Don't Let The President Cop Out On Public Health Plan!

Write Obama make sure public option covers Iboga treatment for cocaine addiction....

Philanthropist Pledges $250,000.00 to MAPS study of PTSD treatment for War Veterans

Peter Lewis pledges $250,000 to Veterans Study

On Dec. 1, 2010, philanthropist Peter Lewis pledged to donate $250,000 in 2011 to MAPS’ U.S. study of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in war veterans. This generous pledge brings us to $319,000 out of the projected $500,000 needed to fund the entire study. We wish to extend our sincere gratitude to Peter Lewis for recognizing the value of this research and committing to fund it!

First Two Subjects in U.S. Veterans Study Scheduled for MDMA Session in January

The first two veterans in our newest MDMA-assisted psychotherapy study are now scheduled for their experimental sessions in January. Clinical Investigators Michael Mithoefer, M.D., and Annie Mithoefer, B.S.N., are leading this MAPS-sponsored study at their private office in Charleston, SC. In this study we are only enrolling veterans suffering from war-related PTSD who have tried other treatments and failed. In preparing the study, we found that veterans are different from survivors of sexual abuse and assault in that they are more likely to be taking opiate medications for pain. In the current protocol, we are using fixed dosages and cannot increase the dose of MDMA if the opiates blunt the effect. The team was concerned that opiates could cause MDMA to be less effective. When we learned that one of the potential subjects was prescribed opiate pain medication, our clinical team conferred with medical monitor Julie Holland, M.D., to create a policy for enrolling patients with chronic pain. We decided we would enroll subjects who are currently taking opiate medications for pain as long as they agreed to forego or reduce their medication on the day that they receive MDMA. We’ll use what we learn in this pilot study to decide whether, and under what conditions, it makes sense in future studies to continue to enroll subjects on opiate pain medications. 

I Support The Citizens Commission On Human Rights Intl!

Make a Donation to CCHR's Fight For Kids

Click here to watch the video »

Dear Supporter,

A major thrust of CCHR's work this year has been to curb and halt the widespread psychiatric labeling and drugging of children. Please take a moment to watch this short video on child drugging, created by CCHR to raise awareness of this critical issue, and then please make a tax-deductible year-end donation to CCHR to help continue the fight for kids.

Here are a few successes from parents due to CCHR's work in raising public awareness about psychiatric labeling and drugging:

Thank you for the CCHR website and the wealth of information. My 10-year-old son was displaying many ADD symptoms and his teacher recommended drugs. I opposed this immediately but felt like I had nothing to back me up. I have found that now. Now I am having my son tested for allergies and learning more about vitamins and nutrition. Thank God I found you.

P. K., father

My 14-year-old son and I have gone through hell for years because every doctor said he had ADD, then no ADD, then Bipolar and prescribed a drug. When he had a violent episode and we attributed this to the medicine the doctors said it wasn't caused by the drug. Then a Chief of Police brought me your literature and I was amazed to find out so much information. THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts. We are now trying a different approach.

N. W., mother

It is through your generous funding that CCHR is able to provide parents everywhere with the knowledge to protect their children from psychiatric labels and drugs.

Please continue to support this vital work with a tax-deductible year-end donation to CCHR today.

We thank you for your continued support and look forward to further success in reforming the field of mental health in 2011.

Sincerely,

Fran Andrews
Executive Director
CCHR International

Coca and cocaine can be used with moderation. If you learn how.

Last Updated: Thursday, 6 March 2008, 11:53 GMT  E-mail this to a friend Printable version Bolivia and Peru defend coca use The UN lists coca as a controlled substance like cocaine or opium Bolivia and Peru have defended the continued, traditional use of coca leaves after they were criticised by a UN drugs agency report.The UN report concentrated on coca cultivation as the basis for cocaine production, they said. It failed to recognise that coca leaves had been used by indigenous peoples for medicinal and religious purposes for centuries, they added. Peru and Bolivia are second only to Colombia as world cocaine producers. Peru said a balance was needed between allowing cultivation for traditional uses while preventing it for cocaine production. "One of the principles of humanitarian law is the respect of traditional customs, recognised by the national constitution," said Jose Belaunde, Peru's foreign relations minister. "The United Nations lacks respect for the indigenous people of Peru and Bolivia who have used the coca leaf since forever," said Peruvian Congresswoman Maria Sumire. "For indigenous people, coca is a sacred leaf that is part of their cultural identity," she said. Everyday use The International Narcotics Control Board released an annual report on Wednesday that reminded the two governments that use and possession of coca leaves, the main ingredient in cocaine, were limited to medical and scientific purposes. The two countries should "abolish or prohibit activities... such as coca leaf chewing and the manufacture of coca tea", the report said. People in the Andes use coca leaves to alleviate hunger and tiredness, for medicinal purposes and in religious rituals. UN conventions list coca as a dangerous controlled substance, along with cocaine and opium.Bolivian President Evo Morales has been lobbying for it to be taken off the list when the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs meets in 2009.

"Post-Prop 19 California"

"I thanked the city of Amsterdam for its hospitality and called on the world to protest the Dutch government's recent proposal to ban foreigners from coffee shops," he said.

Banning pot tourists, he said, "is sheer lunacy from an economic, moral, or public health sense."

Pictured: Gieringer at the cannabis altar in Amsterdam. Courtesy Dale Gieringer.