Microdosing in Business

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1		Karel Lehmert	+ 1922 word(s)	1922	2021-12-17 04:24:42	\|
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This entry is adapted from the peer-reviewed paper 10.3390/businesses1030014

Abusing psychoactive substances has been a popular sport in the business world since the mid-19th century. First, they were appreciated for their stimulating or tonic effects, but later with psychedelics on the scene, their importance in subculture matured. In the last decade, it has become very popular to use LSD and cocaine in subtle doses, which provides users with a high that is enough to feel their psychoactive potential, but not as high that significant behavioral changes can be seen. Unlike regular use, microdosing is usually sufficient to affect a few without undue finish and withdrawal symptoms. It allows for abuse in the regular mode of the working week with a rest phase on the weekend. The diametric difference between the abuse of standard dosing and micro-dosing is also in the decreasing tolerance of the organism.

microdosing methamphetamine business contamination

1. Introduction

The business world places great pressure on its participants, asking for maximal productivity with minimal non-productive time and no mistakes. This scheme goes against the general rules of psycho-hygiene, which requires a balanced proportion of mental strain and relaxation. Thus, there is no exception to meet stressed clerks and business people, supporting their weakened mental condition with psychoactive chemical substances—both legal and illegal. The most popular are stimulants, closely followed by psychedelics, which both stimulates their work effort and, on the other hand, opioids and cannabinoids help to calm down overstressed minds and relax. Using certain psychoactive substances is based on the economic situation of the person. Generally, employees tend to use cheaper ones such as methamphetamine, and managers demonstrate their social status by abusing more expensive substances such as cocaine. The presented text is based on the preliminary results from a pilot study focused on developing and influencing trends of human behavior and systems in changing environments, researched on the Newton University in the Czech Republic. The main topic is targeted at changes in the perception of psychoactive substances in current business with a basic description of the most common psychoactive substances used for microdosing and their biological effects. Briefly described are new approaches to microdosing in business, both for use and qualified legal sale, and safety countermeasures from the employer’s point of view. Microdosing of psychoactive substances is an emerging trend of business practice, which is described below and supported with randomly selected case studies published in open sources.

2. The Use and Effects of Microdosing in Business

Microdosing is the practice of using sub-threshold doses (microdoses) of psychedelics to improve creativity, boost physical energy level, emotional balance, increase performance on problem-solving tasks, and treat anxiety, depression, and addiction ^[1]^[2]. The practice of microdosing has become more widespread in the 21st century, with more people claiming long-term benefits from the practice ^[3]^[4].

2.1. Psychedelics

The two most common psychedelic drugs used in microdosing are lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and psilocybin from psychoactive mushrooms ^[5]^[6]. Other psychedelics used for microdosing include 1P-LSD, mescaline, 4-HO-MET, 2,5-dimethoxy-4-bromoamphetamine, 2C-H, 2C-D, 2C-E, and lysergic acid amide ^[5]. A microdose is usually 1/20 to 1/10 of an active dose of a psychedelic drug ^[6]. In contrast to the recreational use of psychedelics, individuals who microdose stick to drug schedules, often dosing about every three days ^[4]. There have been no published empirical studies on microdosing, and the current legal and bureaucratic climate make direct empirical investigation of the effects of psychoactive substances difficult. The microdosing phenomenon has seen a rapid explosion of popularity in recent years. Individuals who microdose psychedelics report minimal acute effects from these substances yet claim a range of long-term general health and well-being benefits ^[5].

There has been little peer-reviewed research on psychedelic microdosing, but numerous blogs and online communities discuss the practice, with detailed guides to methods and anecdotal outcomes reports (e.g., www.microdosing.com; www.reddit.com/microdosing/wiki; accessed on 10 April 2021). Typical doses can be as small as one-twentieth of a typical recreational dose, sometimes even less. For example, a micro-dose of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) might be 6–25 micrograms, or a micro-dose of psilocybin might be 0.1 to 0.5 grams of dried mushrooms. People microdose using a wide range of substances, although LSD and psilocybin are the most commonly discussed in online forums ^[5].

