Geneva is home to the only Swiss hospital offering psychedelic-assisted therapy. Despite the hype, full legalisation of the treatment still has a long way to go. A Netflix documentary spurred François, a 52-year-old policeman and father of four, to try psychedelic therapy. Along with another volunteer, a 70-year-old woman, he drank a few micrograms of psychedelic drug LSD. The patients of Professor Daniele Zullino, the head of psychedelic-assisted therapy at Geneva University Hospital (HUG), don’t fit the typical stereotypes association with drug-taking. Most of them had never seen psychedelics before being presented with a capsule of psilocybin – a substance derived from mushrooms – or a vial of LSD at the doctor’s office. For a price of CHF199 to CHF445 ($221 to $494), depending on dosage, volunteers embark on a “trip” lasting up to 12 hours. François’ goal: to cure his decades-long depression. And while health insurance doesn’t cover the cost of such drugs, the potential ...
