The questionably legal company slinging psilocybin gummies online

Welcome to Tricycle Day, the newsletter that makes following the news in psychedelics as easy as riding a trike.

It's like Albert Hofmann's fated bicycle ride... but on easy mode. 👶

Here's what's on the agenda today:

• This psilocybin edibles company laughs in the face of the law

• They put an experimental helmet on and took psychedelics. What could go wrong?

Gimme the gummies

Remember yesterday when we said you shouldn’t expect psilocybin edibles to hit the (white) market any time soon?

Yeah, we were wrong. Day 2 and we’re already flip-floppin' like a career politician. Off to a strong start, Tricycle Day. 🤦

Turns out a bold company out of California called Psilouette is already shipping psychedelic teas and gummies nationwide.

In our defense, it’s still true that decriminalization at the state and municipal levels has no effect on federal legality.

So what gives?

In an interview with Leafly, Psilouette’s founder Derek Chase said he doesn’t really care if it’s illegal. 🤷

Here’s how he defends his business:

• Technically, they aren’t selling their products. You place an order for free, and then Psilouette follows up for a “suggested donation.” Chase claims 85-90% of people pay.

• He believes the prohibition of psilocybin is unconstitutional. 🫳🎤 So even if the situation is dicey now, Chase thinks the long-term risk is low.

It’s just like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. told us…

If this whole business sounds dubious to you, it’s worth considering Chase’s track record. He launched his career at the pharma and CPG giant, Johnson & Johnson, before leading a successful CBD company, Flora & Blast.

So maybe these psilocybin gummies are here to stay? If you try 'em, let us know. Tricycle Day demands answers!

Results from Cybin x Kernel are in

Before you read any further, stop. What do you think this thing is?

I’ll give you three guesses:

1. AR headset? WRONG.

2. Hardware for uploading your consciousness to the cloud? WRONG.

3. X-treme scootering helmet? I mean, we won’t stop you.

But nope, it’s none of those things. This very Black Mirror-y device is a neurotech wearable from a company called Kernel, and it was just used to measure the effects of ketamine on the human brain.

Cybin, a pharma company focused on developing psychedelic-based therapeutics, sponsored the study to find out how useful Kernel’s tech could be in future research.

And they’re pretty proud of the results. Based on this so-called “feasibility study,” the Kernel headset:

• Accurately measured changes in blood oxygen levels tied to neural activity 🧠

• Registered plenty of ketamine-induced effects across the brain and specifically within the default mode network, an important area for psychedelics as well as psychiatric conditions ⚡️

• Helped successfully predict mystical experiences, which have been shown to improve symptoms of depression ✨

• Could replace other costly methods for measuring brain and heart activity in the future 📈

So, big deal or big nothing burger?

If you ask us, the ability to track mystical experiences is a helluva lot more exciting than Kernel’s first proof of concept…

Listen, I don’t need to see your brain waves to know if you’re a n00b. If your opponent looks anything like this guy, you already know you're about to get pwned. 

That's all for today! If you're picking up what we're putting down, share this newsletter with all your friends. New subscribers make us trip! 😵‍💫

DISCLAIMER: This newsletter is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice. The use, possession, and distribution of psychedelic drugs are illegal in most countries and may result in criminal prosecution.