2.2. The Effects of Psychedelics Microdosing

Despite the reported lack of acute effects of microdosing, proponents claim a wide variety of psychological and social benefits from regular microdosing including increases in vitality, creativity, productivity, social ability, focus, analytic thinking, positive mood, memory, mindfulness, and general well-being ^[7]. These levels of 10 micrograms are intended to be “sub-perceptual,” or “too small to inspire Technicolor hallucinations, but large enough to enhance a sense of mental flow”. Hundreds of microdosing users have reported decreased anxiety, depression, and even migraines. Others have said that they had experienced improvements in creativity, diet, sleep, and sex. LSD is sometimes adulterated or improperly synthesized and may vary widely in potency, with someone intending to take a tiny, sub-perceptual dose at risk of having “a full-blown psychedelic effect when trying to do a PowerPoint presentation”. The effects of psychedelic microdosing are similar to stimulants due to the activation of dopamine pathways, minus perhaps some of the anxiety or agitation. However, it is not known from a rigorous medical standpoint what sustained microdosing does to the brain over time ^[8].

People in Silicon Valley and elsewhere say they are using microdoses of psychedelics to increase their productivity. Others say they have been self-medicating with microdoses for conditions such as depression ^[2]. According to some senior management, the usual reason for microdosing is the obsession with youth—those with grey hair seem outdated and do not fit in with the corporate culture. Psychedelic microdosing helps them to succeed in their careers, as described in the following case study. The general practice is to obtain an individual psychedelic-trip coach or guru to guide them through the mind-altering journey for up to $2000 per month ^[9].

Clinical research with psychedelics is currently undergoing a significant revival after being brought to a halt in the 1960s. One of the benefits of research into psychedelics is their potential to help deepen our understanding of consciousness. In 2016, researchers from Imperial College London were the first to use brain scanning techniques to visualize how LSD alters the way the brain works. One key finding was that LSD had a disorganizing influence on cortical activity, which permitted the brain to operate in a freer, less constrained manner than usual. There have even been some reports of psychosis-like symptoms in specific vulnerable individuals who use LSD recreationally. However, two recent U.S. population surveys found no link between psychedelics and mental health conditions ^[10]. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted psychedelic psilocybin and synthetic stimulant MDMA (ecstasy) “breakthrough“ designations, allowing them to be clinically researched after showing promising potential in treating patients with mental health conditions. Other early research has looked at the positive impacts of psychedelics in treating addiction and even easing headaches ^[11], which was, from a short time perspective.

2.3. The Microdosing Business

Microdosing has become a very trendy business in itself. Medical companies such as MindMed have already established the first microdosing divisions to develop the pharmaceutical application of psychedelic microdoses and run scientific studies evaluating benefits on neuroplasticity, sleep, cognitive enhancement variables, and immune system response on humans. Another well-organized business is, except for psychedelic coaching, selling psychedelic microdose packages online. A good example is an Amsterdam-based startup called Earth Resonance, selling psilocybin truffles. This item, legally sold as a “luxury good” (with 19% VAT), gives everyone a chance to see what it is like to microdose using psilocybin truffles—in a legal manner—by selling truffles online without having to worry about the repercussions. Earth Resonance’s founder, Robert Nass, declared that people have opened up to microdosing since coronavirus lockdowns started. Orders have gone up as people start to seek new experimental ways to deal with these peculiar conditions. Of course, experimenting with hallucinogenic drugs is daunting and not for everyone, which is why Earth Resonance offers online consultancy (8900€ per hour) to help people prepare for their microdosing month. For now, the Netherlands is the only country that allows for over-the-counter sales of psilocybin truffles. Canada is expected to legalize it within the next three years ^[12].Psychedelic experience coaching is a promising business everywhere legalization of any psychoactive substance has been declared.

Cannabis microdosing is different from the increasingly popular topic of microdosing psychedelics. However, in the same way, microdoses of psychedelic substances are suggested to be beneficial. Users may benefit from microdoses of cannabis as opposed to consuming higher amounts. While using cannabis medicinally is an excellent option for many, not everyone wants to get high. Unsurprisingly, we have seen an explosion of CBD products on the market in recent years because CBD provides therapeutic, non-intoxicating effects. However, it is not just CBD in cannabis that provides therapeutic effects. THC also has plenty of promising medical benefits. It is suggested that CBD and THC work better together because of the synergy between the various cannabinoids. Plenty of people are satisfied with the benefits of CBD, but there are other options for users who may want an extra boost without a solid high ^[13].

