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Category: Decriminalization

Vermont Lawmakers File Several Bills To Legalize Psychedelics, Other Drugs

March 16, 2023 Published by

Lawmakers in Vermont have introduced several bills aimed at making sweeping changes to the state’s drug laws. 

The website Psychedelic Spotlight has a primer on the four separate pieces of legislation that would “decriminalize simple possession of all drugs, expand harm reduction services, remove criminal penalties for using and selling psilocybin and decriminalize certain psychedelic plants and fungi.”

In the case of bill H.423, lawmakers are seeking a monumental reform. The measure, which has a companion bill in the Vermont state Senate, would decriminalize all drugs.

The text of the bill reads: “This bill proposes to change the penalties for possession of a personal use supply of drugs from a misdemeanor or low-level felony to a civil offense subject to a $50.00 penalty. A person cited for such an offense may avoid paying the penalty by agreeing to participate in a screening for substance use disorder treatment and related services. The bill would also establish the Drug Use Standards Advisory Board for the purpose of determining the benchmark personal use dosage and the benchmark personal use supply for regulated drugs with a goal of preventing and reducing the criminalization of personal drug use. Individuals previously arrested for or convicted of possession of a regulated drug in an amount under the benchmark personal use supply amount would also be eligible for immediate sealing of criminal history records. Additionally, to prevent overdose, the bill would also authorize the operation of drug-checking programs to allow individuals to obtain analysis of a regulated drug previously obtained by an individual for purposes of determining the chemical composition of the substance and identifying chemical contaminants. The bill would establish a pilot project to support the development and operation of such programs.”

According to Psychedelic Spotlight, “nearly a third” of Vermont’s House of Representatives has sponsored that bill. 

Two other bills, one filed in the House and the other in the Senate, specifically address psilocybin mushrooms. 

The bill H.439, sponsored by a handful of House members, would “decriminalize some chemical compounds found in plants and fungi that are commonly used for medicinal, spiritual, religious, or entheogenic purposes.” 

S.114, introduced in the state Senate, would go even further. That measure would remove “criminal penalties for possessing, dispensing, or selling psilocybin,” while also establishing the Psychedelic Therapy Advisory Working Group.

The group would “examine the use of psychedelics to improve physical and mental health and to make recommendations regarding the establishment of a State program similar to Connecticut, Colorado, or Oregon to permit health care providers to administer psychedelics in a therapeutic setting,” according to the text of the legislation.

As that bill referenced, other states have already changed their laws around psychedelic substances such as mushrooms––and more are sure to follow. 

Earlier this month, lawmakers in Nevada introduced a bill that would open the door for research into psilocybin and MDMA.

Specifically, that measure would set up “procedures for a research facility to obtain the approval of the Department of Health and Human Services to conduct certain studies involving certain controlled substances; decriminalizing certain conduct by persons who are 18 years of age or older involving psilocybin and MDMA if conducted in connection with and within the scope of an approved study; decriminalizing certain conduct by persons who are 18 years of age or older involving 4 ounces or less of fungi that produces psilocybin or psilocin; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.”

But advocates in Vermont may want to temper their expectations. As Psychedelic Spotlight noted, the state’s Republican governor, Phil Scott, “famously vetoed two more restrained drug policy reforms last year, so who knows what he’ll do with this month’s proposals.”

The post Vermont Lawmakers File Several Bills To Legalize Psychedelics, Other Drugs appeared first on High Times.

Texas Committee Unanimously Votes to Pass Decriminalization Bill

March 14, 2023 Published by

Last week, the Texas House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee voted 9-0 to pass a bill that would decriminalize small amounts of cannabis. This was the first hearing for House Bill 218, which is sponsored by Rep. Joseph Moody (who is also chair of the Criminal Jurisprudence Committee) as well as Rep. Harold Dutton, Rep. Charlie Geren, Rep. Rafael Anchia, and Rep. Briscoe Cain.

