The recreational drug ecstasy may have potential benefits in treating traumatized troops
Britain’s former Chief of the Defence Staff General Sir Nick Carter has drawn public attention to the possible treatment of severe PTSD with the psychoactive drug MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy and currently outlawed in the UK.
With British trials of ecstasy-assisted therapy expected to start in early 2022 at King’s College London, Carter featured the issue on Thursday’s BBC Radio 4 ‘Today’ program, which he guest-edited.
Listeners were told Carter wanted to highlight research in the United States, where the approval for MDMA-assisted psychotherapy could come as early as 2023.
The show included an interview with Rick Doblin, founder and executive director of the Multidisciplinary Association of Psychedelic Studies, as well as speaking to a participant in US trials.
According to Doblin, ecstasy “affects the distribution of activity in the brain.” By reducing activity in those parts which deal with “difficult emotions,” the drug lets people process fears and painful memories more easily. Doblin underlined that ecstasy by itself is not enough for treating post-traumatic stress disorder, and that it should be used in combination with therapy.
A Vietnam War veteran who suffered from PTSD for more than 50 years confirmed that MDMA therapy has had a “calming” effect, enabling him to return to a relatively normal life and even make new friends.
Despite its apparent potential, ecstasy is qualified as a Class A drug in the UK; possession can carry a seven-year jail sentence, while dealing carries a potential life sentence.
Due to its popularity as a ‘party drug’, MDMA causes the deaths of dozens of young people in the UK annually.
Conflict, health crises and the climate emergency may have dominated headlines this year but, behind the scenes, countless unsung heroes were working tirelessly to put the values of the UN into action. Here are some of the inspiring personal stories we featured on our UN News pages during 2021.
The CDC revised its guidance Thursday, as 91 cruise ships are under investigation for COVID outbreaks onboard. Most cruise lines require adult passengers to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19.
Thousands of residents have been ordered to evacuate as several grass fires rapidly spread through Boulder County, Colorado
Wildfires fueled by strong winds have triggered evacuation orders for multiple towns in northern Colorado, with a thick wall of smoke seen sweeping through the area as some reportedly remain trapped in their homes.
The fast-moving fires led Boulder County to evacuate tens of thousands of residents on Thursday, with gusts in excess of 100 miles per hour helping feed the blaze.
The town of Superior, made up of some 13,000 residents, was the first to clear out on orders from the county’s Office of Emergency Management, followed by Louisville, a city just north of Superior with a population of more than 21,000.
Footage and photos circulating online showed a vast cloud of smoke and dust enveloping the area, as well as the evacuation in progress, with some cars seen stuck in traffic as skies turned an eerie orange. The high winds could also be heard in some videos.
A massive plume of ash could be seen on radar images shared by the National Weather Service’s (NWS) Boulder branch, giving some idea of the scale of the flames. The service deemed the situation “life threatening.”
Radar showing the huge plume of smoke and ash being released from the #marshallfire burning in Louisville & Superior. Also, another smaller fire reported south of Johnstown and Milliken areas. #COwxpic.twitter.com/WCi7NvhPZU
“Multiple structures” caught fire as the blaze made its way through Boulder County, according to Wildfire Today, which also reported that some residents are unable to leave their homes, though offered few details.
The emergency office activated earlier in the day after downed power lines ignited fires in several areas, local media reported. Though two towns were given formal evacuation orders, the office told all residents in the area to “leave immediately” if they “see fire.”
Local weather forecasts suggest that wind speeds will remain high throughout Thursday but will likely slow over night, while the NWS has issued a winter storm warning for the coming days, predicting heavy snows of between 12 and 24 inches across parts of northern Colorado.
