Trippin’ Balls: The Case for Psilocybin Legalization

The legal status of marijuana is still a contentious subject throughout American politics and society, yet the science behind its benefits has always been concrete. The same can be said for psilocybin, colloquially known as “magic mushrooms.” Psilocybin and its qualities have been celebrated and utilized in various cultures since the dawn of civilization, both for spiritual and health reasons. The compound itself is naturally produced by psychedelic mushrooms, and is consumed plainly, brewed into tea, smoked, etc. Currently, psilocybin is listed by the Drug Enforcement Agency as a “Schedule I drug,” meaning that it is highly addictive and has no medical use. However, none of these aspects are scientifically true, and thanks to this disgustingly false information, U.S. citizens even possessing small amounts of mushrooms can face severe penalties. The current mental health crisis has especially exemplified the failings of modern mental health treatment. Another approach is desperately needed, especially for those suffering from untreatable depression, major depressive disorder, autism, ADHD, and substance abuse. Most pharmaceutical anti-depressants are ineffective in the long term, expensive, and can even worsen depression, especially for children and teenagers. There’s also a limited number of anti-depressants types, and many of them restrict the availability of other medicinal treatments, including birth control and stimulant use. With suicide rates quickly rising, and pharmaceutical companies corrupting medical care, a new, more taboo approach must be considered. From European studies, psilocybin has been noted to regrow neurological connections and neurons in critical areas of the brain that have been affected by mental illnesses and developmental disability. Psilocybin basically resets and regrows the brain, and just one large dose improves mental illness symptoms for up to a year, and can be used in everyone from the children to the elderly. However, it’s been illegal in the U.S. since the 1960s, even though overdose is impossible, and its health and spiritual benefits have been known and scientifically researched for a millennia. The illegal status of psilocybin has halted crucial psychiatric progress, making those whom are most embattled to settle for expensive, outdated treatment plans and large amounts of useless medication. Why must crucial scientific advancements be halted by an under researched 60 year old drug law made by ignorant politicians. Thus, federal funding and immediate legalization for therapeutic and personal use must be pursued in order to combat America’s mental health crisis. The normalization of psilocybin based therapy will save lives, and dramatically advance both scientific and societal progress concerning mental health and psychedelics.