Lawmakers in Vermont have passed legislation to create a psychedelic-assisted therapy working group that would make recommendations on whether and how the state should regulate legal access to substances like psilocybin and MDMA. The measure next heads to the desk of Gov. Phil Scott (R).<\/p>\n
The Senate approved revised language of the bill, S.114, on a voice vote Friday, signing off on changes made in the House of Representatives.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe believe that what we have before us will continue the intent of what we passed as a Senate,\u201d said Sen. Ginny Lyons (D), chair of the Senate Health and Welfare Committee, which considered the House changes at a hearing earlier in the day. \u201cWe ask the rest of the Senate to concur with the proposal from the House.\u201d<\/p>\n
In its current form, the proposal would not itself change the legal status of any substances. Rather, the eight-person task force would \u201creview the latest research and evidence of the public health benefits and risks of clinical psychedelic assisted treatments\u201d and \u201cexamine the laws and programs of other states that have authorized the use of psychedelics by health care providers in a therapeutic setting,\u201d according to the latest version of the measure.<\/p>\n
Both MDMA and psilocybin have been granted breakthrough therapy status by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and\u00a0recent clinical trials have MDMA on pace for possible FDA approval later this year<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n Senators had passed an earlier version of the legislation in March<\/a>, and\u00a0the latest revisions came as the measure advanced out of a House committee<\/a> with a striking amendment from Rep. Anne Donahue (R).<\/p>\n Those changes removed an earlier provision directing the task force to provide an opportunity \u201cfor individuals with lived experience to provide testimony.\u201d<\/p>\n The amendment also removed task force members representing the Psychedelic Society of Vermont and the Brattleboro Retreat, a psychiatric and addiction hospital. It replaced them with representatives from the state Department of Mental Health and the nonprofit Vermont Medical Society.<\/p>\n The amendment also deleted a provision that would have directed the working group to evaluate the criminalization of psychedelics in Vermont as well as a line that said the task force would \u201cprovide potential timelines for universal and equitable access to psychedelic-assisted treatments.\u201d<\/p>\n During brief discussion Friday morning in the Senate Health and Welfare Committee, some members said they were disappointed with some of the House amendments but nevertheless supported the bill<\/a> moving forward.<\/p>\n \u201cPersonally, I\u2019m very disappointed that they took out the conversation about decriminalization,\u201d said Sen. Martine Larocque Gulick (D), a committee member and the sponsor of the bill. \u201cI mean, this is literally a group that\u2019s just going to be talking and looking at data and researching.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t believe that they won\u2019t look at that, senator,\u201d Lyons replied. \u201cThe research will probably get into that.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s too bad that we can\u2019t have it explicitly in the bill,\u201d Gulick responded, \u201cbut I am willing to acquiesce at this point. It\u2019s the eleventh hour.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s what happens,\u201d Lyons said.<\/p>\n Lyons also explained that some had criticized the provision about hearing testimony from someone with lived experience because, as she put it, \u201cThe comment was that one person with lived experience wouldn\u2019t be informative enough.\u201d<\/p>\n Lyons lightly ribbed House lawmakers ahead of the panel\u2019s adoption of the latest changes.<\/p>\n \u201cAll those in favor of concurring with the proposal from the House the day it was supposed to adjourn?\u201d she asked before closing the hearing, prompting laughter among the other panel members.<\/p>\n As originally introduced, the measure would have also legalized use and possession of psilocybin<\/a>. Lawmakers on the Senate Health and Welfare Committee, however, deleted that section to focus instead on the therapeutic working group.<\/p>\n The passage of the psychedelics working group bill comes on the heels of the House\u2019s approval earlier this month of H.72, a measure that would legalize and fund a Burlington facility where people could use currently prohibited substances<\/a> in a medically supervised environment. But Gov. Scott, who vetoed an 2022 measure that would have created a task force to study overdose prevention centers, has indicated he\u2019s not on board with the plan.<\/p>\n If enacted, the legislation would create an overdose prevention center (OPC) Burlington, with $1.1 million in funding plus another $300,000 to study the study the impact of the pilot project. The OPC would need to have on-site professionals with training in CPR, overdose interventions, first aid and wound care, as well as medical assessments to determine the need for further emergency care.<\/p>\n Vermont would join\u00a0Rhode Island<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Minnesota<\/a> in authorizing the facilities. New York is considering a similar pilot program that would roll out statewide<\/a>.<\/p>\n Lawmakers in a growing number of states have considered psychedelics legislation this session, with many focusing on psilocybin reform and increased research.<\/p>\n This week in Alaska, for example, a Senate panel advanced a House-passed measure that would\u00a0create a state task force to study how to license and regulate psychedelic-assisted therapy<\/a> in the event of federal approval of substances such as MDMA and psilocybin.