final paper – analysis

Legalizing the Use of Psychedelics: Psilocybin Mushrooms

            Magic mushrooms containing psilocybin are a Scheduled III drug in accordance with the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, 1996. This particular drugs use for recreational purposes is illegal under section 56 of the Act, therefore, possession, production, sale and import and export are all in violation of the Act. However, exemptions may be applied, such as, for example, Health Canada formalizing a license for an individual, group or government agency to allow use of the drug, primarily for purposes such as a clinical trial or research. However, even with these exemptions in place, rarely do psilocybin mushrooms ever get clinically researched. This paper will aim to demonstrate the psychological benefits psilocybin mushrooms possess, in order to justify its legalization for medicinal purposes. 

            Generally, there exists three types of crime; crime against a person, crime against property, and crime that is evil in and of itself. In particular, the third type of crime mentioned consists of the subject of drugs. This is to say that possession and distribution of such drugs is evil as a result of the concept of morality existing during the paradigm that this idea was established. However, current events indicate that many of these notions can be changed as a consequence of changes in idea among society. North America, in particular, Canada, has been utilizing liberal ontology in the form of its laws. This can be seen through Canada’s legalization of marijuana, whereas, in certain parts of the United States, the mere possession of cannabis can lead to imprisonment. In some countries, cannabis itself is considered a narcotic, hence, the emphasis on its criminalization. Thus, comes the question that if there exists laws in which the world can come to a consensus on, such as for example, murder and robbery, why is legislation regarding the use of drugs ambiguous? 

            To further my point, I will discuss various journal articles and studies that indicate that the correct use of psilocybin mushrooms through a medical practitioner, when deemed necessary, can be beneficial for patients who suffer from different forms of anxiety such as post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), patients suffering from end of life distress, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, and various forms of addictions. It is to say that despite the many psychological and therapeutic benefits that psilocybin mushrooms possess, its nature as a strong hallucinogen, when unsupervised, can lead to traumatic experiences harmful to the person. I emphasize the idea that although this paper advocates for the use of magic mushrooms, it is not for the purpose of recreational use, but rather for medicinal benefit as a drug to help with certain illnesses, primarily, psychologically. 

            I believe that for the matter of drugs, whether it be its criminalization, decriminalization or legalization, it is necessary to discuss the nature of the drug itself. For the most part, I criticize legislation for not considering the medical nature of drugs for its legal purposes, and rather, criminalizing substances as a result of morality.