“I’ve been on a journey with this one. The essence of this bill is really simple even though the language may be a little bit confusing,” Moody said at the hearing on March 7, according to the Dallas Observer. “There are tens of thousands of arrests for personal use possession in Texas annually and those cost our state hundreds of millions of dollars every single year, not to mention countless hours of law enforcement and prosecutor time. They also tag people, mostly young people, with criminal records that create life-long obstacles to jobs, education, housing and other opportunities. That’s an awful investment and an awful outcome any way you slice it.”

If passed into law, HB-281 would lessen penalties for cannabis possession. According to the bill text, a Class C misdemeanor applies to possession of one ounce or less (and wouldn’t lead to arrest), a Class B misdemeanor applies to possession of two ounces or less, but more than one ounce, and a Class A misdemeanor covers the possession of four ounces of cannabis, but more than one ounce. Moody explains that these changes will help prevent people from getting arrested for small amounts of cannabis. “House Bill 218 changes that system to right-size the penalty,” he said.

Additionally, an individual convicted of one of these misdemeanors will be required to be placed on deferred adjudication community supervision. After completing the requirements of that, their record can be expunged of the conviction.

“Basically, the person [who] is given a ticket goes to court, they’re assessed a fine, then the court tells them, ‘You’ve got six months to pay and you need to stay out of trouble during that time,’” Moody explained. “If the person does their part, the court dismisses the charges, and on a request of the individual, deletes the entire record of it.”

“The person walks away lighter in the wallet, but without any criminal record whatsoever,” Moody continued. “The only difference between this and previous versions of this bill is that it incorporates another effort that we’ve been working on side by side to create parity between leaf cannabis and concentrates. In other words, when someone has a joint or a vape pen we’re going to treat them the same, which isn’t the case under the current law.”

Advocates are optimistic that the bill will continue to progress, but it still needs to be scheduled for a hearing in the full Texas House of Representatives, followed by the Senate. Previously, similar bills such as HB-63 in 2019 and HB-441 in 2021 passed in the House but were not passed in the Senate.

There’s a lot of hope for Texas on the cannabis front. A 2022 summertime poll showed that 55% Texans support cannabis legalization, and 72% support medical cannabis. Last November, residents in five Texas cities, including Denton, San Marcos, Killeen, Elgin, and Harker Heights, voted to approve decriminalization efforts. Recently in January, the Texas Department of Public Safety announced that it is taking applications to possibly expand the number of medical cannabis dispensaries in the state. Only three medical cannabis dispensaries have been licensed over the past three years.

At the end of February, there were reports of law enforcement officers ignoring a cannabis decriminalization ordinance in the city of Denton.

The post Texas Committee Unanimously Votes to Pass Decriminalization Bill appeared first on High Times.

Hawaii Senators Pass Adult-Use Cannabis Bill

March 10, 2023 Published by

On March 7, the Hawaii Senate voted to pass an adult-use cannabis bill in a 22-3 vote. Also referred to as SB669 SD2, the bill would set up a framework for cultivation, manufacturing, sales, and taxes. It would allow residents to possess up to 30 grams, cultivate up to six plants for personal use, and also decriminalize small amounts of cannabis as well.

The bill was first introduced by Sen. Joy A. San Buenaventura, Sen. Stanley Chang, Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole, and Sen. Angus LK McKelvey on Jan. 20, and has consistently worked through numerous committee hearings. Sen. Keohokalole chairs the Senate Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, where amendments were addressed, including establishing penalties for unlicensed cultivation, protecting employers who want to prohibit employee cannabis use, preventing any cannabis business from opening within 1,000 feet of youth-related areas, and other changes to address cannabis licensing that does not allow monopolies to develop. 

