A survey of 2,800 adults in four Canadian provinces found high social acceptability of psilocybin-assisted therapy for existential distress at the end of life. 79.3% considered it a reasonable medical choice, 84.8% agreed public health insurance should cover it, and 63.3% would support legalization for medical purposes. More favorable attitudes were linked to prior psilocybin use, exposure to palliative care, and progressive political orientation. The findings suggest public support is strong enough to help mobilize resources and improve access to this emerging therapy in palliative and end-of-life care.
The debate about whether psychotherapists should personally experience non-ordinary states of consciousness during psilocybin-assisted therapy training is important because it influences treatment safety, effectiveness, and accessibility. Ethical and practical concerns about making such experience a training standard need urgent attention where psilocybin therapy is being integrated into healthcare. The authors argue that the most balanced and ethical approach is to legally allow psilocybin use for professional training but not require it.