California’s bipartisan state senators recently introduced a bill aimed at allowing psychedelic therapy for veterans and first responders with mental health issues.
The Minority Leader of the State Senate (Republican), Brian Jones, stated in a press release that the “Healing Our Heroes” (SB803) bill, co-introduced by him and Josh Becker, aims to establish a pilot program allowing the use of the main chemical components in magic mushrooms – psilocybin or psilocin – for treatment in Santa Cruz, San Francisco, and San Diego counties.
According to recent research by the American Medical Association (AMA), these controlled substances show promise in treating mental health issues such as depression, a study referenced in the bill’s summary.
A study released in August last year indicated that after receiving psilocybin treatment, patients experienced significant and enduring reductions in depression symptoms and functional impairments without severe adverse reactions.
The bill is specifically designed to serve veterans and first responders who suffer from psychological disorders like Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) due to their service experiences.
Democratic State Assembly member Becker from Menlo Park stated in a press release that they are obligated to provide top-quality care for these heroes.
The pilot program is set to end in three years, with data collection and reporting required for the following two years.
The bill mandates that the three counties appoint a program director, who must be a practicing internist or surgeon, clinical social worker, clinical psychologist, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, professional clinical counselor, or naturopathic doctor.
It also requires appropriate screening of eligible participants to ensure they are safe candidates for treatment.
State Assembly member Jones from San Diego County highlighted the targeted nature of this legislation. He stated, “It needs to be clear that I am not advocating for the broad legalization of psychedelic drugs. Instead, I support a targeted medical treatment specifically aimed at assisting veterans and first responders in their recovery.”
The “Healing Our Heroes” bill has gained support from organizations such as the Heroic Hearts Project, Law Enforcement Action Partnership (LEAP), and Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions (VETS). Currently, the bill is pending review by the State Assembly Health and Public Safety Committee.
Jason Moore Brown, a member of Heroic Hearts and a veteran, stated in a press release, “I have personally experienced that when used responsibly and with support, psilocybin has the potential to save lives of California veterans.”
The bill’s co-drafter includes Republican State Assembly member Marie Waldron from Valley Center in San Diego County.
Opponents of the bill include the California Coalition Against Drugs (CCAD), a statewide organization consisting of law enforcement groups.
Frank Lee, Vice-Chair of the coalition, expressed concerns to reporters, stating that the latest bill seems to be another attempt by Scott Wiener to legalize drugs after a previous bill failed.
Democratic State Senator Wiener proposed legalizing psychedelic-assisted therapy for all Californians, which was tabled at the State Senate Appropriations Committee last month.
Lee mentioned that they have been working diligently to oppose all attempts to legalize psychedelics in the past four years.
Lee criticized legislators for utilizing the “gut and amend” strategy, modifying the SB803 bill originally related to contracts with state agencies, which had been shelved. This practice allows legislators to restart a bill with completely new and unrelated content.
He mentioned that SB803 was not about psychedelic drugs but contracts and had passed the relevant policy committee and entered the State Senate, now set to be transmitted to the State Assembly. “But the bill has been completely rewritten, with the original content removed, replaced by psychedelic-related content. It is completely absurd,” he said.
Lee revealed that many bipartisan state legislators and law enforcement groups, including the Riverside State Sheriff’s Association, are opposed to the bill.
The California Coalition Against Drugs and its members have previously questioned the research sources cited by legislators, claiming drugs like psilocybin can effectively treat mental illnesses. Lee pointed out that the studies often cited by legislators actually show these drugs are not ready for widespread use.
A study at Johns Hopkins University found that psilocybin is effective in treating depression. However, Natalie Gukasyan, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the school of medicine, emphasized in a press release that these promising medical effects must be achieved under “strictly controlled conditions” and warned against self-experimentation.
Another study cited by Wiener involved psilocybin in treating alcohol addiction. However, Michael P. Bogenschutz, the lead researcher and Director of the Langone Center for Psychedelic Medicine at NYU, cautioned that the drug is not yet ready for broad clinical applications.
Critics pointed out that Jones and Becker’s bill did not reference these two studies and did not clearly define “first responders” or provide specifics on when patients can return to work.
Lee stated, “The bill does not prohibit police officers from returning to duty after consuming magic mushrooms.”
In October last year, a pilot faced 83 attempted murder charges. According to his lawyer, the individual had consumed psilocybin two days before and then attempted to shut down an engine of an Alaska Airlines plane.
The pilot was sitting in the cockpit jumpseat, commuting between airports.
Members of the California Coalition Against Drugs referenced this case in their argument.
In their analysis report on the SB1012 bill last month (aiming to legalize psychedelic therapy, including psilocybin), they wrote, “Although he (the pilot) was in handcuffs, this substance led him to try to turn off the airplane engine. There are many drugs on the market for pain and depression that do not come with such severe side effects. Our veterans deserve better treatment rather than being treated as guinea pigs.” ◇