California Senate Committee Approves Psychedelics Legalization Bill
California Senate Public Safety Committee approves of SB-58, legalizing the possession and use of specific psychedelics.
In March 2023, a new piece of legislation was approved in the California Senate (1). The bill, SB-58 (2), legalizes possession of certain psychedelics and use of the substances. Senator Scott Wiener (D) refiled the bill back in December 2022, not long after an extensive version was halted in the last session. In its approval hearing, the Senate Public Safety Committee ratified the bill with a 3-1 vote. It will now head on to the Appropriations Committee.
Some of the psychedelics SB-58 legalizes are psilocybin, psilocyn, dimenthyltryptamine (DMT), ibogaine, and mescaline for either facilitated or personal use. Synthetic psychedelics such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) which is also known as ecstasy or molly, are not legalized in this bill but were originally included in the previous expansive bill. The new legislation also provides ““group counseling and community-based healing” involving the entheogenic substances (1).
“These are not addictive drugs. And these are drugs that have significant potential in helping people to navigate and to become healthy who are experiencing mental health challenges, substance use challenges,” Wiener mentioned at the approval hearing (1).
“We know that cities in California and elsewhere have passed resolutions to categorize enforcement of these particular criminal laws as the lowest law enforcement priority,” he said. “This is an important step for California. This is about making sure that people have access to substances that they need that are not addictive.”
A separate bill from Assembly member Marie Waldron (R) was introduced in February 2023 (1), with the goal to legalize psychedelics-assisted therapy for military veterans by allowing licensed clinical counselors to administer controlled substances (not limited to psilocybin, LSD, MDMA, ibogaine, and ketamine) to veterans for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injuries, or addiction.
In regards to Wiener’s SB-58 bill, advocates are highly optimistic due to more time to consider the proposal from when it was first introduced and also the growing momentum behind psychedelics.
References
Ep 24, Part I: Data Transparency in Cannabis Testing with Yasha Khan
November 21st 2024Evan Friedmann interviews Yasha Khan, co-founder of MCR Labs, about his journey into the cannabis industry and his efforts to promote transparency and integrity in laboratory practices. Yasha discusses the origins of MCR Labs, which began in Massachusetts to meet the needs of the soon-to-be legal medical cannabis market. He explains the challenges faced, including result manipulation by labs and the impact on public health. Yasha's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) project aimed to gather testing data from 37 states, revealed significant discrepancies in potency and mold results. Despite some states' reluctance to share data, Yasha has made much of this data public, leading to collaborative research and publications on various aspects of cannabis testing.
Assessing Cannabis as a Harm Reduction Strategy: Insights from a Large-Scale Study
November 19th 2024A New Zealand study aimed to assess cannabis use as a harm reduction tool. Findings highlight lifestyle factors, and suggest cannabis-focused harm reduction strategies in reducing other substance use such as alcohol.
Ep 23, Part III: Accreditation in the Cannabis Industry with Susan Audino
October 24th 2024In Part III of this episode, host Evan Friedmann is joined by Susan Audino, PhD, founder of S.A. Audino & Associates, LLC, and co-founder of Saturn Scientific, LLC, to examine the complexities of sampling in the cannabis industry, emphasizing the need for proper sampling plans, and methods.
