Michigan Democratic lawmakers have proposed legislation which would allow adults who suffer from PTSD to be exempted from laws prohibiting the possession, cultivation, and use of psilocybin, psilocin and other psychedelic substances.
HB 4686 by Rep. Mike McFall with six co-sponsors would allow people diagnosed to use and cultivate psychedelic substances for personal purposes. The bill is only two pages long and does not establish a legal system for the use of psychedelics or alter the current status.
McFall spoke at a media conference Wednesday to discuss the new measure. “It will help protect veterans suffering from PTSD and allow them to use their medications without worrying about unnecessary legal risk that they currently face.”
“Our knowledge of medicine constantly evolves, and over the past decade there’s been a shift towards treating PTSD using psychedelics,” he explained. Preliminary studies suggest that psilocybin can have life-altering effects long after the treatment.
Michael G. Smith Jr. appeared with McFall, a former U.S. Army Sergeant. He said he had “more success in mitigating my PTSD symptoms by microdosing psilocybin rather than all of the talk therapy provided by the VA Healthcare System,” and that he tried “all of their available therapies” at the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Smith, a veteran who suffers from PTSD said: “As a vet with PTSD I’m encouraged by the efforts of the legislature to decriminalize psilocybin as it has clinically been proven to alleviate and mitigate the symptoms associated with PTSD.” The vast number of studies conducted over the last 25 years have shown that PTSD is linked to cardiovascular diseases such as coronary vascular disorders, atrial flutter and atrial fibrillation. This means that there’s a huge opportunity to stop veterans developing heart disease by treating them with psilocybin.
A press release from McFall notes that VA “has started research on veterans and treating their PTSD with psychedelics, including psilocybin,” and, citing the advocacy group Heroic Hearts Project, says that 80 percent of veterans experienced improvements in PTSD symptoms after a single psilocybin session.
The bill, which was introduced on Wednesday and sent to the House Committee on Families and Veterans for consideration, has now been officially referred.
Last year, Michigan lawmakers sent a letter to Congress, the U.S. Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) urging them to prioritize research and investment in psychedelics and other “non-technology treatment options” to address psychological trauma from military service.
In Michigan, several cities have adopted local decriminalization laws.
In Michigan, the state has a separate law. The second is: Recently, in the State of Washington, the news broke about marijuana and Bigfoot.
Previously, an alleged Bigfoot sighting in Monroe County last month sparked some creativity within the marijuana community when, earlier this month, the dispensary Uniq Cannabis started offering a free pre-roll to anyone who brought in photographic proof of the mythological creature.
A Sasquatch sculpture outside of the Menominee retailer Higher Love has been the subject of controversy. The exhibit became a talking point at the city planning commission’s meeting this month, where certain community members argued that the faux beast could attract the attention of youth—with one resident advising the panel to “think about what mascots they see in our community and how they are impacting children.”
Meanwhile, state officials earlier this year announced that the disbursement of nearly $100 million in marijuana tax revenue to over 300 cities and tribes across the state thanks to the state’s adult-use legalization law. This is part of $331 million that Michigan distributes across different initiatives.
State Treasury Department stated that the tax dollars would be used to support local education, infrastructure and other services.
He is not concerned about potential Senate opposition.
Picture courtesy Wikimedia/MushroomObserver.