NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) – A new bill introduced on Tuesday seeks to allow the regulated use of psilocybin, a hallucinogenic substance found in magic mushrooms, in New York for specific health conditions.
Sponsored by Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, the bill, proposed in the New York State Assembly, aims to change the public health law to allow safe, regulated adult use of psilocybin suggesting that magic mushrooms could be used to treat conditions such as anxiety, cancer, depression, and PTSD.
Clinical studies indicate that psilocybin-assisted therapy significantly benefits the treatment of addiction, depression, and end-of-life mood disorders, described as a “potential as a therapeutic aid in the treatment of some psychiatric diseases," which could offer a new treatment option for millions of patients, according to a 2022 study published in the National Library of Medicine.
However, the study also pointed out the challenges in conducting thorough double-blind experiments with mind-altering medications like psilocybin and the concern of subject selection biases.
Psilocybin is classified as a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act, indicating it has a high potential for abuse, no accepted medical use in the U.S., and no accepted safety for use under medical supervision, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The proposed bill marks a first step for New York in regulating psilocybin. It outlines that the department will oversee the adult use of psilocybin, including the issuance of permits, cultivation licenses, and operational requirements for licensed cultivators.
Additionally, the bill will establish a reporting program that allows permit holders to voluntarily report health and experience data related to the adult use of psilocybin, including health conditions.
If enacted, this bill would make New York one of the leading states in regulating psilocybin use, following Oregon and Colorado.
“People are increasingly seeking this centuries-old alternative approach: Psychedelic medicine,” a petition organized by New Yorkers For Mental Health Alternatives to support two separate bills related to psilocybin read.
“New Yorkers don’t have the opportunity that Oregon and Colorado did to put measures on the ballot for public vote, so we need every state legislator to be aware of the benefits of psychedelics,” the petition read.
Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal’s bill aimed to decriminalize psilocybin, DMT, ibogaine, and mescaline. Assemblymember Pat Burke’s bill proposed to legalize psilocybin-assisted therapy, religious and cultural uses, and develop research and treatment programs at New York colleges and universities.
The psychedelic medicine industry is currently booming, with significant investments flowing into numerous startups competing to be the first to market mind-expanding drugs for depression, addiction, and other mental health issues.
Despite psychedelics being illegal under federal law, companies are rushing to patent key ingredients found in magic mushrooms, ayahuasca, and other substances that have been used clandestinely for decades or even millennia by indigenous cultures.
“It’s disappointing,” said Carey Turnbull, an investor and philanthropist who sits on the board of several psychedelic nonprofits, told AP. “All the air is getting sucked out of the room by these for-profit companies who say, ‘Wow, this stuff is awesome, if I could patent it I’d make a fortune.’”
None of the psychedelics currently under study are new. Synthetic drugs such as LSD and ecstasy have not been under patent protection for decades. Natural substances, like psilocybin from certain mushrooms, are not patentable by themselves.
There’s also the challenge of administering drugs. All the drugs seeking FDA approval must be administered under professional supervision, usually across several therapy sessions that last about six to eight hours each which would be costly to many.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.