Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating and often life-threatening affliction for many Canadian veterans  - 10 to 15% of Canadian Veterans (46,000 to 70,000 members) have been diagnosed with PTSD.  They and their loved ones suffer as a result. These individuals served us so let’s help them rebuild their lives with the proven power of psychedelic-assisted therapies.

Many of Canada's veterans do not respond well to conventional treatments such as talking therapies and prescription medication. Researchers have found that when people who are living with trauma are given a certain amount of psychedelic medicine, such as MDMA (ecstasy) or ketamine, in a clinical setting, it helps them open up so they can work through difficult events and memories with the support of a therapist. In one recent study involving MDMA-assisted therapy, 88% of participants had significant improvement and 67% no longer met the criteria for PTSD a year after they finished treatment.  Psychedelic-assisted therapy works!

Clinical evidence has led to Health Canada approving ketamine-assisted therapy and developing a legal pathway for patients with treatment resistant PTSD to access MDMA-assisted therapy. It’s called the Special Access Program (SAP). Accessing psychedelic-assisted therapy is costly and it involves significant documentation and support from qualified medical professionals, such as a psychiatrist or family physician. There are several clinics in Canada, such as ATMA Cena, that provide the treatments.

Cost is a barrier and Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) does not fund psychedelic-assisted therapies today. Help us advocate for expanded access by signing our petition so we can show the government and Veterans Affairs that Canadians care to give their veterans every chance to recover from PTSD and related disorders!

Visit healPTSD.ca to learn more about our efforts to help Canada's veterans rebuild their lives.