Psilocybin—a well-known hallucinogen discovered in “”—is a substance controlled at the federal level, which the U.S. considers to have “no currently accepted medical application” and “a significant potential for misuse.”
However, not all parties concur with this evaluation: New Zealand on Wednesday emerged as the newest nation to sanction the substance’s application for medicinal objectives.
David Seymour, New Zealand’s Associate Minister for Health, informed journalists that the policy , which permits a single authorized psychiatrist to prescribe psilocybin to patients with treatment-resistant depression, signifies a “.”
Seymour stated that the psychiatrist, , a medical professional, “has previously prescribed psilocybin in clinical trials and will operate under stringent reporting and record-keeping requirements.” Seymour further added that he hopes more psychiatrists will seek authorization to prescribe the drug to patients, though he clarified that the drug remains “an unapproved medicine.”
Concurrently with the announcement of the psilocybin policy alteration, New Zealand also revealed intentions to ease limitations on melatonin, a substance utilized for managing insomnia and readily accessible without prescription in numerous other regions. While Seymour pledged to broaden access to therapies such as melatonin and psilocybin, no definite timeline was established for their nationwide availability.
In which locations is the utilization of psilocybin for medical applications permissible?
New Zealand is not the sole nation authorizing the drug’s therapeutic application.
Australia, in July 2023, , specific psychiatrists to prescribe it for the treatment of certain mental health conditions.
In Switzerland, the use of LSD, MDMA, and psilocybin in medicine since 2014, for both research and treatment of mental health conditions.
And while the substance is generally illegal in Canada, regulated is permitted under strict conditions.
Even several states within the U.S. have sanctioned its use to varying extents.
Oregon emerged as the first state to legalize psilocybin’s therapeutic use in 2020, despite some cities having prohibited the drug. Still, in the state, access to the drug continues to be restricted: it may only be administered in a designated location, and an administration session can amount to $2,000, as per the .
Colorado also the regulated use of psilocybin for medical purposes in a ballot measure in 2022, with the initial licenses for dispensing it issued . And in April, New Mexico the use of psilocybin in approved settings to treat certain medical conditions.
Legislation concerning the regulated medical use of psilocybin is also progressing through state legislatures such as and .
Seymour stated in announcing New Zealand’s justification for altering its position on the drug: “If a medical professional believes psilocybin can assist, they should possess the means to attempt its application.”
