The state New Jersey Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee cleared a bill last week that would legalize the production and usage of psilocybin for therapeutic purposes in the Garden State. Multiple members stressed that they voted in favor because it is strictly for clinical use and the bill is now on its way to the full state Senate for consideration.
What is Psilocybin?
Psilocybin is a psychedelic compound found in "magic mushrooms", often in the Psilocybe genus. Psilocybin has hallucinogenic effects, which can be obtained from both fresh and dried mushrooms in varying concentrations. It can also be created in a lab.
Cote Culture is focused on using psilocybin in psychedelic integration for the treatment of addiction, depression, and other mental and psychological disorders. This is because psilocybin has proven to be highly efficacious for alcohol use disorder and other addictions, anxiety, depression, migraines, PTSD, and many other conditions. Investigative research on psilocybin is currently being conducted at major research universities including Johns Hopkins, Yale, The University of Chicago, Rutgers and many other institutions in the U.S. and around the world.
Although New Jersey state Senator Doug Steinhardt abstained and said he wants to read further studies, his Republican colleagues — state Sens. Carmen Amato and Mike Testa — both cited the compelling testimony given in their hearings as a reason for their yes votes.
“This is not a recreational. This is here to help those who are really struggling and don’t want to get addicted to something,” said state Sen. Paul Sarlo, the Bergen County Democrat who chairs the committee.
The Journal of the American Medical Association published a report last year saying a single dose of psilocybin provided a “significant sustained reduction” in symptoms of depression without serious “adverse events.” Similar findings have been published for treatment of conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder and cluster headaches.
The Psilocybin Legislation’s Impact
The legislation, sponsored in the upper chamber by Senate President Nick Scutari and state Sen. Joseph Vitale, both Democrats, was first introduced by Scutari during the last legislative session. It has undergone multiple rounds of reviews and amendments.
In heading to the New Jersey Senate floor, the bill in its current form would allow people suffering from certain conditions to be treated with psilocybin in regulated clinical settings.
The first step would be the creation of a 15-member advisory board within the New Jersey Department of Health to issue recommendations on the rollout of the program. There would be nine members on the board, appointed by the governor, and they would be required to have experience in psychedelic-assisted therapy.
Over an 18-month period, the board would be tasked with creating the licensing process, including the qualifications, cost and examination procedures, as well as defining the requirements and guidelines for providing psilocybin to eligible individuals, for tracking products and for access.
No licenses would be issued until after the 18-month board process, but they would have to be issued within two years of the date the bill becomes effective. Then it’s up to the state Health Department to oversee the program.
The bill also lays the groundwork for employment in New Jersey’s psilocybin industry. Workers will need to be at least 21 years of age and will need to undergo a background check. The bill also calls for a social opportunity program, in which applicants must have had a primary residence in a “distressed area” for five of the last 10 years, hire a workforce of whom half reside in a distressed area, or demonstrate an economic need.
In terms of clinical administration, psilocybin would have to be consumed at a licensed clinic and could not be taken home. Those receiving treatment or working within the industry would be immune from state drug laws. Furthermore, people getting treatment would need a written certificate signed by a health care professional that says they have a qualifying medical condition.
Treatment would come in three parts. The first part would be a “preparation session,” where information and treatment plans are verified, as well as consent and safety disclosures. The second part is an “administration session,” where the patient receives psilocybin from a service facilitator. That facilitator stays with the patient throughout the session. That is followed by the mandatory psychedelic integration session where a patient receives therapy to discuss the treatment and access to follow-up services.
If the bill passes, New Jersey will join Colorado and Oregon as the only states with legal, regulated psilocybin services. At Cote Culture, we are excited about this new legislation and are preparing for its adoption. Click here to learn more about psychedelic integration from Cote Culture.
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