Nevada lawmakers, who recently spoke at the Psychedelic Policy Summit in Las Vegas, are confident that Nevada could move forward with the legalization of therapeutic uses for these substances this year.
Max E. Carter II, an Assemblymember from the Democratic Party, said that he has seen a growing appetite among lawmakers across all political stripes in California for reforms involving psychedelics. “From the oldest, crankiest conservatives to the youngest legislators, young faces walking into the legislature,” he added.
“We have a unique opportunity to create change.” Carter said that Gov. Joe Lombardo is a “veteran” in the Governor’s Mansion, who at least wants to listen. Joe Lombardo, (R). We’ve built a coalition of diverse people, and I can see that so many want to be involved. “I’ve had so many of both my House colleagues interested now.”
Carter was on a discussion panel with Sen. Rochelle (D), hosted by Nevada Coalition for Psychedelic Medicines. The two lawmakers are members of a state Psychedelic Medicines Working Group, which in December released a report urging the legislature to establish a regulated program to access psychedelic assisted therapy.
Though the task force also recommended reducing or eliminating criminal penalties for psychedelics more broadly, the two lawmakers said that for now they plan to pursue legalization for medical use only—an effort to gain more bipartisan support.
Carter explained that the lessons learned by talking with legislators from both parties were the same. We should first focus on medical issues, but if public opinion wants to see decriminalization then we will go further.
Nguyen confirmed that, while bills relating to psychedelics are not yet in the official legislative process, proposals should be introduced soon.
She said that there could be other bills, but that she and Assemblymember Carter had bills in the works that would start both chambers and tackle different issues.
Nguyen explained that “the easiest and fastest route would be having the federal governments deschedule or decriminalize these, or both” “I believe there is bipartisan support to achieve this.”
One option, she said, is to “have a letter that’s directed to the federal government that says, ‘Our entire state, the state of Nevada, wants you to address this, and we want you to address this now.”
In 2023, Nguyen sponsored legislation that would have legalized psilocybin and promoted further research into the drug, as well as encouraged studies of MDMA—but the was significantly scaled back in a Senate committee to examine the use of entheogens “in medicinal, therapeutic, and improved wellness” and develop a future plan for regulated access. This was the basis for the creation of the State Psychedelics Working Group.
A lobbyist who works for the Nevada Coalition for Psychedelic Medicines, Annette Magnus, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal late last year that the organization is hoping to see lawmakers introduce two bills: one to reduce penalties for psilocybin possession and another to authorize a psychedelic-assisted pilot program. She said that both bills were “still in the very early stages of brainstorming.”
Nguyen stated at the summit that cost is one obstacle to Nevada reform during this session. She noted Lombardo sent legislators an earlier budget proposal which had a structural debt of $335,000,000.
She added, “Money’s going to get tight. We need to watch it carefully.” I think this is a reality that all of us should be conscious of.
One thing that citizens can do, Nguyen added, is share their personal stories with lawmakers—an approach others on the panel echoed.
“I can walk into a legislator’s office and talk about policy,” said Diane Goldstein, a retired California police lieutenant who currently serves as executive director of the Law Enforcement Action Partnership (LEAP), “but it’s always more impactful when I have someone with a personal story of how their life was changed by psychedelic medicines or plant-based medicines.”
Carter, who has been in office since the year 2022, stated that, “the average citizen doesn’t realize how important it is for lawmakers to hear from their constituents, and just how much they are heard.”
Carter also shared his own experiences with psychedelic therapy, noting that he underwent ketamine treatment to help manage depression, PTSD and generalized anxiety disorder after the unexpected death of his wife—who herself previously experienced PTSD after being shot during a robbery.
He said that the experience “ripped my life apart” and explained that it was only “after about a month’s worth of intensive ketamine treatments” when his psychiatrist felt he could return to the Legislature.
Carter believes the Task Force was successful. He said some felt that the group was formed to slow the reform process.
He said that the group “created a foundation” for the current situation.
The assemblymember stated, “I believe that this is not only the right thing to be doing but we have the opportunity to bring it to Nevada and move the national dialogue forward.”
Nguyen reiterated the need for federal reform in response to the question of how Nevada can keep the treatment affordable and available if it legalizes the use of psychedelics-assisted therapies.
“That’s why it’s still important to also advocate to our federal delegation—not just, like, these state initiatives that are taking the lead on some of these things, but we have to do that in combination,” she said. “An insurer will not pay for something that’s illegal at the federal level.” That’s the truth of it.
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An expert testified to a panel of legislators last year about the therapeutic value of drugs like psilocybin. Law enforcement representatives also shared their concerns around legalization—but there was notable acknowledgement that some reforms should be enacted, including possible rescheduling.
In December, meanwhile, bipartisan lawmakers in Congress celebrated news that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will be funding a study to explore the efficacy of MDMA-assisted therapy for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD).
Rachel Yehuda is the director of mental healthcare at VA James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center. She recently praised a study that was funded by VA and produced “stunning results”.
The Food and Drug Administration has been criticized by advocates and researchers for denying a request to approve MDMA assisted therapy as PTSD treatment based on a separate study.
Just one day before FDA declined to approve a new drug application for MDMA-assisted therapy, Yehuda said she’s been asked how that decision might affect the department’s own work. She said the answer is: “Double down on the research. The data must be generated and new cases created. It is a challenge. But I am optimistic.”
Bipartisan lawmakers separately staged an event at the U.S. Capitol calling for the MDMA approval by FDA, and they also launched an art installation memorializing military veterans who died by suicide.
Separately, advocates in support of expanding access to psychedelic-assisted therapy for America’s military veterans released an informational guidebook in October that backers say “responds to the demand for alternative treatment solutions and equips veterans with practical, clinically-backed strategies to safely explore these therapies.”
JDVance, the Vice President, said that he had been “fascinated by” the therapeutic potential offered by psychedelics. He asked Joe Rogan, a podcaster, for his advice about a “pathway” to provide access to drugs such as MDMA or psilocybin, for veterans suffering from serious mental illnesses.
At the state level, meanwhile, a newly formed psychedelics task force in Maryland held its initial meetings in November, beginning work on what will eventually become a report to lawmakers on how to reform the state’s laws on substances such as psilocybin, DMT and mescaline. The task force legislation advanced about two years after a different law took effect creating a state fund to provide “cost-free” access to psychedelics like psilocybin, MDMA and ketamine for military veterans suffering from PTSD and traumatic brain injury.
In Georgia, a Senate study committee recently recommending that the state earmark as much as $5 million to fund research into how psychedelic substances such as MDMA and psilocybin might be used to treat PTSD.
As for marijuana in Nevada, the state Supreme Court ruled in August to allow the state Board of Pharmacy to continue classifying marijuana as a Schedule I drug under state law, despite the fact that cannabis is legal there for medical and recreational purposes.
State officials also recently adopted a rule a rule change that will protect athletes like boxers and MMA fighters from being penalized for using or possessing marijuana in compliance with state law.
RFK Says He’ll ‘Defer’ To DEA On Marijuana Rescheduling As Trump’s Health Secretary, While Dodging Questions On Legalization Support
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