{"id":52236,"date":"2022-01-11T11:03:35","date_gmt":"2022-01-11T19:03:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/2022\/01\/11\/global-coalition-launches-push-to-reschedule-psilocybin-under-international-rules\/"},"modified":"2022-01-11T13:45:37","modified_gmt":"2022-01-11T21:45:37","slug":"global-coalition-launches-push-to-reschedule-psilocybin-under-international-rules","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/2022\/01\/11\/global-coalition-launches-push-to-reschedule-psilocybin-under-international-rules\/","title":{"rendered":"Global Coalition Launches Push To Reschedule Psilocybin Under International Rules"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

A new global coalition announced a new campaign on Tuesday to get psilocybin mushrooms internationally rescheduled.<\/p>\n

As the psychedelics reform movement continues to expand domestically in the U.S., the International Therapeutic Psilocybin Rescheduling Initiative (ITPRI) is seeking a worldwide policy change in order to facilitate research into the therapeutic potential of the substance.<\/p>\n

Partners of the coalition include the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), Beckley Foundation, Mind Medicine Australia, Drug Science and Open Foundation.<\/p>\n

The initiative focuses on international drug scheduling under the United Nations\u2019s 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances, which currently places psilocybin in the most tightly restricted, Schedule I category, which is supposed to be reserved for drugs\u00a0 that constitute \u201can especially serious risk\u201d and have \u201climited\u201d therapeutic uses.<\/p>\n

Advocates say that psilocybin fits neither of those criteria.<\/p>\n

\n

Global coalition launches initiative to reschedule psilocybin under UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances. Proud to acknowledge partners & advisory board @MAPS<\/a> @RickDoblin<\/a> @BeckleyResearch<\/a> @Drug_Science<\/a> @MindMedicineAU<\/a> @ACNIERIKA<\/a> @OPEN_fndn<\/a> @b_neuro<\/a> @ScottLeckie<\/a> @WKScholten<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/aOJXp1xDbG<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 reschedulepsilocybin.org (ITPRI) (@ItpriOrg) January 11, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n

Schedule I drugs like psilocybin are \u201csubject to strict limits on their scientific and medical use,\u201d the coalition said in a press release. \u201cSchedule I licensing, safe custody, security, manufacturing, quantity, and import\/export restrictions result in a level of regulatory control and oversight that is drastically more onerous than for the Convention\u2019s other three schedules.\u201d<\/p>\n

Consequently, researchers interested in studying the controlled substance \u201cface numerous regulatory hurdles which add significantly to the cost, complexity, and duration of research and can negatively impact ethical approvals, funding and collaboration.\u201d<\/p>\n

To reschedule psilocybin under international policy, the coalition<\/a> says as a first step it will be engaging with member nations who are part of the treaty to initiate a formal review of the benefits and risks of the psychedelic. Only one country would need to request the review from UN\u2019s World Health Organization (WHO) to get the process started.<\/p>\n

\u201cGiven today\u2019s scientific understanding of psilocybin\u2019s high potential therapeutic value and low risk of dependence, a change of its status as a Schedule I drug is long overdue,\u201d Christopher Koddermann, ITPRI co-founder and chair of the Board of Directors, said in a press release.<\/p>\n

After the procedure is initiated either by a member nation or WHO itself, the international body\u2019s Executive Committee on Drug Dependency (ECDD) would then launch a critical review into the matter and provide recommendations on a possible policy change. If the review results in a recommendation for rescheduling, two-thirds of signatory countries to the treaty would need to approve it.<\/p>\n

There are about a dozen countries that ITPRI<\/a> has identified as possible carriers of a rescheduling petition for psilocybin, Koddermann told Marijuana Moment. Canada is one of the top targets, as the country has already taken steps to loosen restrictions on the entheogen in certain therapeutic settings<\/a>. It\u2019s also legalized marijuana nationwide in defiance of international treaties.<\/p>\n

\u201cRescheduling procedures under the 1971 Convention offer a potentially game-changing opportunity to advance further research and accelerate the approval of treatments for patients,\u201d Willem Scholten, ITPRI Advisory Board member and former secretary to the WHO ECDD, said<\/a>.<\/p>\n

