A panel of the Alaska Senate heard testimony on Monday about a plan to create a task force that would explore ways to legalize and regulate therapeutic use psychedelics within the state. The bill would not change the status of these substances in Alaska law, but instead prepare the state for a possible federal legalization.
The Senate Labor and Commerce Committee members heard the sponsor of the bill at the hearing and received public testimony but did not vote.
versions of the bill were presented in the House and Senate by Rep. Jennie (D) Armstrong and Sen. Forrest Dunbar, respectively, last month.
Dunbar, who is a senator on the panel, said to colleagues during the hearing that the bill “clearly” does not legalize any substance. It creates a task force to solve problems in anticipation of federally legalizing certain substances in controlled medical environments.
The Alaska Mental Health and Psychedelic Medicine Task Force would be established under the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development. The group would include government representatives, experts in psychiatry, mental health and other fields.
If any psychedelics are approved by the Food and Drug Administration, members would be required to assess the potential therapeutic use of psychedelics in mental health treatments, the barriers to access and the “licensing and coverage requirements” for practitioners.
Dunbar said that Alaska had high rates of veteran’s suicide and domestic abuse, which “underscores the urgency to explore innovative mental health treatment.”
He added that research shows the effectiveness of psychedelic assisted therapies in treating PTSD and other disorders, including depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. “These conditions are highly prevalent in Alaska,” he said, “particularly among veterans.”
According to the bills, the taskforce would meet four times at minimum before submitting its findings and recommendations by December 31st 2024.
What are the barriers to implementing these therapies in Alaska?” What are the regulations needed by practitioners to integrate psychedelics safely? The task force will examine these questions,” Dunbar explained.
The majority of speakers at the hearing spoke in favor of this proposal. They included a psychologist and a 34-year veteran military, as well as an Alaskan native healer and herbist, a student of mental health counseling, and a member from the Marijuana Control Board of Alaska.
Bailey Stuart, Marijuana Control Board Member, said that psilocybin was currently in phase three of clinical trials – meaning, human trials. “I do see the future for mental health medicine including psychedelic therapies as an additional tool.”
Stuart stated that it was important for the health and safety of the residents to begin these discussions before the event. “We should also discuss the framework of how these substances will regulated.”
At the hearing only one speaker from Seattle’s non-governmental Citizens Commission on Human Rights spoke against the proposal. He argued that more information about psychedelics is needed before they can be made more readily available to patients.
The Alaska APRN Alliance, a group of thousands of advanced practice nurses, nurse practitioners and other professionals in Alaska, requested a change to the bill SB 166.
Stephanie Wrightsman Birch, a nurse-practitioner, said that the alliance supported Dunbar’s Bill but wanted to see an amendement which would create a seat for advanced practice nursing on the taskforce.
She said that advanced practice registered nurse and licensed therapists often provide psychedelic therapy sessions which can last from two to eight-hours.
Dunbar stated that he viewed the proposal as a friendly amendement and would support its adoption.
He also noted that the bill’s journey begins not in a committee for healthcare, but rather in the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee.
“That’s intentional. He said, “That’s intentional.” “We are not here to discuss the efficacy or legalization of substances or the medicines themselves.”
He continued: “This bill anticipates federal action and we then want to have licensing and regulatory framework in place.” The task force will address many of the details questions.
Micaela Folwer, deputy commissioner of Alaska’s Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development, stated that the agency estimates the change will cost approximately $320,200 for fiscal year 2025, and $385,200 for fiscal 2026 and fiscal 2027. This would cover the agency staff and travel costs to six meetings, instead of four as required by law, and other costs such as printing, room rental, and legal support.
The temporary body will be disbanded at the start of Alaska’s new 35th legislature, which convenes in January 2027. The fiscal note estimates that the bill will not incur any additional costs beyond 2027.
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In recent years, a number of states have created similar bodies as the interest in psychedelic drugs has grown and researchers are pushing for FDA approval of drugs like MDMA and Psilocybin. Dunbar stated that unlike other bills, his bill reserves seats on the taskforce for Indigenous healthcare professionals.
He said, “We want to include the indigenous voice in this task force.”
The FDA is currently evaluating a new MDMA drug application as a potential treatment option for those with post-traumatic disorder (PTSD).
As the agency weighs the application, new standards from the American Medical Association (AMA) have officially taken effect that assign psychedelics-specific codes to collect data on the novel therapies.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs recently released a call for applications to to conduct in-depth studies on the use of psychedelics as a treatment for PTSD and depression.
A Republican California lawmaker, however, filed legislation last month to create a workgroup in the state that would explore a regulatory framework for providing therapeutic access to psychedelics such as psilocybin or ibogaine, and allow health professionals eventually to administer certain psychoactives to combat veteran military personnel.
Massachusetts officials separately certified that activists had submitted enough valid signatures to force legislative consideration of an psychedelics-legalization initiative, before the measure could potentially head to the state’s ballot in 2024.
Nevada psychedelics activist said that late last year they had a “productive meeting” with the Republican Governor’s Office about the necessity to quickly form a taskforce under a law passed last year to inform future reforms, including the possible legalization plant-based medicine.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), earlier this year , confirmed that spores from psychedelic mushroom are federally legal before germination as they do not contain psilocybin and psilocin.
A new study finds that 8 out of 10 Canadians say psilocybin therapy is a’reasonable choice’ for end-of-life care
Image courtesy of Workman.
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