“Today marks a significant step forward in the legalization of adult-use cannabis in Hawaiʻi. These amendments are reflective of the Senate’s commitment to ensuring a fair and well-regulated cannabis market that provides safe access to both adult consumers and existing medical patients,” said Keohokalole. “If legalization of adult-use cannabis is something that is supported by the Governor, we hope his administration, which has thus far opposed every proposal to legalize adult-use cannabis, will work with us to bring this to fruition.” 

After passing in the Senate with amendments, it was sent to the House for consideration on the same day.

On Jan. 11, a different adult-use cannabis bill, HB-237, was introduced by Rep. Hawaii Rep. Jeanné Kapela. This bill would establish a regulatory framework for legalization as well, but would also include language to allow out-of-state patients to benefit from medical cannabis law, and would make medical cannabis sales exempt from being charged with the general excise tax. Additionally, Kapela introduced HB-283, which would prohibit employers from discriminating against potential hires or current employees for their medical cannabis consumption. Neither HB-237 and HB-238 have progressed past hearings, which were held in late January.

A recent poll published by the Hawaii Cannabis Industry Association at the end of January found that 86% of adult Hawaiian residents are in favor of legalizing adult-use cannabis, with only 9% in opposition, and 5% saying that they don’t know. The poll also found that adult-use was slightly more popular than medical, in a 45% to 41% comparison. Overall, the state could collect up to $81.7 million in taxes and $423 million in gross revenue if cannabis legalization was passed. 

An additional report from the Dual Use Cannabis Task Force also published its findings in January, and shared that cannabis tax revenue could reach between $34 million to $53 million. 

Kapela focused on the data provided by that task force report to create the bill she introduced. “We all know, and Hawaii’s people know, that it is high time to legalize recreational cannabis use for adults in Hawaii. This year we stand on the precipice of history,” Kapela said. “Following the recommendations of a task force devoted to addressing cannabis policy, we now have a roadmap for legalizing recreational cannabis in our islands.”

Aside from the pace of support for cannabis legalization from legislators, efforts to legalize therapeutic psilocybin have also become popular. One such bill, SB-1454, was introduced in January, and unanimously passed in the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services on Feb. 6. It aims to establish regulations to create a “therapeutic psilocybin working group” to examine the medical benefits of psilocybin for conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and end-of-life psychological distress.

The post Hawaii Senators Pass Adult-Use Cannabis Bill appeared first on High Times.

Did Portugal Really Decriminalize Drugs?

March 9, 2023 Published by

Did Portugal really decriminalize drugs? This seems like an obvious answer. In 2001, the European country decriminalized drugs. While possession and use were (and still are) technically illegal, the authorities treat it as a public health issue rather than a criminal offence. The success of this program has prompted other jurisdictions, such as British Columbia, to try their hand at decriminalization. However, there are substantial differences between the two. Whereas Portugal has over sixty therapeutic communities designed to eliminate addictive […]

The post Did Portugal Really Decriminalize Drugs? appeared first on Cannabis | Weed | Marijuana | News.

Health Canada Approves Cocaine Production?

March 3, 2023 Published by

Has Health Canada approved a B.C.-based cannabis company to produce cocaine? Adastra Labs released a statement saying Health Canada granted them a “Dealer’s Licence” that allows them to possess, produce, sell and distribute 250 grams of cocaine. The company can legally import coca leaves to manufacture and synthesize the substance locally. Additionally, the Dealer’s License grants Adastra the right to possess, produce, sell and distribute up to 1,000 grams of psilocybin mushrooms. “Harm reduction is a critically important and mainstream […]

The post Health Canada Approves Cocaine Production? appeared first on Cannabis | Weed | Marijuana | News.

Michigan City Decriminalizes Psilocybin, Other Psychedelics

March 3, 2023 Published by

City leaders in Ferndale, Michigan voted this week to decriminalize psilocybin mushrooms and other natural psychedelics, making the city in the Detroit metropolitan area the fourth municipality in the state to reform laws prohibiting the promising drugs. The Ferndale City Council voted unanimously on February 27 to approve a resolution decriminalizing entheogenic plants and fungi including psilocybin mushrooms, ayahuasca, and dimethyltryptamine (DMT), all of which are psychedelics that show promise as treatments for a variety of mental health conditions.

