With marijuana legalization making headlines across North America, many Canadians are curious about psychedelic exploration. But while cannabis is available in dispensaries all over the country, psilocybin-containing mushrooms are still mostly illegal—despite an underground market that’s flourishing. Learn more CanadaShrooms.com
The fungi are commonly referred to as “magic mushrooms,” though Health Canada warns the consumption of any mushrooms can cause hallucinations, anxiety, fear and nausea. It says people can also experience a bad trip and even flashbacks that are distressing or frightening.
Therapeutic Potential: Shrooms and Mental Health in the Canadian Context
Picking, possessing and selling them are legal in some areas of British Columbia, where psilocybin is more common than in other parts of the world. But it’s illegal to grow or cultivate them, and transporting and exporting them are outright prohibited unless the buyer has a license or exemption from the government.
A therapist is attempting to change that. In March, Bruce Tobin applied to Health Canada for permission to treat terminally ill cancer patients with psilocybin. He’s hoping to convince the federal department that the drug could ease their end-of-life anxiety by lowering their stress levels and reducing depression.
If the request is granted, the therapist would conduct a controlled experiment to prove it’s medically viable. Tobin hopes to get six people with terminal cancer who are suffering from PTSD and severe depression to take part in his randomized clinical trial of psilocybin, which will be administered alongside psychotherapy. If he’s successful, it could eventually lead to a ministerial exemption for psilocybin to help those who suffer from end-of-life anxiety.