Month: June 2018
Illinois Lawmakers Pass Bill to Replace Opiate Prescriptions with Medical Marijuana
On June 15th, 2018, people in the state of Illinois who have a prescription for opiate painkillers may be eligible for medical marijuana. Today, lawmakers passed a bill allowing anyone with a prescription for opiates to be eligible for the state’s medical marijuana program. Illinois Medical Marijuana Program With passing the new law, Illinois joins other states at looking to medical marijuana to help in the fight against opiate addiction and overdose deaths. Senator Don Harmon, a Democrat from Oak Park, Il, and sponsor of the state senate bill said, “As we see the horrible damage inflicted by opioid use and misuse, it seems like a very low-cost and low-risk alternative.” The Alternatives to Opiates Act would allow millions of people to apply for temporary access to the state’s existing med...
Healing the Body and Soul: The Use of Ayahuasca Assisted Therapy to Treat Substance Use Disorders
Written by: Elie De Franca, LCSW, LCADC Ayahuasca is an Amazonian plant mixture that is capable of inducing altered states of consciousness, which may last anywhere from four to right hours after ingestion. The effects of this plant mixture can range from mildly stimulating to extremely visionary. Ayahuasca is used primarily as a medicine and as a shamanic means of communication, typically in a ceremonial session under the guidance of an experienced drinker. The main ingredient of this jungle tea is a vine, Banisteriopsis caapi, which like the tea itself is also called ayahuasca (which means ‘vine of the soul’ or ‘vine with a soul’). The secondary ingredient is either chacruna (Psychotria viridis) or chagropanga (Diplopterys cabrerana), plants that contain a relatively high amount of the...
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