Marijuana Moment: Virginia Governor Signs Bills To Automatically Legalize Psilocybin Following Federal Approval Of The Psychedelic

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Virginia’s governor has signed a pair of bills that will legalize a form of psilocybin under state law if and when the psychedelic is approved by federal officials.

“Upon approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of a formulation of psilocybin designed to be administered by a health care professional in a health care setting, the Board of Pharmacy shall reschedule such formulation of psilocybin consistent with federal scheduling changes and procedures” under state law, the legislation signed on Monday by Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) says.

Under HB 1347 from Del. Laura Jane Cohen (D) and SB 379 from Sen. Jennifer Boysko (D), the state action would need to occur at the board’s “next quarterly meeting following the expiration of 30 days from publication in the Federal Register of a final or interim final order or rule designating any formulation of psilocybin that has been approved by the FDA as a controlled substance.”

At the federal level, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. said recently that the Trump administration is “very anxious” to create a pathway for access to psychedelics therapy and that top officials across federal agencies want to “get it out to the public as quickly as possible.”

In an interview on the Joe Rogan Experience in February, Kennedy said he’s confident “we’re going to get it done,” with plans to develop and finalize rules that would enable patients with conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression to access psychedelic substances like psilocybin and MDMA in a “very controlled setting.”

“Everybody in my agency…is very anxious to get a rule out there that will allow these kind of studies and will allow access under therapeutic settings, particularly [for] the military soldiers who have suffered these injuries to get access to these products,” the HHS secretary said. “We’re working through that process now. We’re all working on it and trying to make it happen.”

“I think that we’re going to get it done,” he said.

Last June, Kennedy said his agency is “absolutely committed” to expanding research on the benefits of psychedelic therapy and, alongside of the head of FDA, is aiming to provide legal access to such substances for military veterans “within 12 months.”

In Virginia, meanwhile, Spanberger’s approval of the psychedelics reform comes as she faces a Monday deadline to take action on a number of cannabis-related bills.

Those include measures to legalize recreational cannabis sales, provide resentencing relief for people with past convictions, protect the parental rights of consumers, allow patients to access medical marijuana in hospitals, change delivery and labeling rules and provide for enforcement against illegal sales of cannabis products.

In anticipation of the launch of recreational marijuana sales, which Spanberger endorsed during her election campaign last year, Virginia’s government jobs site was recently updated with a list featuring nearly a dozen openings for cannabis regulatory positions.

Image courtesy of CostaPPR.

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