Looking for an election-year healthcare issue that could bring the two major political parties together? Think there is no such thing?
Think again. A public opinion surveyopens in a new tab or window conducted last summer by the University of California, Berkeley, found 61% of U.S. voters support legalizing regulated therapeutic access to psychedelics. Breaking it down by party, liberal voter support for legalized therapeutic access to psychedelics was 80%, compared to moderates at 66%, and conservatives at 45%.
To be clear: Use of psychedelics, such as psilocybin, for recreation is quite different than therapeutic interventions that are paired with intensive psychotherapy. Psilocybin can cause intense psychological experiences, which, if not handled correctly, could lead to adverse outcomes, particularly in individuals with a predisposition to psychosis-associated mental health issues. However, the promise of psilocybin to treat anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is real.
The country must expand research into physician-assisted psilocybin treatment…..more