<\/p>\n In Maryland, the Senate and House of Delegates have both passed legislation to\u00a0create a psychedelics task force responsible for studying possible regulatory frameworks\u00a0for therapeutic access<\/a>\u00a0to substances such as psilocybin, mescaline and DMT, sending the proposal to Gov Wes Moore (D). It would be charged specifically with ensuring \u201cbroad, equitable and affordable access to psychedelic substances\u201d in the state.<\/p>\n Indiana\u2019s governor recently signed a bill that includes\u00a0provisions to fund clinical research trials into psilocybin<\/a>.<\/p>\n Utah\u2019s governor, meanwhile, allowed a bill to\u00a0authorize a pilot program for hospitals to administer psilocybin and MDMA<\/a>\u00a0as an alternative treatment option to become law without his signature.<\/p>\n Maine lawmakers sent the governor legislation to establish a commission tasked with studying and\u00a0making recommendations on regulating access to psychedelic services<\/a>.<\/p>\n An Arizona House panel also approved a Senate-passed bill to\u00a0legalize psilocybin service centers where people could receive the psychedelic<\/a>\u00a0in a medically supervised setting.<\/p>\n A Connecticut joint legislative panel approved a bill to\u00a0decriminalize possession of psilocybin<\/a>.<\/p>\n A\u00a0bipartisan bill to legalize psychedelic service centers in California<\/a>\u00a0has cleared two Senate committees.<\/p>\n The governor of New Mexico has endorsed a newly enacted resolution\u00a0requesting that state officials research the therapeutic potential of psilocybin<\/a>\u00a0and explore the creation of a regulatory framework to provide access to the psychedelic.<\/p>\n An Illinois committee also recently held a hearing to discuss\u00a0a bill to legalize psilocybin and allow regulated access at service centers<\/a>\u00a0in the state\u00a0where adults could use the psychedelic in a supervised setting\u2014with plans to expand the program to include mescaline, ibogaine and DMT.<\/p>\n Lawmakers in Hawaii also considered a bill that would\u00a0provide some legal protections to patients engaging in psilocybin-assisted therapy<\/a>\u00a0with a medical professional\u2019s approval.<\/p>\n New York lawmakers said that a bill to legalize psilocybin-assisted therapy in that state\u00a0has a \u201creal chance\u201d of passing this year<\/a>.<\/p>\n A Nevada joint legislative committee held a hearing with\u00a0expert and public testimony on the therapeutic potential of substances like psilocybin<\/a>\u00a0in January. Law enforcement representatives also shared their concerns around legalization\u2014but there was notable acknowledgement that some reforms should be enacted, including possible rescheduling.<\/p>\n The governor of Massachusetts also recently\u00a0promoted the testimony of activists who spoke in favor of her veterans-focused bill<\/a>\u00a0that would, in part, create a psychedelics work group to\u00a0study the therapeutic potential of substances such as psilocybin<\/a>. Separately, an\u00a0initiative that would legalize psychedelics\u00a0may appear on the November ballot<\/a>\u00a0if lawmakers decline to independently enact it first.<\/p>\n Currently, there are no psychedelic drugs that are federally approved to prescribe as medicine. But that could soon change, as FDA recently agreed to\u00a0review a new drug application for MDMA-assisted therapy<\/a>\u00a0on an expedited basis.<\/p>\n At the start of this year, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) separately issued a request for applications to conduct in-depth research on\u00a0the use of psychedelics to treat PTSD and depression<\/a>.<\/p>\n In October, the agency also launched a new podcast about the future of veteran health care, and\u00a0the first episode of the series focuses on the healing potential of psychedelics<\/a>.<\/p>\n FDA also recently joined scientists at a public meeting on\u00a0next steps for conducting research to develop psychedelic medicines<\/a>. That came months after\u00a0the agency issued historic draft guidance on psychedelics studies<\/a>, providing scientists with a framework to carry out research that could lead to the development of novel medicines.<\/p>\n Meanwhile in Congress last week, a House panel approved GOP-led bill that would instruct VA to\u00a0notify Congress if any psychedelics are added to its formulary\u00a0of covered prescription drugs<\/a>.<\/p>\n New York Senators Approve Safe Drug Consumption Site Pilot Program Bill<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n Photo courtesy of Wikimedia\/Workman<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n The post Vermont Lawmakers Send Revised Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Task Force Bill To Governor<\/a> appeared first on Marijuana Moment<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Lawmakers in Vermont have passed legislation to create a psychedelic-assisted therapy working group that would make recommendations on whether and how the state should regulate legal access to substances like psilocybin and MDMA. The measure next heads to the desk of Gov. Phil Scott (R). The Senate approved revised languageContinue Reading<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"false","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[18,81,126],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75182"}],"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\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=75182"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75182\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":75183,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75182\/revisions\/75183"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=75182"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=75182"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=75182"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
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\nRead More: Vermont Lawmakers Send Revised Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Task Force Bill To Governor<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"