Should the Internet Party legalise Psychedelic Therapy
Research is showing that psychedelic therapy can help people suffering from serious mental health conditions, especially those for whom other treatments have failed.
Legalizing psychedelic therapy is not the same as legalizing psychedelics for all uses.
Psychedelic therapy is not a take-home drug. Psychedelic therapy must be conducted in a therapeutic environment with proper support.
Healing trauma
MDMA-assisted psychotherapy combines talk therapy with the use of MDMA, a drug that may enhance the effectiveness of psychotherapy for PTSD.
MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) is a synthetic compound that may increase the effectiveness of psychotherapy by strengthening the alliance between therapist and patient, and helping subjects feel more comfortable discussing difficult memories and emotions.
In a recently published study, 83% of subjects receiving MDMA-assisted psychotherapy no longer qualified for PTSD, and everyone who received a placebo and then went on to receive MDMA-assisted psychotherapy experienced significant and lasting improvements. Primarily female survivors of sexual assault and abuse, these subjects had suffered from PTSD for an average of 19 years.
The long-term follow-up of subjects receiving MDMA-assisted psychotherapy revealed that on average overall benefits were maintained for 3½ years or more. A Swiss study published in 2013 also found clinically significant improvements in PTSD symptoms after MDMA-assisted psychotherapy.
What is psychedelic therapy?
Psychedelic therapy is a mode of treatment that uses psychedelic drugs (such as LSD, MDMA, psilocybin, ibogaine, ayahuasca, or others) to enhance the effectiveness of therapy.
Psychedelic therapy is only administered a small number of times, as opposed to traditional drug-based treatments which require patients to take medications every day, sometimes for the rest of their lives. These other treatments often have significant side effects and can result in dependence.
The word "psychedelic" means "mind-manifesting," and refers to a broad class of naturally occurring and synthetic compounds that expand awareness and facilitate personal, interpersonal, and/or spiritual insights when used carefully in the proper settings.
For more information go to http://www.maps.org/
Nick Taylor Fri 5 Sep 2014 12:56AM
Agreed - although I'd prefer it if ALL drugs were completely legalised, rather than wrapping them up in some sort of medical-only phrasing.
Personally I think psychedelics should be treated similarly to adventure sports eg: skydiving - ie: if you want a "license", you're screened for pre-exisiting conditions that might cause you to come to grief, and the first couple of dives happen in the company of people with experience.
Because what we have right now, is quality(and quantity)-control overseen by criminals, with no care as to the mental condition of who they're selling to - and completely random "first try" set/settings... in which people are very very reluctant to seek medical help if things go wrong.
And even with all of that, fewer people get into trouble than with adventure sports... but we could do better.
...
Apparently there were studies done on the effect of LSD on alcoholism in the 50s/60s in which people were reporting complete cures with a single dose. I think one of the (many) tragedies of the failed war on drugs, is the complete disappearance of the therapeutic effects of hallucinogens.
david westcot Fri 5 Sep 2014 6:59AM
good websites,for people new to this policy area are - MAPS, The Beckley Foundation, The Heffter Institute, & drug science [prof David Nutt et als website- his groups lancet-published studies were widely referenced in the NZ Law Commissions drug policy review] .
Poll Created Sat 6 Sep 2014 3:17AM
Should the Internet Party legalise Psychedelic Therapy Closed Sat 20 Sep 2014 11:07AM
Research is showing that psychedelic therapy can help people suffering from serious mental health conditions, especially those for whom other treatments have failed.
Results
| Results | Option | % of points | Voters | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Agree | 73.3% | 11 |
|
| Abstain | 6.7% | 1 |
|
|
| Disagree | 20.0% | 3 |
|
|
| Block | 0.0% | 0 | ||
| Undecided | 0% | 474 |
|
15 of 489 people have participated (3%)
Colin England
Sat 6 Sep 2014 3:29AM
No, but we should do more research into it.
Colin Davies
Sat 6 Sep 2014 4:18AM
Gosh William, you have made me feel guilty now.
