Governor Wes Moore of Maryland recently signed two measures into law that will create a task force to conduct research on legal access to psychedelics such as DMT and psilocybin. This move comes almost a month after legislators forwarded the bills to the governor’s desk.
The new law will establish a task force on the responsible use of natural psychedelics that shall be overseen by the state’s Cannabis Administration. The agency will oversee the equitable, broad and affordable access to psychedelics in the state. Members of this body are tasked with assessing and making recommendations on issues such as the production of natural psychedelics, access to treatment and permitting requirements.
Some of the bill’s provisions also require the task force to explore the expungement of previous convictions for psychedelics and the release of individuals imprisoned for such offenses. Additionally, members of the task force are required to make recommendations on possible civil penalties for nonviolent crimes that involve the cultivation, purchase, transportation, distribution or possession of natural psychedelic drugs.
Legislative leaders, several state agencies and the governor himself are charged with appointing the task force, which shall be comprised of 17 members.
The bill also affords members the discretion to review additional psychedelics if they see fit. The task force is required to present its recommendations to the legislature and the governor by the end of July 2025.
Maryland’s move comes as more states in the country continue to pursue psychedelics reform measures in this legislative session, with a primary focus on therapeutic access and research. For instance, the governor of Indiana recently signed an initiative that includes provisions to finance clinical research trials on psilocybin.
In Vermont, legislators signed off on a resolution that would establish a state working group to give recommendations on how and whether the state should regulate legal access to psychedelics like MDMA and psilocybin. The resolution has been forwarded to Governor Phill Scott.
In Alaska, the senate recently approved a measure that had already been approved last week by the House. The measure would establish a task force to conduct research on how psychedelic-assisted therapy could be licensed and regulated in the event of the drugs receiving federal approval.
In Maine, legislators recently forwarded a measure to the governor that would create a commission to study and make recommendations on regulating access to psychedelic services. Meanwhile in Utah, the governor recently permitted a measure to become law without his signature. The measure authorized a pilot program to administer MDMA and psilocybin as alternative-treatment options.
The passing of such laws in different states could be a good sign for psychedelics companies such as Compass Pathways PLC (NASDAQ: CMPS) since it shows that the public is yearning for psychedelic-based treatments.
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