Sources & Citations

Every claim should be checkable

Primary research, institutional reports, and peer-reviewed studies behind the information on this site. If something's wrong, tell me.

This page is a living document. As substance pages are updated and expanded, citations are added here. Sources are organized by substance and tagged by topic. If you find a claim on the site that isn't sourced here, flag it — that's a gap I want to close.

General Harm Reduction & Drug Policy
Foundational research cited across multiple pages
Nutt DJ, King LA, Phillips LD
Drug harms in the UK: a multicriteria decision analysis
The Lancet, 2010; 376(9752): 1558–1565
doi.org →
Referenced: Risk rankings, comparative harm framework
Krebs TS, Johansen PØ
Psychedelics and mental health: a population study
PLOS ONE, 2013; 8(8): e63972
doi.org →
Referenced: Population-level safety data
Harm Reduction International
What is Harm Reduction? A position statement
HRI, 2021
hri.global →
Referenced: Harm reduction framework, About page
Psilocybin Psychedelic
DMN suppression, BDNF, clinical trials, microdosing
Carhart-Harris RL, Erritzoe D, Williams T, et al.
Neural correlates of the psychedelic state as determined by fMRI
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2012; 109(6): 2138–2143
doi.org →
Referenced: DMN suppression, ego dissolution mechanism
Griffiths RR, Johnson MW, Carducci MA, et al.
Psilocybin produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer
Journal of Psychopharmacology, 2016; 30(12): 1181–1197
doi.org →
Referenced: Johns Hopkins clinical data, therapeutic effects
Carhart-Harris RL, Bolstridge M, Rucker J, et al.
Psilocybin with psychological support for treatment-resistant depression: an open-label feasibility study
The Lancet Psychiatry, 2016; 3(7): 619–627
doi.org →
Referenced: Imperial College London, treatment-resistant depression
Ly C, Greb AC, Cameron LP, et al.
Psychedelics promote structural and functional neural plasticity
Cell Reports, 2018; 23(11): 3170–3182
doi.org →
Referenced: BDNF, neuroplasticity, dendritic growth
Fadiman J
The Psychedelic Explorer's Guide: Safe, Therapeutic, and Sacred Journeys
Park Street Press, 2011
Referenced: Fadiman Protocol, microdosing methodology
Johnson MW, Griffiths RR, Hendricks PS, Henningfield JE
The abuse potential of medical psilocybin according to the 8 factors of the Controlled Substances Act
Neuropharmacology, 2018; 142: 143–166
doi.org →
Referenced: Addiction potential, safety profile, FDA context
Carhart-Harris RL, et al.
Trial of psilocybin versus escitalopram for depression
New England Journal of Medicine, 2021; 384(15): 1402–1411
doi.org →
Referenced: Psilocybin vs SSRI comparison
LSD Psychedelic
Pharmacology, testing, duration, microdosing
Passie T, Halpern JH, Stichtenoth DO, Emrich HM, Hintzen A
The pharmacology of lysergic acid diethylamide: a review
CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics, 2008; 14(4): 295–314
doi.org →
Referenced: Pharmacokinetics, duration, receptor binding
Liechti ME
Modern clinical research on LSD
Neuropsychopharmacology, 2017; 42(11): 2114–2127
doi.org →
Referenced: Modern clinical data, dose-response
Brandt SD, Kavanagh PV, Westphal F, et al.
Return of the lysergamides: analytical and behavioral characterization of NBOMe and related substances
Drug Testing and Analysis, 2015
Referenced: NBOMe misrepresentation, reagent testing importance
Cannabis Cannabis
Vaporization efficiency, edibles pharmacology, terpenes, dosing
Gieringer D, St. Laurent J, Goodrich S
Cannabis vaporizer combines efficient delivery of THC with effective suppression of pyrolytic compounds
Journal of Cannabis Therapeutics, 2004; 4(1): 7–27
doi.org →
Referenced: Volcano efficiency data, combustion vs vaporization
Huestis MA
Human cannabinoid pharmacokinetics
Chemistry & Biodiversity, 2007; 4(8): 1770–1804
doi.org →
Referenced: THC metabolism, 11-OH-THC, first-pass effect (Edibles page)
Russo EB
Taming THC: potential cannabis synergy and phytocannabinoid-terpenoid entourage effects
British Journal of Pharmacology, 2011; 163(7): 1344–1364
doi.org →
Referenced: Entourage effect, terpene profiles, full spectrum vs isolate
Vandrey R, Raber JC, Raber ME, Douglass B, Miller C, Bonn-Miller MO
Cannabinoid dose and label accuracy in edible medical cannabis products
JAMA, 2015; 313(24): 2491–2493
