Utah House Committee Approves Measure Allowing Research on Mental Health Benefits of Psychedelics

February 15, 2022 15:08:52

Last week, a House committee in the state of Utah passed a measure that would establish a task force to conduct research on and give recommendations for the therapeutic potential of psychedelic substances and regulations governing their legal use. The bill, which was sponsored by Rep. Brady Brammer, was approved by the House Health and Human Services Committee in a 10-to-1 vote.

The bill stipulates that the task force would be required to research and give recommendations on drugs that could assist in mental illness treatment. The drugs to be considered included controlled substances that had the potential to manage, treat or relieve symptoms from mental health conditions but weren’t currently available for legal use.

In the resolution’s substituted measure, which was approved, a licensed pharmacist would be added to the task force while representatives from a mental health association and a civil liberty group would be removed from the task force.

During the bill’s hearing, Brammer explained that he’d studied existing research on certain entheogenic substances and determined that there were indications of the treatments’ benefits in existential distress, addiction, post-traumatic stress disorder and treatment-resistant depression. He also highlighted that the legislation didn’t legalize anything, noting that it only formed the task force whose purpose would be to offer evidence-based recommendations.

The measure stipulates that the recommendations made by the panel should talk about the types of symptoms that a substance may treat, its administration and dosage, how the drug can be obtained, safety requirements, training and licensing, and data tracking. In addition, the task force would also be required to propose regulations the legislature should consider if the drugs are legalized for the treatment of mental health conditions.

Similar actions are being taken in other states. In Oklahoma, two GOP legislators recently filed measures to decriminalize low-level possession of psilocybin and promote research into the therapeutic potential of this particular psychedelic. A legislator in Missouri also introduced a measure last month that would, if approved, allow residents with severe health conditions to legally access a range of psychedelic drugs like LSD, ibogaine and psilocybin. And in Virginia, a measure to decriminalize an extensive range of psychedelic substances was taken up last week by a House of Delegates panel.

In a recent interview, Sen. Scott Wiener of California also revealed that his measure to legalize the possession of psychedelics in the state stood a 50/50 chance of reaching the governor’s desk, having already cleared two assembly committees and the full senate.

This wave of policy reforms is coming at a time when many companies, such as Mydecine Innovations Group Inc. (NEO: MYCO) (OTC: MYCOF), have made progress in their efforts to develop medicinal formulations from various psychedelic compounds, including psilocybin.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Mydecine Innovations Group Inc. (NEO: MYCO) (OTC: MYCOF) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/MYCOF

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