The New Mexico Senate unanimously passed a bipartisan Resolution that requested state officials to research the therapeutic potential for psilocybin, and to explore the creation a regulatory framework in order to allow access to psychedelics.
The Senate voted 37-0 in favor of the bill proposed by Senator Jeff Steinborn (D) and Senate Minority Whip Craig Brandt.
This action was taken just days after the Health and Public Affairs Committee unanimously approved the legislation.
The proposal is not binding because it’s “memorial legislation”. It would be a formal request to the Department of Health of the state to “study and establish a program to use psilocybin for therapeutic medical treatment.”
The resolution’s whereas section cites numerous studies that support the therapeutic benefits of Psilocybin in conditions like major depression and drug abuse, and points out that the FDA has classified the psychedelic substance as a breakthrough therapy.
The measure also states that, to that end the Health Department should examine “necessary regulatory or statutory framework” for developing a psilocybin state program.
Steinborn stated before the vote that “it turns out that medical mushroom, psilocybin has been proven medically effective for the use of behavioral health issues.” Steinborn said that psilocybin can be used to treat major behavioral health issues and as an alternative to antidepressants and other drugs with serious side effects.
Brandt stated that psilocybin is not a therapy that one would take every day, every week, or every month. Instead, it could be done every six months or every year as needed.
He said that sometimes, one treatment can be enough to cure someone from a traumatic head injury or PTSD. This is a cutting-edge, exciting technology. God has provided a cure and we only need to find out how to use it.
Researchers and advocates spoke in support of legislation at the committee hearing. They urged lawmakers to make New Mexico the leader of psychedelics-related research, especially as the public’s interest is growing about the potential for substances like psilocybin (and other psychedelics) to treat mental health issues.
Before the bill was passed, the committee adopted a resolution stating that the department of health should partner with the University of New Mexico’s Health Sciences Center to conduct psilocybin-related research.
The Senate passed the psychedelics bill one year after the House Health and Human Services Committee had passed a similar measure that called for the establishment of a state agency to investigate the possibility of launching an psilocybin treatment program for certain patients. This measure, however, did not progress further in the session of 2023.
In this session, a growing number of state legislatures are working on psychedelic reform legislation with an emphasis on research and therapeutic accessibility.
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A Senate committee in Arizona approved this week a bill that would legalize service centers for psilocybin, where patients could get the psychedelic under medical supervision.
This week, the Alaska Senate House heard testimony on a proposal to create a task force that would investigate how to legalize and regulate the therapeutic use of psychedelics within the state.
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.
This month, the Indiana Senate passed a bill that would finance clinical research trials for psilocybin assisted therapy in mental health.
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 recently 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 psilocybin within the state as well as mandate clinical trials to explore the therapeutic potential.
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The article New Mexico Senate passes Psilocybin Treatment and Research Resolution in Unanimous Vote first appeared on Marijuana Moment.
