Reclassification recommended for psilocybin

In an evaluation of the safety and abuse research on the drug in hallucinogenic mushrooms, Johns Hopkins researchers suggest that if it clears phase III clinical trials, psilocybin should be re-categorized from a schedule I drug–one with no known medical potential–to a schedule IV drug such as prescription sleep aids, but with tighter control.

The researchers summarize their analysis in the October print issue of Neuropharmacology.

“We want to initiate the conversation now as to how to classify psilocybin to facilitate its path to the clinic and minimize logistical hurdles in the future,” says Matthew W. Johnson, Ph.D., associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. “We expect these final clearance trials to take place in the next five years or so.”

Source: Reclassification recommendations for drug in ‘magic mushrooms’