Doctors could soon be writing Canadians a prescription to trip. Side effects may include profound self-awareness and a renewed appreciation for Pink Floyd.
Driving the news: Conservative MP Corey Tochor tabled a bill this week that would partially legalize psychedelic drugs like psilocybin in Canada, allowing doctors to prescribe them to patients with mental health disorders, including depression and PTSD.
Right now, psilocybin (aka magic mushrooms) and other psychedelics are treated as controlled substances similar to heroin. The proposed bill would reclassify psychedelics and let certain Canadians access the drugs with medical oversight.
Health Canada does currently grant a small number of patients access to psilocybin through a special program, but it's been pretty stringent with approvals. Since 2022, it's only given 354 patients the green light for psilocybin treatment.
Why it matters: Recreational use of these drugs can create its own set of problems, but other places that have legalized medical psychedelic therapies have seen promising results in treating serious mental health conditions.
In Oregon, ~17,000 clients have received psilocybin services since 2023 with almost no reported health complications. One study in the state found that psilocybin therapy produced improvements in sleep, anxiety, and pain, with quality-of-life self-evaluations rising from roughly 5.9 to 7.4 out of 10.
Australia is the most relevant comparison for Canada. Similar to what’s being proposed in the Canadian bill, the Aussie government rolled out a national prescription-based, psychiatrist-led system in 2023. So far, 134 patients have been successfully treated with zero serious adverse effects.
Yes, but: Psychedelic therapies can be very expensive, especially in clinical settings. Oregon has seen over a third of its licensed therapy centres close since early 2024 (citing labour shortages and high operational costs), while some three-session treatments in Australia currently cost ~$28,000.—LA
