States Slowly Embracing Psychedelic Drugs

Summary

After years of debate, medical marijuana is now fully legal in 37 states. The new frontier is psychedelics. Some researchers believe that psychedelic drugs like MDMA and psilocybin (the hallucinogen found in magic mushrooms) may be used to treat a litany of mental health illnesses, including depression, anxiety, and PTSD, as well as give comfort to patients suffering from serious forms of cancer. Already the legislatures in Oregon and Colorado have decriminalized psychedelics. Lawmakers in several other states are examining the issue, although they are not moving nearly as quickly. This article reviews state law developments regarding the treatment of mental illness with psychedelic drugs.