Sask. man who was 1st in Canada to access 'magic mushroom' therapy dies at 56: How psychedelics had a 'profound' effect on his cancer battle
Saskatoon's Thomas Hartle had turned to psychedelic-assisted therapy to help ease his feelings about his stage 4 cancer diagnosis.
Thomas Hartle turned to psilocybin because he wanted to change his perception of death and dying. The 56-year-old, who was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer in 2016, died on Aug. 13, as reported by CTV News.
Hartle previously told Yahoo Canada he “sought out ways to try to deal with end-of-life distress.”
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Antidepressants didn’t sit quite right with Hartle. Although they would take away some of his anxieties, his “desirable emotions like happiness and love,” also diminished. However, when he came across research from Johns Hopkins University that found 80 per cent of cancer patients experienced a significant decrease in depression and anxiety from taking psilocybin, his interest in psychedelics was piqued.
“I believe in the science,” Hartle said. He added he kept an open mind before pursuing psilocybin-assisted therapy, despite being raised with anti-drug messaging and stigma. “The sense of release I got from my first session was so profound and effective. ... It was very comforting to me.”
As it currently stands, psilocybin is illegal in Canada and it can only be used legally through a Section 56 exemption for end-of-life distress or if you sign up for an approved study. According to a public opinion survey by TheraPsil, a British Columbia-based psychedelics advocacy group, 82 per cent of people surveyed said they approved of the use of psilocybin mushrooms to treat depression, anxiety and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Eighty-eight per cent approved of its use for terminal illnesses.
Yahoo Canada previously spoke to the Saskatoon man on his experience with psilocybin-assisted therapy, or psychedelic-assisted therapy, and some experts in the field advocating for its use. Read on for Yahoo's interview with Hartle, originally published on Aug. 8, 2024.
'Powerful' effect of psychedelic-assisted therapy
In 2020, Hartle became the first person in Canada to legally access psychedelic-assisted therapy after TheraPsil helped him apply for a Section 56 exemption.
Psychedelic-assisted therapy refers to the professionally guided use of magic mushrooms in combination with psychotherapy. This experience is different from the recreational use of psychedelics since this therapy involves clinically tested treatment protocols, medical oversight as well as both pre and post-therapy sessions.
Hartle was adamant during his first session that his experience be recorded. “I wanted to help the next person who struggled to find information like I did.”
It gave me a different perspective on the idea of death. It changed the way I think about it.Thomas Hartle
Hartle ingested seven grams of mushrooms in intervals during his first session. He was blindfolded and listened to music which he said created “very powerful visual and kinetic feelings.” He described his experience as one of ego death, where he could examine his own consciousness and thoughts without judgment or emotional restraint.
“What the psychedelics do is they take the ‘emotional hotness’ out of heavy thoughts or things you’d typically avoid confronting,” he explained. “It gave me a different perspective on the idea of death. It changed the way I think about it.”
Hartle said he had initially thought of death as the end of consciousness — that it would be like the “lights turning off.” But when speaking to him, he shared he thought of death as a “transition from one thing to another.”
Hartle said he often experienced revelations or “aha moments” at the end of his sessions or afterwards. “You don’t necessarily know what you’re going to get out of a particular session. If you’ve got an expectation going into it, you sort of have to invite the possibility of disappointment. ... you might not get what you want and you might get something entirely different.”
As the mushrooms let up, a therapist will help patients unpack what they experienced. Psychotherapists are trained in proper dosing, preparation and how to guide people through their experience. These sessions, including ingestion and therapy, can typically last between four to six hours.
Everybody has noticed changes in who I am as a person in very positive ways.Thomas Hartle
Hartle said his sessions had a cumulative effect, where each session had a longer-lasting impact. He went for his second session three months after trying psilocybin for the first time. His last session was a year ago.
“Everybody has noticed changes in who I am as a person in very positive ways,” he said. “I would describe myself as ‘more’: I am more compassionate, more empathetic, more open to displaying emotions that I feel instead of bottling things up. Just more me.”
Hartle shared he hoped access to psychedelic-assisted therapy would be extended beyond end-of-life care. “Anybody who is suffering from difficult anxiety and depression can benefit from this,” he said. He noted he knew this isn’t a one-solution-fits-all treatment, as some may not benefit from psilocybin, but that it should still be an option like other prescriptions and antidepressants.
‘Canada is moving as quickly as it can’
Canada may soon follow in the footsteps of Australia and Thailand to legalize psilocybin. In November 2023, the Senate of Canada’s Veterans Affairs Committee identified an urgent need to move forward with psychedelic medicines to treat mental health conditions like PTSD.
“I think Canada is moving as quickly as it can towards legalization,” said Jay Katz, the executive director of the Psychedelic Association of Canada (PAC), an educational resource for opening access to psychedelic medicines for Canadians.
“For people who are suffering from symptoms of mental illness, that haven’t been treated effectively with current treatments, they might say ‘not quickly enough,’” Katz added.
Some academics, however, have argued that though psychedelics are generally safe for treatment, the therapy proponent needs to be studied more. In a 2023 JAMA Psychiatry opinion piece, authors who participated in clinical trials and psychedelic studies argued that the manual therapists use for MDMA and PTSD treatments is outdated and needs reevaluation.
The paper said that though psychedelics are studied immensely, the part therapists play needs to be more defined and rigorous, considering they are dealing with patients with trauma and mental health issues.
Still, Katz said there are a lot more opportunities to help Canadians who suffer and can potentially use psilocybin as a treatment. “Part of the challenge is educating the public and lawmakers about the benefits of these medicines. There’s still a stigma out there and there has been for a long time, ... but with advocacy and continued studies, hopefully we can give Canadians access to these medicines.”
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