THERAPISTS PUSH ECSTASY TREATMENT FOR STRESS DISORDER

Street Drug Illegal Under Controlled Drugs and Substances
Act

The use of LSD and mind-altering states has convinced two local
therapists that MDMA--also known was the street drug ecstasy--could
help people suffering with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Psychiatrist Ingrid Pacey and psychologist Andrew Feldmar aim to study
whether MDMA-assisted therapy could benefit people who've tried
traditional counselling and drug treatment with little relief.

The U.S.-based non-profit sponsoring the study, the Multidisciplinary
Association for Psychedelic studies, or MAPS, and the local therapists
have received two of four approvals they need to proceed.

Health Canada and an independent review board have given approvals,
but eight months on, Pacey's waiting for an exemption under Canada's
Controlled Drugs and Substances Act to distribute the drug. The
pharmacist involved with the study needs to be granted a licence to
import the drug from a Swiss university.

Twelve participants, including people who've suffered childhood sexual
or physical abuse or a traumatizing incident as an adult, will take
part in the double-blind study that will include three two-day
sessions with MDMA and regular psychotherapy for up to five months. At
least 20 individuals have volunteered, and the research team also
hopes to recruit police officers, firefighters and military personnel.

"We even had a phone call from a flight attendant," Pacey
said.

Participants' symptoms will be measured with standard psychological
testing. The MDMA will be administered at the start of a two-day
session with participants staying overnight in Pacey's West Side
office. Their vital signs will be monitored. Eight people will be
given a full dose of MDMA and four will receive a small dose. After
the sessions are complete their symptoms will be reassessed and those
who were given the small dose of the drug will have the option of
trying therapy with the full dose.

Researchers interested in the use of MDMA believe the drug could help
quiet a patient's nervous system and allow them to look at the big
picture of what happened to them with more compassion and empathy for
themselves and others.

Pacey said a similar American study has reported encouraging results
but the findings have not been published.

MAPS is sponsoring similar studies in Switzerland, Israel and Jordan.
It previously sponsored a study to evaluate whether the grade of MDMA
to be used would hurt participants psychologically or physically in
controlled situations and found no damage.

Pacey says widely reported studies on the damaging effects of ecstasy
involved giving massive doses of the drugs to rats. She said some
reported results were later retracted. Pacey noted that healing
through altered mental states is common to many cultures with the use
of drumming, chanting, staying up all night and fasting.

The researchers expect they'll need $330,000 to complete the study.
They raised $10,000 at an Oct. 24 benefit attended by medical
professionals and advocates for drug policy reform, including former
NPA mayor Philip Owen.

Owen attended because he met MAPS's founder Rick Doblin earlier this
month at the International Drug Policy Reform Conference in New
Mexico. He lent his support to the MDMA study with a donation.

"It should be pursued, we've got to try everything, and Rick Doblin's
a very convincing guy," Owen said.