Ulrich Schmid
Sat 6 Sep 2014 5:41AM
it has been proven by research in Switzerland and other countries that in particular LSD and MDMA are excellent drugs that can help people with certain mental problems.
Carl Winnie
Sat 6 Sep 2014 10:16AM
Absolutely essential.The alternate way of the future originates from our ancient traditions.
Carl Winnie
Sat 6 Sep 2014 10:20AM
Absolutely essential.The enlightened way of the future originates from our ancient traditions.
Freida Maverick
Sat 6 Sep 2014 8:03PM
If psychiatrists in NZ want to use this, let them advocate for it in the medical profession. This is not a laypersons debate.
Colin Gale
Sun 7 Sep 2014 2:39AM
Psychoactive medication as a treatment has and cotinues to attract considerable criticism. We need better information to be fully informed on how it psychadelic medication could be used in a clinical setting.
david westcot
Sun 7 Sep 2014 11:25AM
There isn`t a huge amount of research in this area but what has been completed is very promising ,
Nathan Fehr
Mon 8 Sep 2014 1:55AM
Yes. I feel strongly that any treatments be properly evidence-based as any medical treatment is but this is a very good step in the right direction.
Tipene (Steve) Butter
Mon 8 Sep 2014 8:17PM
under licence to show that the provider has been screened for Narcissistic & grandiose delusions :)
Blair Robson
Tue 9 Sep 2014 11:44AM
I abstain on a decision around legalisation but I strongly support research into Psychedelic Therapy.
I consider the Beckley Foundation to be to global leaders in this area .http://www.beckleyfoundation.org
Deleted User
Fri 19 Sep 2014 7:27PM
1/20th of a hit of LSD stops migraine pain when nothing else will. I would love to be able to get this from my doctor. Supposedly the same dose can stop cluster migraines for six months. Migraines are the most painful recurring event in my life.
Loveday Kingsford Sat 6 Sep 2014 6:26PM
agreed (previously agreed): Absolutely essential.The enlightened way of the future originates from our ancient traditions.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Mind-Cave-Consciousness-Origins/dp/0500284652
Deleted User Sat 6 Sep 2014 6:36PM
Sorry I didn't see this in time. I fully support.
Ross Burrows Sat 6 Sep 2014 9:27PM
Yes it is, you've missed the point.
I have in my lifetime experienced a profound lack of wisdom on several occassions where health professionals ignore the obvious, slavishly follow their institutional conditioning and are blind to the better ways of treating patients.
One time my older brother was admitted to ward 12 in an apparent 'catatonic coma'. The resident head physchiatrist was about to administer shock treatment.
To cut a long story short, my brothers hypnotherapist was called in who woke him out of a hypnotic state.
Upon witnessing this, the physchiatrist turned on his heels and left the room. My brother returned to normal and we never heard from the physc. again
I trust professionals with my life and those of my loved ones, but I have learn't to query anything that looks suspicious or doesn't add up. I believe I saved my elderly mothers life on several occassions by not accepting rote opinions of medical staff.
If the medical profession needs prodding from time to time to make the right decisions, it is our duty to ensure they do so . . .
Colin England Sat 6 Sep 2014 10:51PM
If psychiatrists in NZ want to use this, let them advocate for it in the medical profession.
Many around the world are:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychedelic_therapy
http://www.madinamerica.com/2014/07/psychedelics-advocated-depression/
http://healthland.time.com/2012/03/09/lsd-may-help-treat-alcoholism/
http://sites.bu.edu/ombs/2010/07/14/tune-in-turn-on-drop-out-psychiatrists-reconsider-the-use-of-psychedelics/
This one is about how research into the use of psychedelics became restricted in the US but probably applies to NZ as well:
http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2013-04/new-science-lsd-therapy
I only disagreed with this proposition because I believe that we need more research into psychedelic use in psychotherapy before we go round legalising it.
david westcot · Thu 4 Sep 2014 11:58PM
This is a very good idea & fully supported by current evidence base - although that is a little thin on the ground as a result of the ongoing US/UN driven drug war.