Melatonin will soon be available over the counter at pharmacies after the Government said it would relax restrictions on the sleep medication.

Medsafe has also approved the use of medicinal psilocybin - also known as magic mushrooms - for patients with depression.

At present, melatonin is a restricted medication in New Zealand and most patients require a prescription. It is commonly used to treat insomnia or jet lag.

Patients over 55 years old can get a limited amount from a pharmacy (melatonin production reduces as a person ages).

Associate Health Minister David Seymour said today that many New Zealanders had asked why they could purchase the medication from overseas but not their local pharmacy.

“Medsafe has assessed this and decided there’s no reason why it shouldn’t be available on pharmacy shelves right here at home,” he said.

“In time, adults will be able to buy melatonin directly from a pharmacy with no prescription needed. This is a commonsense decision that will make melatonin more accessible in New Zealand than in many other countries and encourage suppliers bring more products to our shelves.”

The medication will remain prescription-only for children and adolescents, after clinical advice that greater oversight was needed in younger patients.

Melatonin can sometimes be prescribed to children with neurodevelopment disorders who struggle to get to sleep and have not responded to other treatments.

Melatonin is a hormone produced in the brain which helps regulate the body’s sleep cycle, and can be taken as a supplement.

New Zealanders who use it regularly pay around $30 a month to renew their prescriptions.

Some have resorted to ordering melatonin from overseas websites based in countries where it is more readily available.

That is not always successful because it can be seized by Customs.

Seymour also announced today that Medsafe had approved medicinal psilocybin outside of clinical trials for the first time.

Psilocybin - a psychedelic compound found in mushrooms - was still an unapproved medicine, but could now be prescribed by a experienced psychiatrist for patients with treatment-resistant depression.

Isaac Davison is a senior reporter who covers Auckland issues. He joined the Herald in 2008 and has previously covered the environment, politics, social issues, and healthcare.