Feds Should Work With—Not Against—States That Legalize Psychedelics, Government Health Official Says

Oregon’s move to legalize psilocybin mushrooms for therapeutic use should signal to the federal government that it needs to engage with jurisdictions that pursue such reforms and aid in the development of regulatory frameworks, a federal health official says.

During a speakers series hosted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Sean Belouin, a senior science policy advisor with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), discussed “compelling” research into psychedelics and the importance of federal involvement as local policies change, regardless of the illegality of these substances under federal statute.

“Many of the safety and ethical considerations” of psychedelics reform “will rapidly become front-and-center regulatory and policy issues for states and municipalities who are either debating or passing initiatives that decriminalize and medicalize psychedelics, particularly in plant form,” he said.
Read More