Two recent studies of psilocybin, the psychoactive compound in so-called magic mushrooms, contend that the chemical can act as a powerful remedy for cancer patients suffering from depression and anxiety.
The two studies, one from New York University and one from Johns Hopkins University, are the largest and most rigorous studies of psilocybin and depression in decades, and they report that the anti-depressant effects of the drug can last for months, offering relief to chronically ill patients for whom traditional treatments have failed to work.
The NYU study involved 29 people, and the Johns Hopkins study involved 51. Both gave controlled doses of psilocybin to patients with advanced-stage cancers who reported feelings of depression, anxiety and deep worries about the prospect of dying. The studies split participants into two groups — one that received a dose of the drug, and another that received a placebo or low dose of the ...
