Upon returning she spent several months doing seasonal cannabis farm work. Here's her perspective on one of the most above-ground underground jobs on the North American west coast.

Metanoia : Cannabusiness: The healing of the nation? In other news of cannabis-related livelihoods, Casey Hardison ponders a new, legal twist on chemistry work, building on his years in the psychedelic trenches. Will he join the company of seasoned trippers or join forces with newer investors?

EcstasyData is an Erowid project that conducts laboratory testing of ecstasy tablets, research chemicals, and other drugs. We publish our results online along with analyses from other testing programs.

• 
  Orange Tesla (Location unknown)
  Contains MDMA.
• 
  Gold Bar (Chicago, IL)
  Contains MDMA and Methylsulfonylmethane.

Erowid is often mentioned in articles and books. Mentions may include positive or critical reviews, as well as citations of Erowid content.

• Pharmaduke
  
  Twitter (Dec 2015 to the present)
  Twitter bot mash-up of Marmaduke comics and Erowid experience reports, "combined entirely at random, posts every three hours or so" per creator @nah_solo.
• The behavioural profile of GHB, GBL and 1,4-butanediol in humans
  
  Brain Research Bulletin (Jan 2016)
  "We performed a qualitative analysis of reports from the scene associated website Erowid, showing that users described feelings of euphoria, physical wellbeing, stimulation and empathogenesis after ingesting [GHB]."

1. Ethylphenidate Dosage
   Tentative dose data for Ethylphenidate, includes commentary on dose differences for varying goals of stimulation (functional; euphoria).
2. The Ultimate Cannabis Indoor Cultivation and Usage Guide (Revised)
   Clarifications throughout, redundancies removed, new images, and new sections on meditation and abuse & dependence.

• Amphitheater of Eternity (Formosahuasca), by Logos
  "Lights in this massive space were blinking in small green flashes, and I felt a feminine overmind was present with whatever other lesser entities dwelt there. Synesthesia effects began shortly thereafter..."
• A Night Conversing with Elves (4-AcO-DMT & Ketamine), by Nov3
  "I trip for personal development rather than to visit 'other worlds', and I feel people are easily caught up in trying to explain this kind of dissociation and these other realities rather than seeing them as a learning experience to develop the self."
• Catatonic Expedition (Deschloroketamine), by Nervewing
  "I find myself able to operate my fingers at the very least, but it is extremely difficult. If I am not looking at them I completely lose track of where they are, and I find my sense of which hand is left/right crossed many many many times."

Is It Safe to Drive While Stoned? A summary of the research into the effects of cannabis on driving skills. Helps describe how scientists go about answering this difficult question and offers ideas for drivers to consider.

If you find Erowid a useful resource and are interested in supporting its future development, please consider donating or becoming a member. Donations to Erowid Center are tax-deductible in the United States.

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