Could illegal hallucinogenic drugs like LSD and psilocybin ever become credible prescription medicines?
It might sound far-fetched, but just a decade ago it seemed unlikely that the prohibited and mildly hallucinogenic drug cannabis would become a mainstream pain-killing medicine. But it is happening: Cannabis pain-killing pills and sprays are being developed to help people with multiple sclerosis, cancer and Aids. Now some scientists and psychotherapists think more powerful psychoactive drugs like psilocybin, found in ‘magic mushrooms’, could have a future as medicinal agents for a number of conditions. In the US, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved, but not funded, a pilot study aiming to see if the euphoria and insight of a mild psychedelic ‘trip’ can ease the physical and emotional pain experienced by thousands of terminal cancer patients each year. ” A significant patient population may gain benefits from these treatments ” Professor Charles Grob Charles Grob, Professor of Psychiatry and Paediatrics at the Harbor-UCLA Medical Centre, California, and lead scientist on
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- Could illegal hallucinogenic drugs like LSD and psilocybin ever become credible prescription medicines?
- Do you either smoke, drink alcohol, take illegal drugs, drink coffee or use prescription medicine?
