Life in Alberta for some may get a little trippy and easier to deal with in the future as the province is now allowing magic mushrooms and acid for therapy..On Wednesday, Alberta’s government introduced new requirements for psychedelic assisted therapy through an amendment to the Mental Health Services Protection Regulation which will now allow the drugs to be used to help people.."Only a psychiatrist or a physician in consultation with a psychiatrist can prescribe a psychedelic drug for the purposes of treating a psychiatric disorder, unless the drug is ketamine provided outside of psychedelic assisted psychotherapy," the Alberta government stated..These requirements come into effect on Jan. 16, 2023..According to the provincial government, emerging evidence shows that psychedelic assisted therapy can lead to improvements for people with certain psychiatric disorders, including PTSD and treatment-resistant depression..Psychedelic drugs include psilocybin, psilocin, MDMA, LSD, mescaline (peyote), DMT, 5 methoxy DMT and ketamine.."As psychedelic drugs carry health and safety risks, proper safeguards and expert medical oversight are required to ensure patient safety," the Alberta government stated..The Alberta government made several changes to the Mental Health Services Protection Regulation, one being that prescribers must ensure all prescriptions provide the following information:.Direction respecting the quantity of the drug that may be dispensed or sold at any one time and the intervals of time required between each dispensation or saleInformation about the dosage and whether the drug is to be used in the context of psychedelic assisted psychotherapy. Except in cases where no psychedelic assisted psychotherapy is being provided and either the drug is ketamine in a non-parenteral formulation, or a drug other than ketamine in a non-psychedelic dose..However, a psychedelic drug cannot be dispensed or sold directly to a patient. Only an authorized regulated health professional can administer a psychedelic drug and it must take place at the facility listed on the licence of a licensed service provider, a hospital, or an accredited medical facility..The Alberta government said an exception to the location of administration exists for end-of-life patients..According to the provincial government, authorized regulated health professionals or other approved individuals must monitor, treat and care for the patient while in an altered state of consciousness. Providers of psychedelic assisted psychotherapy must either be psychiatrists, clinical psychologists or regulated health professionals authorized to perform the restricted activity of psychosocial intervention who meet a standard of qualifications or experience..Regulated health professionals authorized must be members of one of the following regulatory colleges:.Alberta College of Occupational TherapistsCollege of Physicians and Surgeons of AlbertaCollege of Alberta PsychologistsCollege of Registered Nurses of AlbertaCollege of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of AlbertaAlberta College of Social Workers.The government said a medical director who's a psychiatrist must be appointed by the licensed service provider to oversee all clinically related aspects of the licensed services. The regulation only applies to psychedelic assisted therapy used to treat a psychiatric disorder..The requirements above do not apply to clinical research trials or psychedelic assisted therapy used for pain, palliative care or other illnesses..The Alberta government is currently holding a press conference with the announcement..More to come...
