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A New Jersey Senate panel approved an amended psilocybin bill on Thursday, advancing substitute language that removed earlier provisions that would have broadly legalized possession, use and cultivation by adults in order to instead focus exclusively on therapeutic access to the psychedelic.<\/p>\n
The Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee voted 6\u20132 to release the bill, S.2283, sponsored by Senate President Nick Scutari (D) and others.<\/p>\n
Initially, the legislation was introduced this year in identical form<\/a> to what Scutari proposed last session\u2014a plan that included personal legalization provisions, which the recent amended version takes out. Those components would have made it legal for adults to \u201cpossess, store, use, ingest, inhale, process, transport, deliver without consideration, or distribute without consideration, four grams or less of psilocybin.\u201d<\/p>\n The new measure would nevertheless significantly expand on legislation Scutari introduced in late 2020 to reduce penalties for possession of up to one ounce of psilocybin. That reform that was signed into law by Gov. Phil Murphy (D)<\/a>\u00a0in 2021.<\/p>\n In its amended version, the bill would charge the Department of Health (DOH) with licensing and regulating the manufacture, testing, transport, delivery, sale and purchase of psilocybin. There would be five license types: manufacturer, service center operator, testing laboratory, facilitator and psilocybin worker.<\/p>\n A Psilocybin Advisory Board would establish qualifying medical conditions for use, propose guidelines for psilocybin services and dosage, craft safety screenings and informed consent practices and oversee facilitator education, training and conduct.<\/p>\n Its stated goal would be to develop a long-term strategic plan for safe, accessible and affordable access to psilocybin for all people 21 and older.<\/p>\n Toward that goal, a social equity program would be tasked with establishing financial assistance to help low-income people cover costs of psilocybin services. DOH would also be directed to establish programs for technical assistance, reduced fees and other support services.<\/p>\n In furtherance of the shift toward a therapeutic-focused model, the substitute bill changes references to \u201cclients\u201d to \u201cpatients,\u201d and \u201cintegrated session\u201d has been replaced with \u201cintegrated therapy session.\u201d It also removes all references to the existing Cannabis Regulatory Commission.<\/p>\n In order to access the psilocybin services, a patient with a qualifying condition would need to obtain a referral from a licensed health care professional. Services would also include mandatory preparation and integration sessions before and after the administration of psilocybin.<\/p>\n During public comment on the bill, some mental health professionals and psychedelics advocates spoke in favor of the bill, saying it would open an avenue to a potentially powerful new therapy. Other reformers, however, criticized the removal of protections for personal possession and home cultivation.<\/p>\n Chris Goldstein, a cannabis activist with NORML, submitted written testimony to the committee criticizing the amended proposal, calling it a \u201ccompletely over-regulated approach\u201d that \u201cseems all-too-familiar because it\u2019s the same flawed thinking that was behind New Jersey\u2019s original medical marijuana program; one that more than a decade later has simply failed patients.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMillions of NJ residents who could be accessing safe medical cannabis are still buying on the street because of expensive products and corporate consolidation,\u201d Goldstein wrote. \u201cWe\u2019ve seen all this on paper before, and none of it has worked in the real world. Just like the approach to medical cannabis, there is a real disconnect between this legislature and the millions of people who safely use these substances.\u201d<\/p>\n The operator of a licensed marijuana-testing laboratory in the state, meanwhile, said she initially intended to support the bill as it was introduced. But after the amendments, she told lawmakers, \u201cI can no longer in good faith offer my support.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSome form of homegrown, whether personal use or medical, should be included in the initial legalization of medicinal psilocybin centers,\u201d urged Kristen Goedde, founder of Trichome Analytical. \u201cOtherwise we\u2019ll we will run into the same critical patient access issues we\u2019re seeing in cannabis today.\u201d<\/p>\n In Oregon, where facilitated psilocybin services are already legal and regulated, Goedde pointed out, \u201cpsilocybin-assisted therapy has extremely long waitlist and costs thousands of dollars per session, making it inaccessible to most people.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAllowing for profit companies to begin to capitalize on psychedelic treatments while refusing expungement and incarcerating those who cannot afford or obtain legal treatment is simply perpetuating the failed war on drugs,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n A farmer who currently cultivates non-psychedelic mushrooms commercially, suggested that references in the bill to \u201cmanufacturer\u201d be changed to \u201cfarmer\u201d to signal the agricultural nature of the work and urged lawmakers to limit the size of psilocybin businesses.<\/p>\n While the pushback from the advocates didn\u2019t seem to sway the panel generally, one lawmaker, Republican Sen. Owen Henry, agreed that the amended bill was a step backward.<\/p>\n \u201cJust reading through the amendments, it sounds almost like we\u2019ll be making it worse,\u201d he said, casting a vote against the bill. \u201cI just need a little bit more time.