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Alberta to regulate psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy

The province has stated that the development is a vital step in building its recovery-oriented systems of care.

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Alberta first to regulate psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy

In a groundbreaking move for Canada’s regulatory developments around psychedelics, Alberta has announced it will be introducing quality standards into its Mental Health Services Protection Act for delivering psychedelic-assisted psychotherapies.

Alberta has introduced changes to its Mental Health Services Protection Act which the province says will ensure that safeguards and expert medical oversight are in place for psychedelic-assisted therapy. 

To develop a regulatory framework for psychedelic drug treatment, the province has consulted with several experts in psychedelic-assisted therapy, regulatory colleges and professional associations and Alberta Health Services.

Canada recently included psychedelics as part of its Special Access Programme (SAP) which gives authorised patients permission to access psychedelic treatments such as psilocybin and MDMA-assisted therapies. Alberta is the now first province in the country to introduce safeguards in its legislation.

Alberta’s Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, Mike Ellis, stated: “I’m very pleased to be announcing important changes to the Mental Health Services protection regulation that will strengthen our recovery oriented system of care right here in Alberta. 

“Both of the changes we are announcing today share a common goal, protecting our communities and ensuring a higher quality of care for patients. The first change today relates to the evolving field of psychedelic assisted therapy. 

“I am proud to say that Alberta will be the first jurisdiction in Canada to protect Albertans and support innovation by introducing quality standards for psychedelic assisted therapy. While further study is required, there is promising research on the use of psychedelic-assisted therapy to treat a range of mental health conditions including post traumatic stress disorder and treatment-resistant depression. 

See also  New UK guidance on real-world data is good news for psychedelics

“Some of the strongest supporters are among first responders and veterans who suffer from high rates of PTSD and other mental health conditions.”

The province has confirmed that, with certain exceptions, clinics offering psychedelic-assisted treatment must be licensed and have the medical oversight of a psychiatrist. 

Additionally, patients undergoing psychedelic drug treatment must be monitored by qualified health professionals if the dosage of the drug brings the patient into an altered state of consciousness.

Co-chair, Alberta Pain Strategy and co-lead, Rapid Access Addiction Medicine Program, Alberta Health Services, Dr Robert Tanguay, stated: “Alberta is the first province to identify and understand that psychedelics are the future area of treatment for so many Canadians struggling with mental health. 

“There is an opportunity for Alberta to be a leader in this field, and this begins by recognising the need to protect anyone undergoing these treatments. 

“It’s incredible to see Alberta leading the way in psychedelic-assisted therapy by making sure Albertans are protected and working on improving access to care.”

Executive director of Heroic Hearts Project Canada, David Fascinato, commented: “It is my hope that this announcement inspires other jurisdictions in Canada – and abroad – to follow suit by promoting evidence-based therapeutic approaches that can improve the health and wellness of veterans, and opens the door to additional communities that will stand to benefit from equitable access to legal, safe, regulated and affordable psychedelic therapies.”

The new requirements do not apply to clinical research trials or to psychedelics prescribed for the treatment of conditions other than psychiatric disorders, such as pain and cancer.

See also  Origin Therapeutics: supporting growth in the psychedelics space

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Now is the time for psychedelic access, says campaigner

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Now is the time for psychedelic access, says campaigner

Activists in Oakland recently filed a ballot put forward by Dave Hodges seeking to legalise safe and legal access to psychedelics for therapeutic uses. 

In the face of critics, Hodges has said now is the time for safe access to psychedelics.

The Psychedelic Wellness & Healing Initiative would enable the sale, possession and use of psychedelics for therapeutic purposes if passed. Psychedelics that would be allowed under the ballot include Psilocybin, MDMA, DMT, and Mescaline.

If passed, the initiative would give doctors and mental health specialists the right to recommend psychedelics to ease the debilitating symptoms of a range of problems, including obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, addiction, suicidality and traumatic brain injury (TBI), among others.

Hodges has said: “Now is the time for safe, controlled medical access for patients in need. The way to solve the problem is not by continuing to ignore it.” 

Hodges’ solution is to create a structure for use that includes proper dosages and access to experts who can help users benefit from appropriate treatment.

The updated initiative language emphasises safety, and gives doctors and mental health specialists the right to recommend psychedelics to ease the debilitating symptoms of a range of conditions.

Research by the University of Michigan and Columbia University shows non-LSD hallucinogenic use on the rise and Hodges has stated that increase means that the initiative providing guidelines for use is needed more than ever. 

