Opinion – Psychedelic Turn: Alberta, Canada, takes the lead and regulates psychedelic therapy

The Canadian province of Alberta surprised this Wednesday (5) with a pioneering regulation of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. Substances such as LSD, psilocybin (from “magic” mushrooms), DMT (a component of ayahuasca), MDMA (based on ecstasy) and mescaline (from the peyote cactus) are still banned in the country, but may be used to treat psychiatric disorders.

The announcement came at a press conference by Mike Ellis, sort of the provincial undersecretary of health for mental health. A former police officer, he said his former colleagues and health professionals, who are frequent victims of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), are among those most interested in this treatment option.

Ellis cited promising research using consciousness-altering compounds to address PTSD and treatment-resistant depression (when conventional antidepressants do not result in improvement). Indeed, the empathogen MDMA, which is not a classic psychedelic because it has no visual effects, is already in phase 3 clinical trials for PTSD and could receive approval in the US in 2023 or 2024 as part of a psychotherapy protocol.

There are also many advanced studies to use psilocybin against depression. In Brazil, the Instituto do Cérebro of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (ICe-UFRN) has been researching for years ayahuasca and its psychoactive compound DMT for resistant depressive conditions, with good preliminary results.

Part of the surprise caused by the Alberta government comes from the fact that the province, with 4.5 million people, has a reputation for being conservative, in apparent contradiction to the permission for innovative use of these powerful substances, albeit under strict control.

Only specially licensed clinics will be able to give them to patients, with professional accompaniment throughout the effect (“trip”) and under the supervision of psychiatrists. Drugs cannot be charged, and the procedure must take place in a hospital environment.

In other words, a different scheme from what established medical cannabis in the US, with its dispensaries for prescription bearers, which then opened the door to the adult-use products trade. No retail sales for psychedelics are thought of — yet.

Psychiatrists advocating the use of psychedelics hailed the change in regulations as a step forward, as more people with mental disorders will have access to them (today this only occurs in exceptional cases, with permission from federal authorities). On the other hand, the possibility exists that the new rules, with their high requirements in the name of safety, will result in the persecution of alternative therapists who already employ these compounds.

In this sense, Alberta is moving in a very different direction from the model adopted in Oregon. In this American state, only one product will become legal, mushrooms psilocybe cubensisalso in January, but may be administered by non-medical professionals called “facilitators”, as long as they undergo specific training of 120 hours and obtain a license to open a “psilocybin service”.

The route chosen in Oregon was approved in a 2020 referendum. The text of Measure 109, which became state law, privileges, in addition to accessibility and safety (as in Alberta), equity.

In this case, it was a matter of keeping natural therapists, healers and psychedelic neoshamans in the provider market as well, who have never stopped using the so-called power plants. Under full control of the medical corporation, as the Alberta model seems to be, these pioneers would have to remain underground.

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To learn more about the history and new developments of science in this area, including in Brazil, look for my book “Psiconautas – Travels with Brazilian Psychedelic Science”.

Be sure to also see the reports from the series “A Resurreição da Jurema”:

https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/ilustrissima/2022/07/reporter-conta-experiencia-de-inalar-dmt-psicodelico-em-teste-contra-depressao.shtml

https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/ilustrissima/2022/07/da-caatinga-ao-laboratorio-cientistas-investigam-efeito-antidepressivo-de-psicodelico.shtml

https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/ilustrissima/2022/07/cultos-com-alucinogeno-da-jurema-florescem-no-nordeste.shtml

It is worth remembering that psychedelics are still experimental therapies and certainly do not constitute a panacea for all mental disorders, nor should they be self-medicated. Talk to your therapist or doctor before venturing into the area.