New Zealand has approved the restricted medicinal use of psilocybin, a hallucinogen found in “magic mushrooms” for patients with treatment-resistant depression.
David Seymour, New Zealand’s associate minister of health, said on Wednesday that the rules have been relaxed on the use of Psilocybin in the country for the first time but only a highly experienced psychiatrist has been allowed to prescribe it to patients.
He said the new policy is a “real breakthrough” even as the drug remains “an unapproved medicine”.
“Psilocybin remains an unapproved medicine, but a highly experienced psychiatrist has been granted authority to prescribe it to patients with treatment-resistant depression,” Mr Seymour said.
“This is huge for people with depression who’ve tried everything else and are still suffering.
“If a doctor believes psilocybin can help, they should have the tools to try.”
The psychiatrist, Cameron Lacey, who was behind the first clinical trials of psilocybin, has been identified as the only medical practitioner to prescribe the drug.
The professor at the University of Otago “has previously prescribed psilocybin in clinical trials and will operate under strict reporting and record-keeping requirements”, Mr Seymour said.
Mr Lacey told RNZ that it had taken “a long time, a lot of energy and perseverance” to get the approval.
New Zealand also announced plans to allow the use of melatonin, which is used to help with insomnia and allow its over-the-counter sale as the policy change on psilocybin was announced.
“Many New Zealanders have asked me why people can buy melatonin overseas but they can’t buy it from their local pharmacy. Medsafe has assessed this and decided there’s no reason why it shouldn’t be available on pharmacy shelves right here at home,” Mr Seymour said.
Psilocybin is a naturally occurring psychedelic compound found in certain species of mushrooms, commonly known as “magic mushrooms”. Found in over 180 species of fungi these mushrooms have a long history of use in Indigenous spiritual and healing rituals in parts of Central and South America.
Studies have found that 80 per cent of patients who were given psilocybin experienced a drop in anxiety and depression that lasted for six months or more.
New Zealand has become the latest country to allow the use of Psilocybin.
In 2023, Australia allowed some psychiatrists to prescribe the drug for the treatment of certain mental health conditions.
Switzerland allows restricted compassionate use of LSD, MDMA and psilocybin for medical use.
In the US, only Oregon and Colorado have legalised regulated therapeutic use of psilocybin while some states allow restricted access to the drug.