Hodges said he hopes Californians will read the initiative, share their thoughts about it over the holiday week and offer feedback via the initiative website, PW4CA.com, by 27 November, 2023, the deadline for modifications.

See also  UK advisory body issues rapid response on psychedelic research

“Now is the time to provide medical and therapeutic access to psychedelics,” Hodges said. “The way to do this is through the initiative.”

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Transform Drugs releases groundbreaking book: How to regulate psychedelics

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Transform Drugs releases book: How to regulate psychedelics

UK charity Transform Drug Policy Foundation has published a new book ‘How to Regulate Psychedelics: A Practical Guide’ that sets out how psychedelics can be legalised and regulated for non-medical adult use.

While an increasing amount of research is pointing to the potentially beneficial effects of psychedelic treatment on mental health conditions, many people across the globe are using psychedelics outside of the clinical setting.

The book includes a set of proposals for post-prohibition policies, covering psychedelics including psilocybin, LSD, DMT and Mescaline. 

Previously, Transform’s guides on regulating stimulants and cannabis have been used to advise governments around the world on drug policy. This book seeks to inform the debates on psychedelic drug reforms taking place across the world.

Co-author and Public Affairs and Policy Manager at Transform Drug Policy Foundation, Ester Kincová, stated: “Despite psychedelic drugs being illegal, their non-medical use within society has been steadily increasing. 

“Punitive enforcement has not decreased use or eliminated supply, but it has made use more unsafe. 

“Legalising and regulating psychedelics is a pragmatic move to reduce harm. This is no longer a theoretical debate, states in the US are already recognising the need and  making moves to regulate for non-medical adult use.”

Scientific Chair of Drug Science, Professor David Nutt, added: “Once again Transform have come up with a well thought out and practical plan for the regulation of another group of currently illegal drugs – in this case psychedelics. 

“Their ideas would be both easy to implement and to engage with and will, if adopted, radically enhance the safe use of these remarkable agents.”

See also  PSYCH Symposium: exploring psychedelic medicine

Proposals for regulation

The book includes a four-tiered regulation model “that attempts to manage the variety of psychedelic preparations and the different ways in which they are used”.

These include:

  • Private use, home cultivation, foraging and not-for-profit sharing.
  • Membership-based non-for-profit associations for plant-based products.
  • Licensed production and retail adaptable to different products and environments
  • Regulated commercial guided or supervised use

Additionally, a decriminalisation model is proposed which suggests that possession for personal use should no longer be an offence of any kind or be subject to any sanctions; Drugs for personal use should not be confiscated; cultivation of small amounts of plant-based drugs for personal use should be decriminalised, among other suggestions.

The book also includes topics such as embedding social justice, equity and human rights into policy design, how to think about psychedelics regulation, why regulate psychedelics and why now, and psychedelics and the UN drug treaties.

To read the book, please visit transformdrugs.org/.

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Policy

Oakland ballot seeks to legalise medical psychedelics

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Oakland ballot seeks to legalise medical psychedelics

Activists in Oakland have filed a ballot that seeks to legalise safe and legal access to psychedelics for therapeutic uses. 

The Psychedelic Wellness & Healing Initiative would enable the sale, possession and use of psychedelics for therapeutic purposes if passed. Psychedelics that would be allowed under the ballot include Psilocybin, MDMA, DMT, and Mescaline.

If passed, the initiative would give doctors and mental health specialists the right to recommend psychedelics to ease the debilitating symptoms of a range of problems, including obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, addiction, suicidality and traumatic brain injury (TBI), among others.

See also  Australia reschedules psilocybin and MDMA

Additionally, it would create a statewide framework for regulating the possession, use, cultivation and production of substances for medical and therapeutic use.

The initiative has been introduced by proponent and founder of the Oakland-based Church of Ambrosia, Dave Hodges, to the California Attorney General’s office for the 2024 ballot, and will need 546,651 valid signatures to qualify.

See also  CDPRG discusses the UK's Reschedule Psilocybin campaign

The filing follows California Governor Gavin Newsom’s recent veto of Senate Bill 58, the bill that sought to decriminalise the use of certain psychedelic drugs. 

Hodges emphasised that SB58 would have been a step forward, but that it had major flaws concerning its lack of provisions to ensure access, public safety and quality control. That veto, Hodges said, compelled him to move quickly on the initiative filing.

When the California Attorney General certifies the initiative for circulation, backers will have about four and a half months to gather the required signatures for ballot placement. 

Signature collecting will begin in early December.

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