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If I had a dollar for every HN story about how technically illegal drugs are being used for psychiatric purposes and we're just on the verge of them going mains

If I had a dollar for every HN story about how technically illegal drugs are being used for psychiatric purposes and we're just on the verge of them going mainstream and legal and licit, I could fund a bunch of YC startups.

retrac 5y ago
Esketamine isn't "technically illegal" or "on the verge". It has been approved by the FDA. It's available legally now.
capableweb 5y ago
Hard doubt. Searched for "mushroom", "psilocybin", "cannabis", "marijuana", "cocaine", "lsd", "ecstasy", "heroin", "ketamine" on HN search and in total came up with just ~4450 submissions in total, and I'm over-estimating by including just mentions of some illicit drugs, not just psychiatric purposes. I'd love to see you fund any startup with just ~5000 USD.
- ZanyProgrammer 5y ago
  This is the most stereotypically perfect HN response ever.
  - capableweb 5y ago
    Thank you! I tried really hard, and seems I succeeded, I'm glad it worked.
- starkd 5y ago
  - capableweb 5y ago
    You relax. I was only making the comment in jest. I guess low-quality comments spawn low-quality comments, and for that, I'm sorry.
    - starkd 5y ago
      Sorry, sometimes sarcasm doesn't come through in text. On the upside, the fact I didn't didn't detect it is a sign it is very good parody.
starkd 5y ago
There seems to have been a noticeable dropoff in new depression treatments. Sometimes I wonder if resorting to these options is a kind of desperation. I'm not saying these things shouldn't be investigated, but most of these illegal drugs will cure depression in the short term, but not so much in the longer term. Even the SSRIs have become a disappointment for many in the long term.
- trevorishere 5y ago
  Regarding development, there hasn’t been much at all outside of SSRIs/SNRIs. The third chapter in the below video on bipolar disorder and ketamine addresses this. https://youtu.be/PkwQBGGsj2c https://youtu.be/PkwQBGGsj2c
adamcstephens 5y ago
Ketamine is legal for medical use in the US. So you’re going to miss out on the dollar this time.
- ZanyProgrammer 5y ago
  Darn it I'll miss out on an avant garde therapy.

retrac 5y ago

Esketamine isn't "technically illegal" or "on the verge". It has been approved by the FDA. It's available legally now.

capableweb 5y ago

Hard doubt. Searched for "mushroom", "psilocybin", "cannabis", "marijuana", "cocaine", "lsd", "ecstasy", "heroin", "ketamine" on HN search and in total came up with just ~4450 submissions in total, and I'm over-estimating by including just mentions of some illicit drugs, not just psychiatric purposes. I'd love to see you fund any startup with just ~5000 USD.

ZanyProgrammer 5y ago
This is the most stereotypically perfect HN response ever.
- capableweb 5y ago
  Thank you! I tried really hard, and seems I succeeded, I'm glad it worked.
starkd 5y ago
- capableweb 5y ago
  You relax. I was only making the comment in jest. I guess low-quality comments spawn low-quality comments, and for that, I'm sorry.
  - starkd 5y ago
    Sorry, sometimes sarcasm doesn't come through in text. On the upside, the fact I didn't didn't detect it is a sign it is very good parody.

starkd 5y ago

There seems to have been a noticeable dropoff in new depression treatments. Sometimes I wonder if resorting to these options is a kind of desperation. I'm not saying these things shouldn't be investigated, but most of these illegal drugs will cure depression in the short term, but not so much in the longer term. Even the SSRIs have become a disappointment for many in the long term.

trevorishere 5y ago
Regarding development, there hasn’t been much at all outside of SSRIs/SNRIs. The third chapter in the below video on bipolar disorder and ketamine addresses this. https://youtu.be/PkwQBGGsj2c https://youtu.be/PkwQBGGsj2c

adamcstephens 5y ago

Ketamine is legal for medical use in the US. So you’re going to miss out on the dollar this time.

ZanyProgrammer 5y ago
Darn it I'll miss out on an avant garde therapy.