{"id":86537,"date":"2026-08-05T11:04:43","date_gmt":"2026-08-05T19:04:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/2026\/08\/05\/puerto-rico-governor-signs-psychedelics-executive-order\/"},"modified":"2026-08-05T19:46:41","modified_gmt":"2026-08-06T03:46:41","slug":"puerto-rico-governor-signs-psychedelics-executive-order","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/2026\/08\/05\/puerto-rico-governor-signs-psychedelics-executive-order\/","title":{"rendered":"Puerto Rico Governor Signs Psychedelics Executive Order"},"content":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe are moving toward making Puerto Rico a leader in clinical research and opening new opportunities for our patients, researchers, healthcare professionals, and veterans.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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By Jack Gorsline, Psychedelic State(s) of America<\/strong><\/p>\n

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In a significant move aimed at overhauling Puerto Rico\u2019s approach to severe mental health and substance use disorders, Gov. Jenniffer Gonz\u00e1lez-Col\u00f3n (R) <\/span>signed an executive order<\/span> on Tuesday designed to transform the U.S. territory into a pioneering hub for clinical research into emerging medical therapies, including the investigational use of ibogaine.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Executive Order 2026-037 will create a comprehensive assessment regarding the feasibility and advisability of establishing a \u201cPilot Clinical Research Program for Emerging Therapies.\u201d The program would lay the crucial groundwork for highly regulated clinical trials involving novel and historically restricted therapeutic compounds, prioritizing scientific rigor and strict adherence to both state and federal regulatory frameworks.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The administration cited the island\u2019s ongoing battle with complex mental health challenges, neurodegenerative diseases and escalating substance use disorders as the primary catalyst for the new public policy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Recognizing that existing treatments often fall short for vulnerable populations, the government is looking toward novel compounds like ibogaine\u2014a psychoactive alkaloid being studied globally for its potential to interrupt severe opioid and substance-use addictions\u2014as well as other emerging therapeutics, like psilocybin and MDMA.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cScientific innovation represents an opportunity to transform the future of Puerto Rico\u2019s healthcare system,\u201d Gonz\u00e1lez-Col\u00f3n said during a signing ceremony at La Fortaleza, the governor\u2019s official residence. \u201cOur responsibility is to prepare the island to participate in the research that will define tomorrow\u2019s treatments, always with the highest standards of scientific rigor, ethics and regulatory compliance.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cThrough this Executive Order, we are moving toward making Puerto Rico a leader in clinical research and opening new opportunities for our patients, researchers, healthcare professionals, and veterans,\u201d she added.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Today, we are taking another important step toward strengthening Puerto Rico’s leadership in healthcare and scientific innovation. I signed an Executive Order to expand clinical research, promote the development of controlled clinical trials, and enhance the scientific\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/h1ODfLqxUQ<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Jenniffer Gonz\u00e1lez (@Jenniffer) August 4, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Under the new directive, the Puerto Rico Department of Health is tasked with leading a strategic effort to build out the scientific, regulatory and operational infrastructure required to host cutting-edge, multicenter clinical trials. The order highlights that Puerto Rico already possesses a robust foundation to support this endeavor, citing the island\u2019s strong academic, hospital and scientific infrastructure, which includes major universities, established research centers and highly trained medical professionals.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Advocacy organizations across the island, including the <\/span>Colectivo Psicod\u00e9lico de Puerto Rico<\/span> (also known as the Puerto Rico Psychedelic Collective) heralded the executive order as a watershed moment for Puerto Rico\u2019s psychedelic ambitions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cAs a psychedelic community, we celebrate this executive order as a meaningful signal that Puerto Rico\u2019s government is beginning to take seriously the emerging evidence base around psychedelic therapies: Dr. Juliana Mill\u00e1n Torres, founder of the CPPR, told <\/span>Psychedelic State(s) of America.\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cThe archipelago is catching up to a global movement, and that fills us with hope\u201d Mill\u00e1n Torres added.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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To ensure the program adheres to the highest medical, scientific and ethical standards, the executive order mandates the creation of a specialized Scientific and Regulatory Advisory Committee housed within the Department of Health. The governor will directly appoint the committee\u2019s members, who will be drawn from a diverse pool of government officials and subject matter experts.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The advisory body will feature specialists in clinical research, public health, bioethics, pharmacology, neurology, psychiatry, psychology and regulatory affairs. These advisors will be charged with evaluating current scientific evidence surrounding emerging therapies; assessing the logistical, clinical, ethical, and financial viability of the pilot program; and identifying necessary upgrades to the island\u2019s physical infrastructure and medical workforce training.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Furthermore, the committee will be responsible for drafting a Strategic Agenda to bolster clinical research across Puerto Rico, pinpointing priority areas for scientific inquiry, and fostering collaborative research opportunities with public, private, academic and federal entities.