The resolution passed by the city council does not legalize psychedelic drugs outright. Instead, the measure directs that the “investigation and arrest of persons for planting, cultivating, purchasing, transporting, distributing, engaging in practices with, or possessing Entheogenic Plants or plant compounds which are on the Federal Schedule 1 list shall be the lowest law enforcement priority for the City of Ferndale,” according to the text of the resolution.

The city council resolution was sponsored by Mayor Pro Tem Kat Bruner James. The measure was supported by Decriminalize Nature, a national organization working to reform psychedelics policies from coast to coast, and the Ferndale chapter of the activist group. 

“The Ferndale community continues to demonstrate mindfulness and integrity as we move towards collective well-being and community healing in allyship with nature and her medicines,” Decriminalize Nature Ferndale wrote in a social media post after the city council passed the resolution. “We are grateful for all the community support and to Ferndale City Council for passing the resolution to decriminalize entheogenic plants and fungi.”

Psychedelics As Plant Medicines

The two-page resolution includes findings from the city council recognizing that natural psychedelics have been used as plant medicines by humankind for thousands of years. The measure also notes that research has shown that the use of psychedelics can be beneficial to the health and well-being of communities and individuals.

“The use of Entheogenic Plants, which can catalyze profound experiences of personal and spiritual growth, have been shown by scientific and clinical studies and traditional practices to be beneficial to the health and well-being of individuals and communities,” the resolution reads.

After Monday’s vote, psychologist Billy Horton, the co-chair of Decriminalize Nature Ferndale, thanked the city council for the members’ unanimous support of the psychedelics decriminalization ordinance. The activist added that the group would continue to educate the public on the safe use of plant medicines.

“I just want to continue to emphasize the importance of psychedelic and entheogenic plants and the work that’s going on, the research and the science that’s supporting it for psychological and for physical wellness,” he told the council in a statement quoted by the Detroit Metro Times.

Ongoing research has shown that psilocybin has the potential to be an effective treatment for several serious mental health conditions, including PTSD, major depressive disorder, anxiety, and substance misuse disorders.

A study published in 2020 in the peer-reviewed journal JAMA Psychiatry found that psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy was a quick-acting and effective treatment for a group of 24 participants with major depressive disorder. And separate research published in 2016 determined that psilocybin treatment produced substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer.

This week’s approval of the psychedelics decriminalization measure in Ferndale marks the fourth time a Michigan city has decriminalized natural psychedelic drugs. Ann Arbor became the third city nationwide to decriminalize psychedelics with the city council’s adoption of a resolution in September 2020. That was followed by a similar move in Detroit in November 2021, while Hazel Park approved a measure last year. After Monday’s vote in Ferndale, the national headquarters of Decrimalize Nature took to social media to mark the occasion.

“Congrats again to the @decrimferndale team for all of their hard work and effort to pass the resolution in support of entheogenic plant practices in Ferndale Michigan last night,” the group wrote on Instagram. “That’s 4 wins in Michigan so far! Let’s get some statewide decriminalization legislation on the table!!! Go team Nature!”

The post Michigan City Decriminalizes Psilocybin, Other Psychedelics appeared first on High Times.

Texas Police Ignore Local Decriminalization Ordinance in Spite of Voter Approval

February 24, 2023 Published by

Tension is building in a small Texas city between police, advocates, and elected officials. In Denton, Texas, police—sworn to protect and serve—are allegedly ignoring the will of the people, continuing citations and arrests despite a cannabis decriminalization measure that was approved last year.

NBC DFW reports that a “battle is brewing” in the city over who controls the way cannabis laws are enforced. 

