The World Briefly

July 04, 2023

A Big Trip

Australia

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Australia became the first country in the world to legalize the use of psychedelics to treat mental health conditions, a move that was met with praise and caution from the scientific community, the BBC reported this week.

The new regulations – which became official on July 1 – will allow psychiatrists to prescribe the synthetic drug MDMA for treating post-traumatic stress disorder, and magic mushrooms for some types of depression.

MDMA – also known as the party drug ecstasy – acts as a hallucinogen and is known for increasing the user’s energy levels and sensory experience. Naturally grown magic mushrooms also have hallucinogenic effects because of the psilocybin compound they contain.

Even so, the use of hallucinogens will be carefully monitored and could cost thousands of dollars, according to Australian media.

Some mental health researchers described the move as a “game-changer” that could help in providing better treatments for patients. But others noted that the legalization was rushed and cautioned that more research is needed to determine the long-term outcomes of the therapy.

The decision comes as other countries, including the United States and Israel, are conducting their own clinical trials on hallucinogens in treating mental health.

Earlier this year, Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) reclassified MDMA and psilocybin for therapeutic use, considering them relatively safe in medically controlled environments for patients with serious mental health conditions.

The TGA believes the benefits for some patients outweigh the risks, despite the presence of unknowns and inconclusive evidence.

This story originally appeared in the July 04, 2023 newsletter, Gassed.