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Underpinning this clinical research initiative is Puerto Rico\u2019s formidable <\/span>$50 billion pharmaceutical legacy<\/span>, which has long cemented the island as an indispensable anchor in the broader medical supply chain across the United States and both North and South America. Sustaining <\/span>tens of thousands <\/span>of local STEM and manufacturing jobs, the territory\u2019s medical equipment and life sciences export sector is a global powerhouse that currently produces roughly 90 percent of the world\u2019s pacemakers, alongside massive quantities of contact lenses, insulin pumps and glucose monitors. Puerto Rico\u2019s robust, world-class manufacturing infrastructure provides a well-established foundation to support the administration\u2019s ambitious pivot toward cutting-edge clinical trials and emerging therapeutics.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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A prominent component of the executive order is its dedicated focus on Puerto Rican military veterans. The Department of Health is explicitly instructed to coordinate with the Office of the Puerto Rico Veterans Advocate to \u201cfacilitate educational initiatives and explore potential avenues for veterans to safely participate in the clinical trials.\u201d Any participation would be strictly governed by rigorous eligibility criteria, available scientific evidence, and necessary regulatory authorizations.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The territory\u2019s new public policy also formally references a broader federal directive to align its objectives. The order links Puerto Rico\u2019s efforts with an <\/span>executive order signed by President Donald Trump<\/span><\/a>\u00a0back in April, which aims to accelerate the development of innovative medical treatments for serious mental illnesses by fostering cooperation among government agencies, the private sector, and research institutions.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Gonz\u00e1lez-Col\u00f3n\u2019s push for advanced clinical research occurs against a turbulent political backdrop in Puerto Rico following recent revelations that the Department of Justice halted a major election fraud investigation involving her 2024 campaign. According to <\/span>an investigation by ProPublica<\/span>, federal narcotics agents had gathered solid evidence that \u201cLos Tiburones,\u201d a notorious Puerto Rican prison gang, allegedly coerced addicted inmates into voting for Gonz\u00e1lez-Col\u00f3n during the gubernatorial primary by offering narcotics in exchange for their support, while simultaneously threatening violence and withholding drugs from those who refused.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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To achieve the ambitious goals outlined in the executive order, the Puerto Rico Department of Health is authorized to coordinate its efforts across a wide array of state and federal bodies. The order encourages direct collaboration with university networks, hospital systems, nonprofit organizations, and crucial federal partners.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The order<\/a> also states<\/a> that the directive does not authorize the widespread or routine clinical use of emerging psychedelic therapies, including ibogaine, psilocybin, MDMA or any other compounds currently under investigational status. Instead, the administration emphasized that the singular purpose of the directive is to fortify the scientific and institutional readiness of Puerto Rico\u2019s healthcare system.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Looking ahead, the newly established Scientific and Regulatory Advisory Committee will operate on a strict reporting timeline. The panel is required to submit initial progress reports to the Department of Health, culminating in a final report detailing its findings and recommendations. Gonz\u00e1lez-Col\u00f3n will then review the committee\u2019s assessment to determine appropriate administrative actions and subsequent public policy measures required to launch the pilot program.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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In any event, advocates on the ground aren\u2019t slowing down anytime soon. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s an exciting time to continue doing the work that needs to be done in service of a shared purpose, work that will hopefully ripple out into every part of our islands.\u201d said <\/span>Mill\u00e1n Torres.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cThe momentum is here to be embraced by the public, healthcare providers, researchers, community members, and everyone contributing in the psychedelic space, as we build this future together.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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This article<\/a> was produced by <\/em><\/span>Psychedelic State(s) of America<\/a>\u2014<\/em><\/span>a nonprofit-sponsored news organization dedicated to rigorous independent psychedelic journalism. <\/em><\/span>Subscribe to PSA online <\/a><\/em><\/span>and Follow PSA on <\/em><\/span>Instagram<\/a><\/em><\/span>, <\/em><\/span>LinkedIn<\/a><\/em><\/span>, <\/em><\/span>Twitter\/X<\/a> and <\/em><\/span>\u00a0<\/em><\/span>Facebook<\/a><\/em><\/span>. Learn more about PSA and donate to the <\/em><\/span>PSA Media Fund here.<\/a><\/em><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The post Puerto Rico Governor Signs Psychedelics Executive Order<\/a> appeared first on Marijuana Moment<\/a>.<\/p>\n


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\nRead More: Puerto Rico Governor Signs Psychedelics Executive Order<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cWe are moving toward making Puerto Rico a leader in clinical research and opening new opportunities for our patients, researchers, healthcare professionals, and veterans.\u201d By Jack Gorsline, Psychedelic State(s) of America In a significant move aimed at overhauling Puerto Rico\u2019s approach to severe mental health and substance use disorders, Gov.Continue Reading<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":457,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"false","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[81],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86537"}],"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\/457"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=86537"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86537\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":86538,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86537\/revisions\/86538"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=86537"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=86537"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=86537"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}