Among marginalised women in Vancouver, those who had ever used a psychedelic drug showed a 60% lower hazard of developing suicidal ideation or attempts over 54 months, after adjusting for other factors. Crystal methamphetamine use tripled the hazard, and childhood abuse more than tripled it. Nearly half of the 766 women had prior suicidality and were excluded; among the 290 without it at baseline, 11% developed suicidality during follow-up, an incidence of 4.42 per 100 person-years. The findings suggest naturalistic psychedelic use may have a protective association, while other illicit drug use and childhood trauma increase risk.
Marginalized women in Canada show high interest in receiving psychedelic-assisted therapy, with many reporting that such treatments could address unmet mental health needs, particularly for trauma. The community-based study found that over 70% of participants expressed willingness to try psychedelic-assisted therapy if it were legally available and affordable. Interest was especially strong among those with histories of trauma and those facing barriers to conventional mental healthcare. The findings suggest that psychedelic-assisted therapy may be a promising avenue for reaching underserved populations, though equitable access and trauma-informed approaches are critical for implementation.