Illicit Drugs That Have Medicinal Benefits

Per the definition of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, illicit drugs are "illegal or controlled" substances. Nowadays, there is an abundance of news and social media coverage, interest, and even misinformation on the potential medical benefits of illicit substances. Indeed, this topic is controversial, and for good reason. 

Self-administering illegal or controlled drugs can be dangerous, sometimes even to the point of lethality. The possible dangers of self-medication practices include (but are not limited to) misdiagnosing one's own condition, refusing or delaying consultation with a medical professional, and even drug dependence, according to a paper in Current Drug Safety. Beyond that, long-term substance use can alter the brain's neurochemical reward system in ways that result in impaired judgment, memory, behavior, learning, and/or decision making (via the National Institute on Drug Abuse).

At the same time, however, a growing body of research supports a variety of possible health benefits related to therapeutic illicit drug use (per Live Science). An increasing number of states are sanctioning the use of medical marijuana and other substances every year. Over the years, studies have shed light on the possible medicinal benefits of such illicit substances, with potential positive outcomes that may be physical or psychological in nature (via CBS).

While the FDA has not approved cannabis as a medication, it has approved cannabis-derived Epidiolex (cannabidiol) and cannabis-related prescription drugs Cesamet (nabilone), Marinol (dronabinol), and Syndros (dronabinol). Meanwhile, the National Institute on Drug Abuse has funded a variety of cannabis and cannabinoid research, including research on THC vaping, the effects of THC on the brain, potential long-term effects, prenatal impacts, marijuana use disorder, and the potential therapeutic benefits for pain, addiction, and illness.

In particular, the NIDA reports that THC-based medications Cesamet and Marinol can treat chemotherapy nausea in cancer patients and stimulate appetite in AIDS-related wasting syndrome (via the National Institute on Drug Abuse). CBD-based Epidiolex has also been FDA approved to treat some forms of pediatric epilepsy, as well as Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome. A prescription mouth spray called Nabiximols (Sativex) has been approved in Canada, the United Kingdom, and other European Union countries for neuropathic pain related to multiple sclerosis.

While now legalized in 29 states, marijuana remains illegal on a federal level. The majority of Americans support the legalization of medical marijuana (via Harvard Medical School). Many people report chronic pain relief with recreational use. Other potential uses include weight loss, as well as the treatment of n tremors in Parkinson's disease tremors, endometriosis, fibromyalgia, glaucoma, irritable bowel syndrome, insomnia, and anxiety.

Psilocybin mushrooms, also known as "magic mushrooms," are psychedelics (hallucinogens) most often consumed recreationally in raw, dried, or tea form (via Psychology Today). Use may lead to experiences of calm, a sense of lightness, sedation, time and perception distortions, deep insights, anxiety, paranoia, or occasional flashbacks and hallucinations. Effects may last for several hours or more. Research on the potentiality for clinical use of psilocybin use in treatment-resistant depression has shown some promising results. 

A Johns Hopkins Medicine study showed that psilocybin therapy treatment may relieve major depressive disorder symptoms for up to a year. However, study co-author Natalie Gukasyan, M.D., warned readers against trying it on their own, stressing that despite what their findings suggest, it's important to remember that their research was conducted with a significant amount of preparation and input from medical experts and professionals.

Psychedelic mushrooms have been increasingly studied for mental health disorders and substance use disorder treatment. More research is being developed. Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research reports that researchers there are "just beginning to understand its effects on the brain and mind and its potential as therapeutics for mental illnesses," and have been backed by $17 million in funding toward further study on psychedelics for health.

MDMA, also commonly known as ecstasy, is a synthetic hallucinogen which can create sensations of euphoria and increased energy levels (via Live Science). Scientists have found it may be useful in addressing post-traumatic stress disorder. Additionally, new research shows it may have remarkable anti-cancer properties, particularly in the treatment of leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma. "Further work is required, but this research is a significant step forward in developing a potential new cancer drug," stated researchers.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse warns, however, that repeated and long term ecstasy use can damage the neurochemical receptors in the brain, even several years later. According to Psychology Today, the drug can be dangerous or lethal, but therapeutic potential also exists in small doses. MDMA increases both dopamine and serotonin in the brain synapses, creating a sense of trust and love, but also creating a high risk for problem use. Further research is needed.

In general, psychedelics that are typically illegal are becoming a hot area of research and debate. In June 2022, a New York Times article recounted the counter-culture psychedelic drug use of 1960s CIA and U.S. Army research of the Vietnam era, the political backlash against hallucinogens of the time, and how over 50 years later, Department of Veteran Affairs researchers are now exploring psychedelic use for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Researchers are hopeful that illicit substances like MDMa and Psilocybin, when administered in a safe, therapeutic environment, can help the brain rewire after the impacts of trauma.

"It's brand-new to a lot of people and yet it's been around longer than most of our psychiatric medications have been around," says Christopher Stauffer, M.D., of Portland, Oregon. "But it feels like we're approaching it this time with a lot more knowledge and a lot of more rigorous research practices that didn't really exist back in the '50s and '60s."

Indigenous cultures have traditionally used psychedelics for healing, and researchers are now coming to understand why — and that PTSD and related issues may improve through psychedelic therapy (via Psychology Today). With that said, drugs like psilocybin and MDMA are still illegal in the United States. Currently, though, over 200 clinical trials are federally registered to explore their use for conditions like PTSD (via Smithsonian Magazine).