Missouri House Committee Unanimously Approves Bill To Create Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Research Pilot Program

Another Missouri House committee has approved a Republican-led bill to legalize the medical use of psilocybin by military veterans who are enrolled in clinical trials on the psychedelic.

About a month after advancing through the House Veterans and Armed Forces Committee, members of the Rules Committee also unanimously approved the bill from Rep. Richard West (R) in a 8-0 vote on Tuesday. It now heads to the floor.

If enacted, the proposal would allow military veterans who are at least 21 and have certain medical conditions to legally access laboratory-tested psilocybin.

The bill is a repeat of last legislative year’s HB 1830, which was passed by two House committees before lawmakers ran out of time in the session. And the legislation was itself modeled off a separate bill that advanced to the House floor a year earlier but was not ultimately enacted.

Members of the prior committee took testimony on the current bill last month, including from military veterans.

Prior to passing the measure, lawmakers on that panel adopted a substitute that made minor, technical changes.

In addition to being 21 or older, a military veteran and enrolled in a clinical trial, participants in the proposed program would need to have PTSD, major depressive disorder, a substance use disorder or be in end-of-life care. They would also need to provide documentation to the state Department of Mental Health about the treating physician, facilitator and location and time of use.

Further, use of psilocybin would be limited to 150 mg during a 12-month period.

The bill also authorizes the state Department of Health to provide up to $2 million worth of grants to support research on the therapeutic potential of psilocybin.

“It seems that there’s a widespread acceptance that these therapies need to be deployed,” Eapen Thampy, a lobbyist for American Shaman, told Marijuana Moment on Wednesday.

“There are some functional questions over how far we can promote access, as opposed to clinical research. But I think we’re close to seeing some real movement,” he said.

Similar legislation, sponsored by Sen. Stephen Webber (D), separately cleared a committee in that chamber last month.

Meanwhile, another proposal being sponsored by Rep. Matt Overcast (R) would legalize and regulate psilocybin therapy for people with certain mental health conditions.

Missouri’s Republican attorney general said in February that it’s “absolutely appropriate” to make psychedelic therapy available as an alternative treatment option, particularly for military veterans. Attorney General Andrew Bailey (R) said on a recent podcast that plans to be involved with any program that may be approved by the legislature as it takes up various reform proposals.

“I think it’s absolutely appropriate that different options be made available and that everyone be able to make their own decisions about which option for treatment best suits their needs and produces the best results,” he said, adding that he expects psychedelics legislation to “move again this session to accomplish exactly that.”

Separately, Missouri officials are considering whether and how to regulate intoxicating hemp products, which are widely available in the state. Lawmakers are contemplating multiple approaches, with different details on what kinds of products would be allowed and what limits would be set on THC levels in the products.

In February, legislation allowing low-dose intoxicating hemp beverages to continue to be sold in grocery and liquor stores was reported favorably by committees in both the House and Senate.

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