A poll commissioned by TheraPsil has found that 56 per cent of Canadians approve of legalizing psilocybin therapy for treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and almost two-thirds, 64 per cent, approve of legalizing psilocybin for individuals who have a terminal illness.

Conducted by Pollara Strategic Insights in October, more than 1,500 Canadians were surveyed, with results weighted based on age, gender and region.

TheraPsil, a B.C.-based non-profit, began polling Canadians about psilocybin treatment in June and the results indicate that respondents are increasingly accepting of legalizing the compound for medical use.

The organization helped four terminally ill Canadians receive Section 56 exemptions to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) in August and, earlier this month, Mona Strelaeff became the first non-palliative Canadian to be granted access to psilocybin treatment. In total, TheraPsil has helped 13 Canadians receive exemptions, which were granted by Health Minister Patty Hajdu.

In the release accompanying the polling data, TheraPsil notes the numbers in support of psilocybin treatment are similar to results in Oregon earlier this month, where 55 per cent of voters said “yes” to Measure 109, which legalized psilocybin therapy within the state.

Recent research from Johns Hopkins University found that psilocybin-assisted therapy led to “large, rapid and sustained antidepressant effects in patients with major depressive disorder.” After a week of psilocybin treatment, almost 70 per cent of participants experienced reduced depressive symptoms.

Strelaeff’s exemption has been called “a historic moment in Canada and a groundbreaking progressive decision by Health Canada to broaden the class of patients who can access this treatment option.”

Thomas Hartle, one of first Canadians to receive a CDSA exemption, said that after undergoing psilocybin treatment, he had the best night of sleep he’s had since receiving his terminal cancer diagnosis four years ago.

“I have had anxiety for so long, I had sort of forgotten what it feels like to not have it,” Hartle said in August. “To experience the lack of anxiety I have had this week is beyond words. It’s amazing. I have no idea how long this particular benefit will last, but so long as it’s here, it’s really, really amazing and good.”