(CNN) The Canadian government will allow four patients with incurable cancer to receive psilocybin therapy, which uses the drug found in the so-called "magic mushrooms" or "shrooms," to ease their end-of-life distress.
The landmark decision by Minister of Health Patty Hajdu, marks the first time since 1974 that a legal exemption has been given in Canada for patients to access psychedelic treatment, according to a news release on Tuesday by TheraPsil, a non-profit organization working to help Canadians gain access to psilocybin therapy.
Laurie Brooks, one of the four terminally ill patients, expressed her gratitude for the approval, which comes over 100 days after the four patients made their plea to the government.
"The acknowledgment of the pain and anxiety that I have been suffering with means a lot to me, and I am feeling quite emotional today as a result," Brooks said in a statement. "I hope this is just the beginning and that soon all Canadians will be able to access psilocybin, for therapeutic use, to help with the pain they are experiencing, without having to petition the government for months to gain permission."
Thomas Hartle, another one of the patients, told CTV News in June that thinking about his inevitable death triggered his anxiety on a daily basis.
flickh on August 8th, 2020 at 23:43 UTC »
Thank you generous overlords, for allowing us to consume this helpful & entertaining plant only on our deathbeds
ValueCheckMyNuts on August 8th, 2020 at 22:40 UTC »
I mean you can buy mushroom growing kits OTC in Canada so we've sort of been turning a blind eye to this stuff for a while.
abcriminal on August 8th, 2020 at 20:38 UTC »
While this is great and all, the fact that only 4 people were allowed to do this is tragic