A bill that would legalize medical psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, passed its final committee vote on Monday. Now it has four days to clear a full House vote before landing on the governor’s desk, making New Mexico only the third state to legalize the drug.
Senate Bill 219 passed the House Health and Human Services Committee with an 8 to 1 vote, falling in line with its track record of receiving broad bipartisan support, which would suggest it has a good chance of passing a full House vote if it can get called up before the legislative session ends this Saturday.
Supporters touted psilocybin’s breakthrough therapy designation from the Food and Drug Administration for treatment-resistant depression, which means it shows “substantial improvement” over currently available therapies, and fast-tracks it for further development and clinical review.
Supporters also pointed to studies that show psilocybin is highly effective at treating post-traumatic stress disorder, generalized and end-of-life anxiety, substance use disorder, and even cluster headaches, regarded as one of the most painful experiences a human being can endure.
Molly Forgaard told the committee she dealt with suicidal ideation and treatment resistant-depression for her entire life, and had tried multiple treatments with no improvement, including electroconvulsive therapy and trans-cranial magnetic stimulation.
“But then last year, when I was 30, my psychiatrist had me try psilocybin-assisted therapy. My depression is now completely cured, and my life has been saved,” she said through tears. “I ask you to please support this bill.”
Opponents questioned the safety of the drug, but in Oregon out of more than 20,000 sessions, only 10 required emergency intervention — a safety record of 99.6%, which is about four times safer than sulfa antibiotics, and even safer than penicillin.
Support for this coverage comes from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