doi.org →
Referenced: Edible labeling inaccuracy, dosing guide
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids: The Current State of Evidence
The National Academies Press, 2017
doi.org →
Referenced: Health effects overview, therapeutic evidence base
DMT & Ayahuasca Psychedelic
Strassman RJ
DMT: The Spirit Molecule
Park Street Press, 2001
Referenced: DMT pharmacology, clinical observations
Riba J, Valle M, Urbano G, et al.
Human pharmacology of ayahuasca: subjective and cardiovascular effects, monoamine metabolite excretion, and pharmacokinetics
Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 2003; 306(1): 73–83
doi.org →
Referenced: Ayahuasca pharmacology, MAOI interaction mechanism
MDMA & MDA Psychedelic
Mitchell JM, Bogenschutz M, Lilienstein A, et al.
MDMA-assisted therapy for severe PTSD: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 study
Nature Medicine, 2021; 27: 1025–1033
doi.org →
Referenced: MAPS Phase 3 trial, PTSD treatment
Figurasin R, Lee VR, Maguire NJ
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) Toxicity
StatPearls / National Library of Medicine, updated January 2024
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov →
Referenced: Hyponatremia and hyperthermia risk, Too High Toolkit MDMA section
Ketamine Dissociative
Berman RM, Cappiello A, Anand A, et al.
Antidepressant effects of ketamine in depressed patients
Biological Psychiatry, 2000; 47(4): 351–354
doi.org →
Referenced: Rapid antidepressant mechanism
Shahani R, Streutker C, Dickson B, Stewart RJ
Ketamine-associated ulcerative cystitis: a new clinical entity
Urology, 2007; 69(5): 810–812
doi.org →
Referenced: Bladder damage risk, chronic use harm
DXM Dissociative
Boyer EW
Dextromethorphan abuse
Pediatric Emergency Care, 2004; 20(12): 858–863
Referenced: Plateau system, CYP2D6 variation, product safety
Schwartz AR, Pizon AF, Brooks DE
Dextromethorphan-induced serotonin syndrome
Clinical Toxicology, 2008; 46(8): 771–773
Referenced: DXM + SSRI serotonin syndrome risk
Opioids & Fentanyl Depressant
CDC National Center for Health Statistics
Drug Overdose Deaths in the United States
NCHS Data Brief, updated annually
cdc.gov →
Referenced: Fentanyl overdose statistics, opioid crisis data
Suzuki J, El-Haddad S
A review: fentanyl and non-pharmaceutical fentanyls
Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 2017; 171: 107–116
doi.org →
Referenced: Contaminated supply, potency comparison
Stimulants Stimulant
Cocaine, methamphetamine, caffeine, nicotine
Goldstein RA, DesLauriers C, Bhatt A
Cocaine: history, social implications, and toxicity
Disease-a-Month, 2009; 55(1): 6–38
doi.org →
Referenced: Cocaine pharmacology, cardiovascular risk
Nehlig A
Is caffeine a cognitive enhancer?
Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 2010; 20(S1): S85–S94
doi.org →
Referenced: Caffeine mechanism, cognitive effects
Kratom Depressant
Swogger MT, Walsh Z
Kratom use and mental health: a systematic review
Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 2018; 183: 134–140
doi.org →
Referenced: Dependency profile, opioid-like withdrawal
Benzodiazepines Depressant
Ashton CH
Benzodiazepines: How They Work and How to Withdraw (The Ashton Manual)
Newcastle University, 2002
benzo.org.uk →
Referenced: Withdrawal danger, tapering protocols
Ibogaine Psychedelic
Noller GE, Frampton CM, Yazar-Klosinski B
Ibogaine treatment outcomes for opioid dependence from a twelve-month follow-up observational study
American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 2018; 44(1): 37–46
doi.org →
Referenced: Addiction treatment potential, cardiac risk
Salvia divinorum Psychedelic
Roth BL, Baner K, Westkaemper R, et al.
Salvinorin A: a potent naturally occurring nonnitrogenous κ opioid selective agonist
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2002; 99(18): 11934–11939
doi.org →
Referenced: Kappa-opioid mechanism, unique pharmacology

A note on sourcing: This site prioritizes peer-reviewed research, government health data, and established clinical literature. Where anecdotal or experiential information is used (particularly in Tim's Takes and harm reduction context), it is clearly distinguished from empirical claims. If you're a researcher and want to suggest a better source for something cited here, reach out.

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