In Canada, it is now legal for patients with depression to take psychedelic mushrooms as a form of therapy. A recent report from Vice World News stated that new exemptions from Health Canada have permitted the use of mushrooms that contain the psychedelic compound psilocybin. This historic decision made by the Canadian government has opened doors for the advancement of other similar treatment options.
The manufacturing and distributing of psilocybin were illegalized under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, until last year. Considering psilocybin as a possible treatment for those who are terminally ill, Health Canada permitted the use of psilocybin mushrooms for their therapeutic advantages. After the first exemption, many others were made, permitting the use of psilocybin for afflictions such as depression.
“I have struggled with anxiety, depression, and addiction for years,” said Mona Strelaeff of Victoria, British Columbia. “During my psilocybin therapy, I went deep, way back to when I was a little girl and all those things that happened to me. All the unresolved trauma came back and I was beyond terrified, shaking uncontrollably and crying.”
As a therapeutic, psilocybin is still being researched, however, it was the first psychedelic to be exempted in Canada for its therapeutic advantages. Scientists believe it has the ability to effectively treat a wide range of disorders and ailments including depression, anxiety, and even addictions. Because of her recent experience, Strelaeff agrees, stating, “I conquered those tough memories and after a while I realized… I ain’t scared of jack s-.”
Similar to this, policy reforms regarding psilocybin are progressing into the United States. Oregon decided to allow psilocybin-assisted treatment statewide in November 2020, while Washington, D.C. voted to legalize the substance entirely. Since the expansion of psychedelic therapeutics, companies are racing to accommodate those who need the therapy in states where it is legal, and defending its cause for legalization everywhere else.
In the recent report from Vice World News, the company TheraPsil offered some insight into the therapy. TheraPsil is a non-profit company that offers therapeutic methods associated with psilocybin. They are also the first company to create a training program that guides doctors and therapists in treating people with this type of therapy. With the quantity of research addressing psilocybin’s significant therapeutic benefits, the world may be on the verge of legalizing the psychedelic entirely.
