Magic mushrooms for Maori mental illness!?

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Opinion

Alcohol, tobacco, weed/dope/marijuana, amphetamines, solvents, ecstasy and now hallucinogens.

Traditional pre-Pākehā Māori did not use intoxicants of any kind.

Why are Māori being targeted as guinea pigs for a Class A drug magic mushroom trial?

Severe treatment-resistant depression?

Who will be the controls? How many participants?

What does “tikanga-based” psychedelic therapy mean?

How did this ever gain ethical approval? Shame on the committee.

Partnership and co-governance are bywords until convenient for tauiwi.

How about addressing the root cause of endemic Māori mental health illness? Poverty, housing stress, systemic prejudice, undereducation and so forth.

Intoxicant drugs are not taonga. They’re poisons.

Rāwiri Gilgen MBChB

Tokomaru Bay