David Nutt, head of Imperial College London\u2019s Centre for Psychedelic Research and founder of ITPRI partner Drug Science added that the current international scheduling of psilocybin \u201chas severely limited\u2014and continues to limit\u2014neuroscience research and the development of treatments for patients.\u201d<\/p>\n

Separately, WHO also recently decided against recommending<\/a> that kratom\u2014a plant touted for its pain relieving qualities\u2014be internationally banned following a scientific review.<\/p>\n

Prior to the decision, there were some concerns that WHO\u2019s ECDD would take steps to either urge international control over kratom or recommend a critical review that could have ultimately led to scheduling following another year-long inquiry.<\/p>\n

Also, UN\u2019s Commission on Narcotic Drugs approved a WHO recommendation<\/a> in 2020 to remove marijuana from the most restrictive global scheduling category.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, back in the U.S., a\u00a0former Republican congressman has joined the board of a psychedelics advocacy group<\/a> working to reform federal policies around entheogenic plants and fungi like psilocybin.<\/p>\n

While Congress has yet to end marijuana prohibition, psychedelics reform is also gradually gaining attention in the nation\u2019s capital.<\/p>\n

For example, a congressman recently started asking his fellow lawmakers to join him in requesting that the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)\u00a0allow terminally ill patients to use psilocybin<\/a>\u00a0as an investigational treatment without the fear of federal prosecution.<\/p>\n

A Dear Colleague letter that\u2019s being circulated by Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) notes that there are state and federal right-to-try (RTT) laws that should make it so certain patients can obtain the psychedelic given that it\u2019s shown early potential in ongoing clinical trials.<\/p>\n

Yet DEA has denied access,\u00a0resulting in a lawsuit that was filed last March<\/a>\u00a0by a Washington State doctor who sought federal guidance to treat terminal patients with psilocybin mushrooms and was told there wasn\u2019t a legal avenue for him to do so.<\/p>\n

The lawsuit against DEA is currently before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which heard oral arguments in the case in September. Washington State\u2019s attorney general\u2019s office\u00a0joined the plaintiffs in support of psilocybin access<\/a>. DEA argued that the court should dismiss the suit because it lacked jurisdiction.<\/p>\n

Blumenauer separately told Marijuana Moment last month that he\u2019s \u201cexcited\u201d about advancements in psychedelics research, as well as the implementation of a psilocybin therapy program that\u2019s being set up in his home state of Oregon,\u00a0where voters approved the historic reform<\/a>\u00a0during last year\u2019s election.<\/p>\n

Republican lawmakers in the House and Senate also introduced legislation late last month that would make it\u00a0easier for scientists to research Schedule I drugs<\/a>\u00a0like marijuana and psilocybin.<\/p>\n

\u2014
\nMarijuana Moment is already tracking more than 900 cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills<\/a> in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters<\/a> pledging at least $25\/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don\u2019t miss any developments.<\/strong>
\n\"\"<\/a>
\nLearn more about our marijuana bill tracker<\/a> and become a supporter on Patreon<\/a> to get access.
\n\u2014<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

DEA has repeatedly proposed significant increases<\/a>\u00a0in the production of marijuana, psilocybin and other psychedelics for research purposes, with the intent of aiding in the development of new federally approved therapeutic medications.<\/p>\n

NIDA Director Nora Volkow told Marijuana Moment in a recent interview that she was encouraged by DEA\u2019s prior proposed increase in drug production quota. She also said that studies demonstrating the therapeutic benefits of psychedelics could be\u00a0leading more people to experiment with substances like psilocybin<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n

Florida Marijuana Activists Pivot To 2024 For Legalization Ballot Initiative<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n

The post Global Coalition Launches Push To Reschedule Psilocybin Under International Rules<\/a> appeared first on Marijuana Moment<\/a>.<\/p>\n


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\nRead More: Global Coalition Launches Push To Reschedule Psilocybin Under International Rules<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A new global coalition announced a new campaign on Tuesday to get psilocybin mushrooms internationally rescheduled. As the psychedelics reform movement continues to expand domestically in the U.S., the International Therapeutic Psilocybin Rescheduling Initiative (ITPRI) is seeking a worldwide policy change in order to facilitate research into the therapeutic potentialContinue Reading<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":458,"featured_media":52237,"comment_status":"false","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[18,81],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52236"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/458"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=52236"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52236\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":52238,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52236\/revisions\/52238"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/52237"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=52236"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=52236"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=52236"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}