According to a special presentation with a three-month report by Denton City Manager Sara Hensley at a City Council session on Tuesday, police in the city aren’t abiding by the voter-approved decriminalization measure passed last November, and are citing and arresting people for low-level cannabis possession anyways. She also provided an explanation.

During the Midterm elections on Nov. 5, 2022, voters in Denton approved Proposition B with over 70% of the vote to decriminalize possession of four ounces or less of cannabis, with some exceptions. It also bans police from using the smell test for probable cause and restricts city money from being used on THC drug testing. Proposition B became effective Nov. 22, once canvassing the election was completed. 

According to the City Manager, the City of Denton Police Department are acting as though the proposition never passed and are still arresting and citing people for low-level cannabis possession. Hensley explained that state and federal laws supersede city law, and that the police are sworn in by the state.

Denton City Councilmembers Vicki Byrd and Brandon Chase McGee asked why the law isn’t being observed. Councilmember Byrd asked, “Can you explain to the people at home how someone nobody elected such as yourself, is empowered to create public policy even after 32,000 voters provided a directive otherwise?” Mayor Pro Tem Brian Beck also chimed in, asking similar questions.

The City Manager responded by saying that the police are sworn in to the state and therefore the city law cannot override Texas law.

Considering the work that Decriminalize Denton put into getting Proposition B on the ballot and spreading awareness is like a slap in the face for cannabis advocates in the area.

“By continuing to cite and arrest for misdemeanor-quantity cannabis and paraphernalia possession after an overwhelming majority of Denton voters passed an ordinance banning the practice, Denton’s Police Department and City Management are staging an authoritarian insurrection against the voters and taxpayers who pay their salaries,” Deb Armintor, a representative of Decriminalize Denton told High Times in an statement.

“These publicly funded insurrectionists are joined by disgraced councilmembers Jesse Davis, Chris Watts, and Mayor Gerard Hudspeth, who have chosen to support these power-abusing bureaucrats instead of the people they’re elected to serve.

“It would mean the world to us here in Denton if our allies nationwide took a moment to email these councilors and bureaucrats to let them know the world is watching and they’re on the wrong side of History.”

The Denton Police Department provided a statement when Proposition B was implemented last November.

“As a forward-thinking agency, marijuana possession alone has not been a priority for the Denton Police Department for several years,” said Denton Police Chief Doug Shoemaker. “This will continue to be the case. With that said, officers must maintain discretion to be able to keep our community safe from harm. When marijuana possession pairs with other crimes that affect public safety, including offenses such as driving while intoxicated or firearms violations, such acts cannot and will not be ignored.”

But the Denton Police Department added this to the press release:

“The Police Department will continue to assess aspects of this ordinance, as passed by voters, to determine what may be implemented in accordance with both the current law as well as the voices of the population we serve.”

Between June 2021 and July 2022, of the 65 arrests that the Denton Police Department made for cannabis possession under four ounces. But keep in mind that 15 of these charges accompanied other charges unrelated to cannabis, and weapons were involved in 31.

Denton joined San Marcos, Killeen, Elgin and Harker Heights in Texas, to overwhelmingly approve local ballot propositions to decriminalize low-level possession, after Austin decriminalized cannabis earlier. In other cities, there doesn’t appear to be a problem implementing those measures.

How police continue to enforce laws in the city remains up for debate.

The post Texas Police Ignore Local Decriminalization Ordinance in Spite of Voter Approval appeared first on High Times.

Kansas Lawmaker Introduces Cannabis Amnesty Bill

February 14, 2023 Published by

A Kansas state lawmaker last week introduced a cannabis amnesty bill that would effectively decriminalize marijuana in the Sunflower State. The measure, House Bill 2363, was introduced in the state legislature by Democratic House Minority Leader Representative Vic Miller on February 8.

Miller’s bill, which already has the support of 34 co-sponsors, would release all persons currently incarcerated for a marijuana-related crime and allow for the expungement of convictions and arrest records for past cannabis-related offenses. The bill also directs state officials to purge information related to such convictions and arrests from relevant state and federal data systems. If passed, the bill would go into effect on July 1, 2023.

