Veteran Access To Psychedelic Mental Health Therapies Stalls In Virginia

Legislative progress on providing veterans with access to psychedelic therapies like psilocybin, found in magic mushrooms, hit a roadblock last week as Virginia lawmakers decided not to advance a bill aimed at expanding mental health treatments for veterans.

As Henrico Citizen reported, the bill, introduced by Sen. Ghazala Hashmi (D-Richmond) and Del. Michael Jones (D-Richmond), sought to create an advisory council that would study how breakthrough therapies could be used to help reduce veteran suicide rates and treat mental health disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, without further action from lawmakers, the bill was left in committee as of November 18, the deadline for bills to be considered from the previous General Assembly session.

The Bill

The legislation proposed a deep dive into federal regulations and licensing requirements for breakthrough therapies, which would include substances like psilocybin. While the bill did not explicitly mention psilocybin, it is recognized as a potential breakthrough therapy due to its promising effects on mental health. Studies, including research from Johns Hopkins Medicine, have found that psilocybin helps alleviate symptoms of depression, anxiety and PTSD, and even aids in smoking cessation.

Challenges In Rescheduling Psilocybin For Medicinal Use

Despite evidence supporting psilocybin’s therapeutic potential, it remains a Schedule I substance in Virginia, limiting its medical use. In 2023, a bill to reschedule it to Schedule III failed. This classification is controversial, especially considering fentanyl, another Schedule I drug, is responsible for most overdose deaths in Virginia, while psilocybin has no overdose-related fatalities.

Veterans Call For Better Mental Health Care And Treatment Access

Del. Jones, whose father was a Vietnam War veteran, voiced frustration at the lack of action. "Veterans deserve any form of effective mental health care they need," said Jones, emphasizing that improving mental health support for veterans should be a priority. He stressed the importance of exploring all treatment options for veterans, acknowledging the struggles some face just getting through daily life. "Every day isn't easy for everybody," Jones remarked. "For some people getting up on Thursday morning is hard as hell, and so, how do we soften that burden?"

Veterans have long advocated for the use of psychedelics to address mental health issues, particularly PTSD, which affects a significant portion of those who have served in the military. Army veteran Anthony Mijares shared his personal testimony about the benefits of psilocybin, stating that it helped him overcome depression and reliance on prescription drugs after his military service. "The military trained me to save people, but it failed to train me on how to heal myself," Mijares said during a 2023 testimony in favor of psilocybin legislation.

Read Also: Veterans Deserve Access To Life-Changing Psychedelics Therapy: A Vital Solution For PTSD And Healing

VA Funds Research On Psychedelic Treatments

In response to mounting interest in psychedelic therapies, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced in January that it would fund research into the use of psychedelics like psilocybin to treat PTSD and depression. representing the first such VA-supported research since the 1960s.

The Future Of Psychedelic Treatment For Veterans In Virginia

Despite setbacks at the state level, Jones remains hopeful that future legislative efforts will prioritize veteran mental health and continue to advance research into psychedelic treatments. "We need to be bold," he said, urging that any future administration support scientific research that could improve the lives of veterans.

Whether the issue will resurface in the upcoming legislative session is still uncertain, as neither Jones nor Hashmi have confirmed plans to reintroduce the bill.

Cover image made with AI