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Here’s what psychedelics are, how they work, and why you need to know about them

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 13:28:08 GMT

Last month, nearly 12,000 people gathered in Denver to talk about magic mushrooms (psilocybin), ecstasy (MDMA), ibogaine and ayahuasca, and to discuss the latest scientific research into these and other plant-based or synthetic substances, all known as psychedelics.Organizers hailed the conference, called Psychedelic Science, as a coming out party for a subculture that has become increasingly visible over the last decade as studies and clinical trials have unveiled the potential applications of these substances in the mental health field.A politically diverse group of high-profile speakers, including NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Grammy-award-winning musician Melissa Etheridge and former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, advocated for the normalized use of psychedelics to combat the fear perpetuated by Richard Nixon’s war on drugs, and spread the message about the drugs’ healing potential.“It’s still ridiculous that in this day and age, somebody suffering from anxiety, depression, PTSD can ge...

The Book Club: “The End of Drum-Time” and another short review from readers

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 13:28:08 GMT

Editor’s note: The opinions of the smart, well-read women in my Denver book club mean a lot, and often determine what the rest of us choose to pile onto our bedside tables. Sure, you could read advertising blurbs on Amazon, but wouldn’t you be more likely to believe a neighbor with no skin in the game over a corporation being fed words by publishers? So in this new series, we are sharing these mini-reviews with you. Have any to offer? Email [email protected].“The End of Drum-Time,” by Hanna Pylväinen (Henry Holt)“The End of Drum-Time,” by Hanna Pylväinen (Henry Holt)This novel is set near the Arctic Circle in Scandinavia in the mid-19th century. Although the plot focuses on the forbidden love between a Sami (or Lapp) reindeer herder and the daughter of a Lutheran missionary minister, the story serves as yet another example of the clash between a native culture and a missionary zeal fomented by white men. It also highlights the clashes between ...

Tolling starts this week on I-70 express lanes in northeast Denver

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 13:28:08 GMT

The extended grace period is over for Interstate 70’s express lanes on a 10-mile stretch through northeast Denver and Aurora. Starting Tuesday, drivers will have to pay tolls to use them if they want to bypass traffic.Just how much will vary by time of day, ranging from $1.50 at night to $4.50 between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m., the morning period when traffic is typically heaviest in both directions. Those are the rates for drivers with ExpressToll transponders — those without them will pay significantly more, ranging from $4.26 to $10.08, with tolls billed via license plate scans.The express lanes will be free to access for motorcycles, transit providers and vehicles carrying at least three passengers (as long as the driver uses a switchable HOV transponder).Large trucks are allowed to use the express lanes, too, but any vehicle with four axles or more will be charged an extra $25, in addition to the toll.The express lanes were added as a key component of the $1.3 billion Centr...

Summer blood shortage in Colorado deepens as more people travel, get injured

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 13:28:08 GMT

Summer is always a lean time for blood banks, but one group of donation centers said its stores of Type O in Colorado have dropped to their lowest levels in recent memory, potentially threatening patients’ access to transfusions.Tori Robbins, communications manager for Vitalant, said the company’s centers try to keep a four-day supply on hand of all blood types, so they can be prepared for any unexpected increase in demand. In June and July, however, Vitalant’s reserves dropped to less than two days’ supply of O positive and O negative blood, and about three days’ supply of types A, B and AB.Blood type refers to proteins on the surface of a person’s cells. If someone gets an incompatible type — say, a Type B recipient received Type A blood — it can trigger a dangerous immune reaction. Type O blood doesn’t have either A or B proteins, so anyone can receive it safely.Regular donors are less likely to make and keep appointments duri...

A record-breaking 763 people lost their lives on Colorado roadways in 2022

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 13:28:08 GMT

More than 700 people died in car crashes across Colorado in 2022, marking the most traffic deaths the state has seen in 41 years. Now, the Colorado State Patrol is working to keep that record from being broken again.Officials first counted 745 deaths from 2022, but that number continues to grow as people hospitalized from 2022 crashes die in hospitals this year. The current count sits at 763, highway safety manager Glenn Davis from the Colorado Department of Transportation said.According to a Wednesday news release from the Colorado State Patrol, traffic deaths surged in 2021 and reached 672 fatalities. The following year beat that number by nearly 100 deaths.“People are dying on Colorado’s roads at a rate that we have not seen in decades,” said Col. Matthew Packard of the Colorado State Patrol in Wednesday’s press conference. “We all have to come together to make sure we are doing everything we can to save lives on our roadways.”And the problem i...

