Cluster Headache in Australia

In Australia, psychedelics that could help cluster headache patients (including psilocybin, LSD, and DMT) are generally classified as Schedule 9 Prohibited Substances under the national Poisons Standard, making their possession, use, or supply illegal outside of approved research. However, since July 2023, Australia has allowed authorized psychiatrists to prescribe psilocybin specifically for treatment-resistant depression, establishing a medical framework that, while not currently including cluster headache, creates a precedent for expanding therapeutic access. The Australian Capital Territory has decriminalized small amounts of these substances for personal use (treating possession as a civil rather than criminal offense), but this policy doesn't extend to other states and territories where possession remains criminalized. The recent rescheduling of psilocybin for depression treatment, Australia's growing psychedelic research sector, and active advocacy organizations like Mind Medicine Australia represent promising developments that could eventually lead to legal access pathways for cluster headache patients.

Help us accelerate access to psychedelic therapies for cluster headache in Australia by signing our open letter.