“It doesn’t legalize it per se, but it eliminates the serving a sentence punishment,” Miller said in a statement published by the Kansas Reflector.

The bill would effectively decriminalize marijuana in Kansas. Miller said that the bill, which has been referred to the House Corrections and Juvenile Justice Committee for its consideration, is a way to address the state legislature’s failure to make progress on legalizing cannabis in Kansas. Although an analysis of the legislation’s fiscal impact has not yet been published, he added that the bill would significantly reduce costs to prosecute marijuana offenses.

“This is sort of a backdoor way of relieving people of the penalty,” Miller said. “And in and of itself, it would save in my mind, probably tens of millions of dollars related to those prosecutions in those incarcerations.”

Medical Marijuana Bill Expected Soon in Kansas

In December, a bipartisan special committee of lawmakers wrapped up months of hearings to explore aspects of legalizing medical marijuana including regulation and taxation. At the final meeting of the committee on December 15, Republican Senator Rob Olson, the chair of the panel, said that the committee’s work would result in a new medical marijuana legalization bill for the 2023 legislative session.

“We’ll be able to have a bill out of all the stuff, all the testimonies come through here, that will be as good as any bill in the country,” Olson said. “And if this issue passes, I believe it’ll be a bill that most Kansans can be proud of.”

The Kansas House of Representatives approved a medical marijuana legalization bill in 2021, but the measure died in committee and failed to gain the approval of the state Senate. However,  Miller suggested that the eventual legalization of medical marijuana in Kansas is inevitable.

“It’s on both sides of us now in Missouri and Colorado, Oklahoma,” Miller said. “So I don’t think we should, as Kansans, be in a race for last place to do something concerning everything. And it won’t be long before we are the last to do it. I think the people of Kansas are ready.”

A limited medical marijuana legalization bill has already been unveiled for the 2023 legislative session. Under Senate Bill 171 from Democratic Senator Tom Holland, the medicinal use of cannabis would be legalized for use by military veterans only.

The bill, which was introduced in the Kansas Senate on February 7, would legalize the cultivation, distribution and sale of cannabis for use by veterans with chronic illnesses, post-traumatic stress disorder, or opioid use disorder. Under the bill, individuals currently serving in a brand of the U.S. military or who have been honorably discharged or generally discharged under honorable conditions will be eligible to apply for a medical marijuana patient identification card within 60 days of enactment of the legislation. 

The measure would also levy an excise tax on the cultivation and sale of medical marijuana and establish a regulatory committee to oversee the limited program. After its introduction, Senate Bill 171 was referred to the Senate Committee on Federal and State Affairs on February 8.

“This issue is important to all Kansans,” Holland said in a statement to local media. “States all around the country have enacted laws that allow for marijuana use, at least on a medicinal level. It’s long past due for Kansas to follow in their footsteps.”

Although he did not comment on specific legislation, Republican Representative Eric Smith, vice chair of the House Corrections and Juvenile Justice Committee, said that proposals to legalize medical marijuana need to be developed more thoughtfully. 

“I don’t support the present way in which they’re trying to pass marijuana for use in medical situations,” Smith said. “I’m not against the use of THC for medical purposes. I think there is a medical need for it, but I think it needs to be done by those professionals in the medical field, not by the average dispensary run by an entrepreneur.”

The post Kansas Lawmaker Introduces Cannabis Amnesty Bill appeared first on High Times.

Can Drugs Hijack Your Brain?

