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New Zealand has become the latest country to permit the medicinal use of psilocybin, the active compound in so-called “magic mushrooms,” approving it for treatment-resistant depression under tightly controlled conditions.
Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced Wednesday that one psychiatrist, Professor Cameron Lacey of the University of Otago, has been authorized to prescribe the hallucinogen. Lacey, who previously administered psilocybin in clinical trials, will operate under strict reporting and record-keeping requirements. Seymour called the move a “real breakthrough,” though the substance remains classified as an “unapproved medicine.”
The policy shift comes as New Zealand also plans to ease access to melatonin, a common sleep aid, though no timeline has been set for either change to take full effect nationwide.
Globally, New Zealand joins a growing list of jurisdictions embracing psilocybin for medical use. Australia authorized limited psychiatric use in 2023, and Switzerland has permitted it in both research and treatment since 2014. Canada allows regulated medical use under strict oversight. In the U.S., Oregon and Colorado have legalized its therapeutic use, and states like New Mexico, Minnesota, and Massachusetts are advancing similar legislation.
“If a doctor believes psilocybin can help, they should have the tools to try,” Seymour said.
With information from Time.com.
