New York state lawmakers are holding a public hearing in order to explore the medicinal potential of the psilocybin component, which is the primary psychedelic ingredient of the “magic mushrooms”.
In a notice published by the Assembly Health Committee on Wednesday, Chairwoman Amy Paulin (D) noted that, while psilocybin is currently listed as a Schedule I drug, the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has designated it as a “breakthrough therapy” for major depression—indicating that “the therapy may offer improved results for such conditions over currently approved treatments.”
The 30th of September is the date for a meeting that will examine the potential regulatory and scientific aspects of novel therapies. Only the members of the committee can give an oral statement. Witnesses have yet to be announced.
In the notification, it is stated that, “Various locales have passed measures pertaining psilocybin. This includes the states of Colorado and Oregon which permit its use under supervision, citing the potential for treating certain mental disorders.” The notice states that more research is required to understand psilocybin’s potential as a treatment in New York State.
Paulin noted that “the Committee would like to hear the views of researchers, experts in medicine, and others on psilocybin’s potential medical value as well as its risks.”
In the last year of her term, she introduced a law to allow adults access to psilocybin after passing a medical screening and a training course.
Recent sessions, New York lawmakers have shown a special interest in reforming psychedelics.
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In January of this year, Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal, a Democrat, introduced legislation that would legalize certain entheogenic drugs such as psilocybin or ibogaine in the presence of adults aged 21 years and over.
The bill would amend the state statutes to legalize “the possession, use, cultivation of, production, creation of, analysis of, gifting or exchange of, or sharing between, natural persons who are at least 21 years old of hallucinogenic natural plants or fungus.”
The bill would legalize DMT, ibogaine and mescaline as “natural hallucinogens derived from plants or fungi”.
Rosenthal’s bill was filed just days before another New York legislator, Sen. Nathalia Ferrandez (D), introduced a proposal that would allow psilocybin treatment for certain patients.
In this proposal, an individual could be treated by a facilitator certified in the field of psilocybin, either at a clinic or, if unable to leave their house, from home. Both patients and facilitators are protected from state prosecution.
Fernandez also filed an earlier version of the bill last session, but it did not move out of committee either. The latest version has only minor changes in terms of technical content.
Bicameral New York lawmakers said at a briefing last year that there was a “real chance” that legislation to legalize psilocybin-assisted therapy would advance through committee, emphasizing that delaying action would “neglect” many “people who need help” with certain mental health conditions. This didn’t happen, though.
“We’re in a mental health crisis, and so we need every tool that’s available to us,” Assemblymember Pat Burke (D), who sponsored another bill to create a psilocybin therapy pilot program for 10,000 people, said. The Assemblymember added, “We’re here today to end the drug war.”
Dick Culbert provided the photo.
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