Nationwide trend of stealing laundry detergent from grocery stores hits Colorado

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 13:28:08 GMT

The nationwide trend of thieves stealing laundry detergent from grocery stores has made its way to Colorado, with an incident last month in Centennial going viral.Three men are suspected of stealing hundreds of dollars worth of laundry detergent and Downy Unstopables In-Wash Scent Booster Beads from a King Soopers location at 5050 E. Arapahoe Rd. on the evening of June 18, according to the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office. The getaway driver, 32-year-old Jorge Pantoja, was arrested by June 28 on the misdemeanor charge of shoplifting, on top of unrelated felony charges.Police are still searching for the other two suspects, who allegedly go by Robert and Bugsy.“We’re in the process of investigating this case,” said Ginger Delgado, spokesperson for the sheriff’s office. Although the crime is considered a misdemeanor, “the reason that we pursued this one is because it was obviously caught on video,” then sent to the police.Santino Burrola, the e...

This is the best place to propose in Colorado

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 13:28:08 GMT

Whether you know it’ll be a definite “Yes!” or you just want to make a potential denial as picturesque as possible, Colorado’s got your proposal spots covered.Related ArticlesThings To Do | Yes, you can make a wedding cake Photobook website Mixbook polled 3,000 singles nationwide about their most Instagram-worthy proposal spots, and perhaps unsurprisingly, the Centennial State held five of the top 200 spots, including the fourth overall.With its lush and expansive flora, including three scenic water gardens, the Denver Botanic Gardens was named as the state’s best engagement backdrop. If all goes well, its downtown location adjacent to Cheesman Park makes a celebratory drink or meal all the more convenient.Garden of the Gods. (Mindy Sink, Special to The Denver Post)Further down the list, the towering, burnt red cliffs of Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center in Colorado Springs came in at number 44. It’s another classic place to embark on a life together...

A glossary of common psychedelics terms

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 13:28:08 GMT

Denver has been at the forefront of the modern-day psychedelics movement since locals voted to effectively decriminalize psilocybin, the psychoactive chemical in “magic mushrooms,” in 2019. And last year, Colorado became the second state behind Oregon to legalize psilocybin for use in therapeutic settings, while simultaneously decriminalizing five psychedelics.Regulators are now in the process of building a new industry around psychedelic therapy, which is expected to take shape by 2025. On top of that, Denver recently hosted the largest industry gathering for psychedelics in the world, attracting politicians and celebrities.So, what are psychedelics? Broadly speaking, the word is something of an umbrella term for several psychoactive substances, also deemed hallucinogens. Since the lexicon is new for many people, we’ve collected about a dozen terms here to help you gain an understanding of them.GLOSSARYColombian shaman Taita Pedro Davila, leads an ayahuasca ceremony with Humm...

Triple-stabbing leaves suspect in critical condition in Long Beach

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 13:28:08 GMT

A man suspected of pulling out a knife during an altercation in Long Beach was in critical condition following a stabbing incident that also left two victims hospitalized overnight. Officers were called to a home in the 300 block of West 14th Street for a stabbing incident around 12:30 a.m. Monday, the Long Beach Police Department confirmed. Emergency crews respond to a stabbing in Long Beach on July 10, 2023. (OC Hawk)Investigators determined there was a verbal altercation between friends and family members gathered at the home.At some point during the argument, there was a stabbing that involved a male adult suspect, a male adult victim, and a female adult victim, the Police Department stated. Monrovia woman wakes up to dead bear in front yard All three were transported to local hospitals after receiving lacerations to their upper bodies. The suspect was listed in critical condition while the victims were both said to be in stable condition. There was no immediate word on what...

Massive fire burns through roof of commercial building in Paramount

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 13:28:08 GMT

A massive fire erupted at a commercial building in the city of Paramount early Monday morning. The blaze erupted around 12:40 a.m. at the single-story building in the 7500 block of East Rosecrans Avenue, according to the Los Angeled Fire Department. A 3-alarm fire erupted in Paramount on July 10, 2023. (KTLA)Firefighters arrived at the three-alarm fire to find flames burning through the roof of the structure. 3 dead, 1 injured after fiery crash in Tesla Crews were forced to battle the flames in a defensive mode, the Fire Department stated. It appeared a portion of the structure was at risk of collapse. Sky5 was over the scene around 5 a.m. and the roof over a large portion of the building was gone. Small fires were still burning inside the building but the situation appeared to be under control. There was no immediate word on any injures as a result of the blaze.