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Abstract
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Alberta will soon become the first province to regulate psychedelic-assisted therapy. But, as with cannabis, momentum for medical access to psychedelics is outpacing research to guide their use.
Earlier this year, Health Canada amended its Special Access Program to allow physicians to request otherwise illegal psychedelics like psilocybin (also known as magic mushrooms) and MDMA (ecstasy) for research and to treat patients who haven't responded to other therapies.
In October, Alberta announced it would amend provincial mental health regulations to lay the groundwork for the expanding use of psychedelics in the treatment of mental disorders.
"The evidence is emerging that psychedelic-assisted therapy holds a lot of promise in treating mental health issues like posttraumatic stress disorder and treatment-resistant depression," said Mike Ellis, Alberta's associate minister of mental health and addictions at the time.
The exact mechanisms at work are still unclear, but it's thought that psychedelics promote neural plasticity in key circuits relevant to brain health, including those involved in mood, cognition, perception, and regulating stress responses.
Starting in January, clinics in Alberta wishing to provide psychedelic-assisted therapy must obtain a provincial license, appoint a psychiatrist to oversee the treatment, and ensure staff meet qualification and training standards, among other requirements.
Cribbing from the cannabis playbook
Access to psychedelics will still require Health Canada's case-by-case approval, but advocates say provincial regulations are the next step in a steady push for legalization that's closely following the cannabis playbook.
Civil disobedience, legal challenges, and medical access were instrumental in securing public and political support for the broader legalization of cannabis, said Dana Larsen, a long-time drug reform advocate...
Language: en |