New Zealand grants first license to grow indigenous magic mushrooms

New Zealand's Ministry of Health has granted the first cultivation authorization for research on an indigenous magic mushroom, Psilocybe Weraroa.

This variety, which contains the psychoactive compound psilocybin, will be studied for its potential to help people struggling with methamphetamine addiction, a major problem in New Zealand. The license, granted last October, marks an important step in the integration of traditional knowledge, scientific research and medical innovation around psychedelics.

Mushroom therapy and clinical trials

The license has been granted to Rua Bioscience, a biopharmaceutical company based in Tairāwhiti, which will conduct the clinical research project around the addiction and the potential of psilocybin Rangiwaho Marae. The research is supported by various entities, including the’Environmental Science and Research (ESR), the Universities of Auckland and Waikato, and Manaaki Whenua Earth Care Research.

According to the NZ Herald, Jody Toroa, a member of the Rangiwaho Marae board of directors, welcomed this opportunity for his community. taonga [editor's note: treasure in Maori] are provided by the atua [editor's note: Polynesian gods], and our people have been using them for healing and well-being for centuries».

The license currently authorizes research on cultivation, with clinical trials to be approved at a later date. The first phase of trials is designed to assess psilocybin's safety profile by testing healthy adults. The scientific community generally considers psilocybin to be less harmful than many other illegal drugs, and its potential therapeutic benefits have been explored in various clinical trials around the world.

To ensure rigorous scientific standards, ESR's analytical services will be used to determine psilocybin levels in Psilocybe Weraroa mushrooms. This test is crucial for maintaining dosage consistency and accuracy during clinical trials.

The NZ Herald article mentions that psychedelic substances such as psilocybin and LSD is believed to increase neuronal plasticity, This could help to break down thinking patterns associated with illnesses such as depression. The University of Auckland is currently in the second phase of clinical trials involving the microdosing of LSD for the treatment of depression.

The renewed interest in psychedelics for therapeutic purposes is not unique to New Zealand. Other countries such as Australia, were the first to authorize the prescription of substances such as MDMA and psilocybin for specific mental disorders. Although the New Zealand government has yet to show explicit support for such treatments, the Health Research Council has independently funded projects exploring the therapeutic potential of psychedelic substances.