\u201d<\/p>\n Henry also called for more information as the measure proceeds through the legislative process. \u201cI look forward to vetting this out with the full Senate,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m gonna vote no today for this bill, but something needs to happen.\u201d<\/p>\n Text of the substitute language approved on Thursday wasn\u2019t immediately available on the legislature\u2019s website, though Marijuana Moment obtained a summary of the changes.<\/p>\n A survey of New Jersey residents released earlier this week indicates that a majority of state residents agree with making psilocybin available for therapeutic use<\/a>, though they weren\u2019t asked specifically about the new legislation.<\/p>\n The poll, from Stockton University\u2019s William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy, found that 55 percent of respondents supported legalizing psilocybin for medical use under a doctor\u2019s supervision. Just 20 percent of respondents were opposed, while 24 percent said they weren\u2019t sure. One percent of respondents refused to answer the question.<\/p>\n Younger residents\u2014those between the ages of 18 and 49\u2014as well as Democrats showed higher rates of support.<\/p>\n Asked whether they themselves had ever felt the need to be treated for depression, anxiety and\/or PTSD, just under a third (30 percent) said they had. Another 69 percent said they hadn\u2019t felt the need for treatment, while 2 percent weren\u2019t sure.<\/p>\n The Hughes Center report also included separate\u00a0findings\u00a0on the efficacy and safety of psilocybin, noting for example that psilocybin-assisted therapy \u201chas shown significant anti-depressant and anti-anxiety effects that have been replicated across multiple randomized clinical trials.\u201d<\/p>\n Use in a controlled, professionally supervised environment, it adds, \u201cseems to pose minimal risks for physical and psychological harm.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cClinical researchers have established safety guidelines to govern the use of psilocybin-assisted therapy,\u201d says a summary of the findings, \u201cwhich includes a set of criteria that should be used to determine who is a good candidate for this type of treatment, standards for the minimum number of supervisors, proper training and more.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2014 Lawmakers in a growing number of other states have also considered psychedelics legislation this session, with many focusing on psilocybin.<\/p>\n In New York, lawmakers last month introduced a bill that would\u00a0legalize psilocybin for adults so long as they obtain a permit and undergo a health screening and educational course<\/a>.<\/p>\n The intent of that measure is to promote \u201cthe health and well-being of the citizens of the state of New York by establishing a comprehensive framework supporting public health and safety through regulated adult use, support services, and cultivation of psilocybin-containing fungi,\u201d it says.<\/p>\n In February, bicameral New York lawmakers said at a briefing that\u00a0there\u2019s a \u201creal chance\u201d that legislation to legalize psilocybin-assisted therapy will advance<\/a>\u00a0through committee this session, emphasizing that delaying action would \u201cneglect\u201d many \u201cpeople who need help\u201d with certain mental health conditions.<\/p>\n Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) signed legislation last month to\u00a0create a psychedelics task force responsible for studying possible regulatory frameworks\u00a0for therapeutic access<\/a>\u00a0to substances such as psilocybin, mescaline and DMT. It would be charged specifically with ensuring \u201cbroad, equitable and affordable access to psychedelic substances\u201d in the state.<\/p>\n Vermont\u2019s governor also recently signed into law a measure that would establish a working group\u00a0to study whether and how to allow therapeutic access to psychedelics\u00a0in the state<\/a>. A report from the working group is due to the legislature in November with recommendations on how to regulate the substances.<\/p>\n Indiana also recently adopted a law that includes\u00a0provisions to fund clinical research trials into psilocybin<\/a>.<\/p>\n Utah\u2019s governor 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 And in New Mexico, the governor 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 House Passes Veterans-Focused Marijuana And Psychedelics Amendments<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n The post New Jersey Panel Approves Amended Psilocybin Bill, Removing Broad Legalization To Focus On Therapeutic Program<\/a> appeared first on Marijuana Moment<\/a>.<\/p>\n
A New Jersey Senate panel approved an amended psilocybin bill on Thursday, advancing substitute language that removed earlier provisions that would have broadly legalized possession, use and cultivation by adults in order to instead focus exclusively on therapeutic access to the psychedelic. The Senate Health, Human Services and Senior CitizensContinue Reading<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":76016,"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\/76015"}],"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=76015"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76015\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":76017,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76015\/revisions\/76017"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/76016"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=76015"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=76015"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=76015"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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\nRead More: New Jersey Panel Approves Amended Psilocybin Bill, Removing Broad Legalization To Focus On Therapeutic Program<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"