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by Causes | 10.2.18

What’s the story?

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University hope to change the drug classification of psilocybin mushrooms from Schedule I (“no medicinal benefit”) to Schedule IV (drugs which require a prescription but have low potential for abuse and few risks of dependence).
Their analysis is summarized in the October print issue of Neuropharmacology.

\"We want to initiate the conversation now as to how to classify psilocybin to facilitate its path to the clinic and minimize logistical hurdles in the future,\" says Matthew W. Johnson, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. \"We expect these final clearance trials to take place in the next five years or so.\"

How is psilocybin used medically?

Researchers have been using psilocybin, the hallucinogenic drug in magic mushrooms, to successfully treat both depression and addiction in clinical trials.
The same team of John Hopkins researchers have also found beneficial outcomes in administering magic mushrooms to terminal cancer patients to aid in end-of-life anxiety and depression.

“Studies showed that psilocybin caused significantly and clinically significant reductions in symptoms of depression and anxiety lasting at least six months after psilocybin administration,” the newly published study explained.

Still, care must be taken

Johnson cautions, however, that like all mind-altering drugs, magic mushrooms should be treated with care.

“We should be clear that psilocybin is not without risks of harm, which are greater in recreational than medical settings, but relatively speaking, looking at other drugs both legal and illegal, it comes off as being the least harmful in different surveys and across different countries.”

What do you think?

Does the Drug Enforcement Agency need to consider reclassifying psilocybin? Have you had experiences with magic mushroom? Take action above, then share your thoughts below.

—Josh Herman

(Photo Credit: iStockphoto.com / gilaxia)

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