Oklahoma lawmakers have approved bill in committee to promote research into the therapeutic potential of psilocybin while providing legal protections against prosecution for people with eligible conditions who possess the psychedelic.
The House Alcohol, Tobacco and Controlled Substances Committee passed a substitute of the legislation from Rep. Daniel Pae (R) in a 6-1 vote on Wednesday.
As revised, the measure calls for the establishment of a pilot program that would let universities as well as research facilities that contract with Oklahoma institutions of higher education carry out studies into psilocybin and psilocyn.
Research institutions would need to look into the use of the psychedelics for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury, early-stage dementia, palliative care, end-of-life care, opioid use disorder, chronic pain, severe depression, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
As introduced, the bill was already more limited than a version that Pae sponsored last session, omitting provisions to broadly decriminalize the substances.
But while the bill no longer couples research with decriminalization, people who face prosecution over psilocybin possession would be afforded an affirmative defense if they can “demonstrate by clear and convincing evidence” that they have a medical condition that falls under the list of study
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