Arizona Senate passes bill to legalize Psilocybin Service Centers where people could use the psychedelic in a supervised setting

The Arizona Senate passed a bill that was bipartisan to legalize service centers for psychedelic where people can receive it in a medically-supervised setting.

The Senate approved Sen. T. J. Shope’s (R) legislation in a vote of 24-4 on Thursday. It will now be considered by the House of Representatives.

After the measure was approved by the Rules Committee and Health and Human Services Committee, the floor vote took place.

If the bill becomes law, the Department of Human Services would be authorized by the state to license psilocybin assisted therapy centers, where facilitators trained in administering the psychedelic could do so.

Arizona already has a research-focused psychedelics legislation that funds studies on psilocybin treatment with $5 million per year.

Shope’s plan would create an Arizona Psilocybin Advisory Board comprised of individuals appointed by the Governor and legislative leaders. The board would include representatives of the Attorney General’s Office and DHS as well as veterans, first-responders, scientists who have experience with psilocybin, and physicians. The floor amendment approved added an enrolled Native American tribal member with experience using psilocybin for “culturally and Spiritually significant ceremonies.”

The board will be responsible for developing training criteria for the staff of psilocybin services centers, making recommendations for the implementation and study of science and policy related to psychedelics.

Members would be required to submit an annual status report by July 31, 2025, and then each year thereafter, on “medical and psychological studies” into the safety and effectiveness of psilocybin. They would also need to develop a “long-term strategy” for ensuring psychedelic assisted therapy is “safe, affordable and accessible” to those 21 years and older.

#sb1570 has now passed through the Senate, and is on its way to the House. #psilocybin #mentalhealth #psychedelics pic.twitter.com/AhCjJa23Qc

— Psychedelic association of Arizona (@48paaz February 29th, 2024

The medical directors of centers that use psychedelics in therapy would have to complete 132 hours of training, under a program approved. This would include lessons on historical and traditional uses of psychedelics as well as safety and ethics.

According to the bill cosponsored by Senate president Warren Petersen, DHS must begin accepting applications for psychedelics centres by January 1, 2026. The Department would have to establish rules for the program but would not be allowed to specify eligibility requirements for psilocybin service.

Regulators could also license psilocybin centers that are carrying out clinical trials into the psychedelic that could lead to a Food and Drug Administration-approved drug.

Last month, an Arizona House Committee approved a separate measure to prevent the $5 million already designated for psilocybin-research being redistributed due to a state deficit.

The fund was created last year as part of an appropriations package that was signed by the Governor and required research into the potential medical benefits of psilocybin mushroom for a number of conditions.

The first meeting of the Psilocybin Advisory Council, which was created under DHS, took place in November last year prior to an open period for grant applicants.

The money will be given to those who submit proposals that focus on clinical trials to find therapeutic applications for 13 conditions that may receive FDA approval.

Arizona is one of many states that has worked to promote research on psychedelics in response to the growing interest among the public for expanding access to therapeutic use and ending criminalization.

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The governor of New Mexico, for example, recently endorsed a newly passed resolution that requested state officials to research the therapeutic potentials of psilocybin as well as explore the creation a regulatory framework in order to allow access to this psychedelic.

This week, the Connecticut Joint Judiciary Committee submitted a bill that would decriminalize psilocybin.

A senator from Illinois introduced a bill to legalize and regulate access to psilocybin at service centers within the state, where adults can use the psychedelic under supervision. The program will eventually include mescaline and ibogaine.

Alaska House and Senate Committees are considering legislation to create a taskforce to examine how to license, and regulate psychedelic assisted therapy. This is in anticipation of a federal legalization at some point of substances such as MDMA and Psilocybin.

Hawaii lawmakers are also advancing a bill which would give some legal protections for patients who engage in psilocybin assisted therapy after a doctor’s approval.

A Republican-led Indiana House committee has approved a bill to fund clinical trials for psilocybin, which was already passed by the Senate.

Recently, bipartisan California legislators introduced a bill that would legalize psychedelic services centers, where adults aged 21 and over could have access to psilocybin MDMA mescaline DMT and other psychedelics in a supervised environment and with trained facilitators.

Last month, a joint Nevada legislative committee heard expert testimony and public testimony about the therapeutic potential for substances such as psilocybin. Law enforcement officials also expressed their concerns about legalization. However, there was a notable acknowledgment that reforms could be implemented including rescheduling.

The Governor of Massachusetts recently promoted the testimony from activists who spoke out in support of her veterans’ bill. This bill would, among other things, create a work group for psychedelics to investigate the therapeutic potentials of substances like psilocybin.

New York legislators have introduced a bill to create pilot program for psilocybin treatment to 10,000 people. The focus is on veterans and first responders.

Last month, a Missouri House Committee considered a proposed that would allow the medical use of Psilocybin within the state as well as mandate clinical trials to explore the therapeutic potential.