Maryland Senators File Bill To Provide Army Veterans With PTSD Free Access To Psychedelics

Several Maryland senators filed a bill to establish a Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Alternative Therapies Fund, that would provide cost-free access to psychedelics for military veterans, reported Marijuana Moment. 

Under the legislation, sponsored by Senator Sarah Elfreth (D), certain psychedelics like psilocybin, MDMA and ketamine would be available for army veterans diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The bill would also support research into the therapeutic potential of these substances. 

From time to time, according to the bill, regulators must “consult with the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Johns Hopkins University, the University of Maryland, Sheppard Pratt, and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center” on the consumption of entheogenic substances for the treatment of PTSD. 

Built into the measure are specific demands that could set the ground for future legislation on enabling regulated access to psychedelics for medical use. 

The first thing required is for the Maryland Department of Health to file a report to Governor Larry Hogan (R) with the “initial findings and recommendations” by December 1, 2022. Then, there would be another deadline for discoveries and recommendations based on studies that were exclusively supported via the PTSD fund. 

The report is required to contain “any findings regarding the efficacy of alternative therapies as treatment for post–traumatic stress disorder,” and “recommendations on budgetary, legislative, or regulatory changes to expand access to alternative therapies for veterans with post–traumatic stress disorder.”

The newly filed bill already has nine cosponsors and it is set for a hearing in the Budget and Taxation Committee on March 2.

Wave Of Psychedelics Reforms 

This legislation is yet another example of psychedelics reform spreading across the country, with new bills being introduced in Utah, Virginia, Kansas, and Missouri. In addition, last December the DEA increased its quota for psilocybin for 2022 and also for the legal production of psychedelic drugs such as MDMA and DMT. The DEA made this move in response to increased demand from scientists to study the effectiveness of these substances in the treatment of mental health disorders.

Photo: Courtesy of Jeremy Bezanger on Unsplash