Recent research has shown that psilocybin has the potential to treat a number of mental illnesses. These include suicidality, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, alcohol dependence, tobacco cessation, and post-traumatic stress disorder, among others. Studies have also found that psilocybin can allow patients, with the help of trained therapists, to confront fears and feelings that are otherwise too traumatic. This ongoing research aims to assess the immediate and long-term psychological effects of psilocybin use.

One area of particularly strong focus in Canada has been on the potential use of psilocybin for relieving end-of-life distress for palliative patients. Proponents view psilocybin as providing relief from mental distress when traditional treatment options fail for terminally ill patients as is often the case. This interest in psilocybin as a treatment also extends into the potential for treatment of the bereaved.

Given its potential benefits, why is the use of psilocybin illegal in most cases today?

As mental health awareness grows, psilocybin has become the focus of increased attention by Canadian health authorities and researchers as a possible treatment for a variety of mental illnesses. However, this has not always been the case.

Psilocybin is a psychedelic. Psychedelics, also known as hallucinogens, are psychoactive substances that produce changes in perception, mood, and cognitive processes. While most people consider psychedelics to be a recreational drug and often associate them with the counterculture of the 1960s, psychedelics have a long history of medicinal use. Unfortunately, due to negative public and political perceptions, little research occurred in this area for decades.

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"The New Cannabis" the present and future of psilocybin as a medical treatment in Canada - Lexpert