A good start is at around 2.5 mg of THC products for the first microdose. It is pretty easy to have a well-dosed edible or tincture, but can pose a challenge if one is microdosing by smoking weed. The goal of microdosing is to eliminate the side effects such as paranoia to allow users to benefit from the plant’s therapeutic effects. While we do not have enough research to back up definitive claims about microdosing using weed, we do know that many users see benefits from microdoses. The most common reasons that users microdose are to manage depression, pain, and anxiety. Additionally, many users microdose weed to improve their focus or help with their sleep cycles ^[13].

Research about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and cannabinoids supports the use of low-dose cannabinoids for therapeutic benefits ^[14]. In the study, incarcerated participants received low doses of Nabilone (synthetic cannabinoid typically used to reduce nausea in patients receiving cancer treatment) to manage their PTSD and related symptoms. The study results indicated improvements in nightmares, chronic pain, insomnia, and other PTSD-related symptoms. It is promising evidence that low doses of cannabinoids may provide beneficial therapeutic effects ^[13].

Another good practice of white-collars and university students is to pretend to have attention deficit disorder to obtain prescribed approved medicines Desoxyn (methamphetamine hydrochloride) or Adderall (amphetamine and d-amphetamine salts), both of which stimulate their minds to work better and faster ^[9].

3. Conclusions

Generally, the microdosing of psychoactive substances has become a crucial part of corporate culture in different branches. Although it produces the desired short-time effect, there is no scientific evidence of its safe use for a more extended period. The supply of psychoactive substances in microdoses develops subtle changes in brain chemistry as total doses do, but the final bill will be the same. Compared to the regular abuse of total doses, it borrows time for the user toward a further future, but brings no overall advantage. Additionally, from the employer´s position, it is very dubious to rely on the workforce´s work while being affected by psychoactive substances. Zero tolerance of such practices is necessary such as drinking alcohol. For HR and security managers, this is a fundamental challenge in the future to develop training that supports good practice of a clean mind to comply with health and safety regulations. However, the authors are not as naive to believe that humans can live without addiction, as this habit is as strong as hunger or sex.

References

Fadiman, J. Microdose Research: Without Approvals, Control Groups, Double Blinds, Staff or Funding; Psychedelic Press: London, UK; Available online: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/308138461_Microdose_research_without_approvals_control_groups_double_blinds_staff_or_funding (accessed on 31 January 2021).
Brodwin, E. The Truth about ‘Microdosing’, which Involves Taking Tiny Amounts of Psychedelics like LSD. Business Insider. Available online: https://www.businessinsider.com/microdosing-lsd-effects-risks-2017-1 (accessed on 30 January 2021).
Dahl, H. A Brief History of LSD in the Twenty-First Century; Psychedelic Press: London, UK; Available online: http://psypressuk.com/2015/07/07/a-brief-history-of-lsd-in-the-twenty-first-century/ (accessed on 18 February 2021).
Webb, M.; Copes, H.; Hendricks, P.S. Narrative identity, rationality, and microdosing classic psychedelics. Int. J. Drug Policy 2019, 70, 33–39. Available online: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0955395919301161?via%3Dihub (accessed on 3 March 2021).
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Anderson, B. Can a Low Dose Go a Long Way? Motherboard, 2013. Available online: https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/wnnmd5/can-a-low-dose-go-a-long-way-5886b6e705557845e1757bba (accessed on 12 February 2021).
Williams, A. How LSD Saved One Woman’s Marriage. The New York Times. 7 January 2017. Available online: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/07/style/microdosing-lsd-ayelet-waldman-michael-chabon-marriage.html?_r=0 (accessed on 7 January 2017).
Kelly, J. Silicon Valley Is Micro-Dosing ‘Magic Mushrooms’ to Boost Their Careers. Forbes. Available online: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackkelly/2020/01/17/silicon-valley-is-micro-dosing-magic-mushrooms-to-boost-their-careers/?sh=5e0435e15822 (accessed on 17 January 2021).
Sahakian, B.; D’Angelo, C.; Savulich, G. Microdosing’ LSD Is Not Just a Silicon Valley Trend–It Is Spreading to Other Workplaces. Independent. Available online: https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/lsd-microdosing-california-silicon-valley-california-drugs-young-professionals-a8259001.html (accessed on 17 March 2021).
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De Vries, N. This Dutch Startup Sells Microdosing Kits to Boost Productivity—So I Did Magic Truffles for a Month. TNW. Available online: https://thenextweb.com/growth-quarters/2020/10/23/legal-microdosing-shrooms-psilocybin-productvity-boost/ (accessed on 23 October 2020).
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