Missouri House Advances Therapeutic Psilocybin Legalization And Research Bill

Cannabis News World

Mar 30

Missouri House Advances Therapeutic Psilocybin Legalization And Research Bill
MJmooment

The Missouri House is one step closer to passing a bill that would legalize psilocybin therapy for certain patients while promoting research into the psychedelic and expanding the scope of the state's existing "Right to Try" law for seriously ill people. The bill from Rep. Dan Houx (R) has moved through several committees, and now the full chamber has given initial approval to an amended version on Wednesday—setting the stage for final passage, potentially next week. Houx said on the floor ahead of the vote that psilocybin is "a natural substance that is helping our veterans throughout the state and throughout the country—actually around the world." As introduced, the legislation focused on authorizing research into psilocybin, MDMA and ketamine. The sponsor's proposed revision struck specific language on those latter two substances, but it also significantly expands the scope of the bill in other respects—including by providing more comprehensive legal protections for people who use, possess, cultivate and administer psilocybin for certain therapeutic purposes. There are a series of conditions for the legal protection from local or state prosecution. For example, the person receiving psilocybin treatment would need to be 21 and have a diagnosis for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depressive disorder, substance use disorder or need end-of-life care. The protection would apply to people who are enrolled in a clinical trial involving the psychedelic or who tried to join such a study but were denied "due to lack of space or lack of existing clinical trials." There are also numerous requirements on providing the state Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) with information about their diagnosis, the person who would be administering psilocybin and other details on the place and time of the treatment sessions. Psilocybin could only be administered over a maximum of a one-year period, with…