Iowa lawmakers are moving forward with a proposal to legalise the use of psilocybin, a hallucinogenic chemical produced by psychedelic mushrooms, for psychiatric treatment through a programme similar to how the Hawkeye State manages medical cannabis.
On Monday, the state House voted 84-6 to approve legislation establishing a psilocybin licencing board within the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services. The bill now moves to the state Senate for further consideration.
The House-approved bill would establish a panel of experts to develop a framework for offering psilocybin as a treatment option for people suffering from specific mental health conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
It would be limited to 5,000 patients aged 21 and administered only in clinical settings with psychiatric support. The bill does not legalise recreational use.
State legislators who supported the bill cited the benefits it could provide to military veterans, law enforcement officers, and others who are prone to PTSD.
State Rep. John Wills (R), a military veteran who handled the bill on the floor Monday, stated that he had researched the use of psilocybin and cited research from the Johns Hopkins Centre for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research that demonstrated the drug’s effectiveness in treating people with PTSD.
According to a recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, more Americans are exploring the use of psilocybin, which is also used to treat depression and substance use disorders.
The drug has not been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but several states, including Iowa, have proposed decriminalising it or allowing it in treatment settings.
“I will tell you, right now the only option these veterans have, the only option these people with PTSD have, is to be on mind-altering, life-altering drugs for the rest of their lives,” Wills stated on the House’s floor. “I am a scientific type of guy … this stuff actually works.”
Republicans have majorities in both the Iowa House and Senate, but it is unclear when the Senate will consider the proposal.
A spokesperson for Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) did not immediately respond to The Hill’s enquiry about her position.