February 13, 2023 Published by

With legal cannabis across Canada and drugs like fentanyl and heroin decriminalized in British Columbia, the question remains: can drugs hijack your brain? It’s an all-too-common belief among so-called “experts” and the general public. The general idea is that drugs (or food, gambling, porn, etc.) can “hijack” the brain’s dopamine pathways and essentially compel you to behave a certain way. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that plays a crucial role in the brain’s reward system. The brain releases it in response […]

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Virginia Subcommittee Approves Psilocybin Rescheduling Bill

January 31, 2023 Published by

Virginia Sen. Ghazala Hashmi’s bill, Senate Bill 932, recently passed in the Senate Education and Health Subcommittee on Jan. 25. Hashmi spoke to the subcommittee about what the bill offers, including how many psilocybin bills are being introduced across the country, and the importance of allowing psilocybin for patients.

“Mr. Chairman, this is SB-932 which addresses the issue of helping our community members who are in need of medication to address PTSD and depression issues but the other medications are not really assisting them and helping them to take care of their critical needs,” Hashmi said at the meeting. “Last year I had introduced a bill to decriminalize psilocybin, which has been proven to be quite effective in treating PTSD as well as depression issues, particularly among our military veterans. There’s increasingly compelling research coming out of Johns Hopkins [University], from Stanford, to demonstrate how effective the product is in the treatment of these particular concerns. There are many states that have already moved to decriminalize psilocybin and have seen good and effective results by doing so.”

The bill proposes the creation of the Virginia Psilocybin Advisory Board, which would take full responsibility in creating a “long-term strategic plan for establishing therapeutic access to psilocybin services and monitor and study federal laws, regulations, and policies regarding psilocybin.” It would also keep the advisory council accountable by setting an annual deadline of Dec. 1 each year to report to the governor and general assembly regarding “its activities and recommendations.” Finally, if passed it would reclassify psilocybin from a Schedule I to a Schedule III substance.

Additionally, the bill would direct the governor to appoint 12 members to the board, including a mycologist, a clinical researcher, and other public health and safety officials.

Currently, possession of a Schedule I substance, such as psilocybin, is a Class 5 felony that can lead to up to 10 years in prison and a $2,500 fine. Under SB-932, psilocybin would be a Class 1 misdemeanor, which can result in up to one year in prison and a $2,500 fine.

On Jan. 18, the Senate House of Justice subcommittee voted against passing House Bill 1513, a different bill that also aimed to establish a regulatory framework for psilocybin as a treatment for medical conditions such as depression or post-traumatic stress disorder. This was reintroduced by Virginia Del. Dawn Adams after a previous iteration failed in 2022.

Psilocybin legislation really took off in 2022, and that momentum is continuing into 2023. 

California Sen. Scott Wiener introduced legislation to decriminalize psilocybin and other plant-based psychedelics with Senate Bill 58 in late December, which did not pass. In Connecticut, House Bill 5102 aims to allow psilocybin for therapeutic purposes. Rep. La Shawn Ford, introduced as House Bill 0001 on Jan. 12, would regulate psilocybin in Illinois. Missouri Rep. Tony Lovasco recently introduced House Bill 869 last week, an updated version of his bill from last year, which would allow psilocybin therapy. New Jersey Senate President Nicholas Scutari’s bill from 2022, Bill S2934, is being brought over into 2023 in an attempt to decriminalize psilocybin, as well as introduce expungement efforts. More bills are being introduced in Minnesota, Montana, and New York as well. Even legislators in Oregon, where two ballot measures were approved by voters to legalize psilocybin in 2020, are continuing to file new bills to fine tune and improve the state’s psilocybin law.

According to a study published by the American Medical Association in December 2022, most states will have legalized psychedelics between 2034 and 2037. “Legislative reform for psychedelic drugs has been proceeding in a rapid, patchwork fashion in the US,” the researchers stated in their conclusion. “Further consideration should be given to key health care issues such as establishing (1) standards for drugs procured outside the medical establishment, (2) licensure criteria for prescribers and therapists, (3) clinical and billing infrastructure, (4) potential contraindications, and (5) use in special populations like youths, older adults, and pregnant individuals.”

The post Virginia Subcommittee Approves Psilocybin Rescheduling Bill appeared first on High Times.