California Senate advances psychedelic services bill
A California Senate committee this week moved a bill that would legalize psychedelic service centers, allowing adults 21 and older to access a clique of psychedelic substances under supervised settings.
SB 1012, carried by democratic state senator Scott Wiener, passed the Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development Committee with a 7-4 vote on Monday, Marijuana Moment first reported. The bill, known as the “Regulated Therapeutic Access to Psychedelics Act,” is a response to Governor Gavin Newsom’s veto of a broader psychedelics legalization proposal last year, according to Weiner.
“Psychedelics, when used safely, can turn people’s lives around, and we owe it to Californians to make these substances accessible in a safe and secure context, under the supervision of a licensed professional,” Wiener said in a statement. “I thank the Business and Professions Committee for recognizing that need today.”
Under the proposed law, licensed facilities would provide psychedelic services that would include psilocybin, MDMA, mescaline, and DMT to adults who undergo health and safety screenings. Facilitators, who must hold existing professional health licenses, would supervise the sessions and provide integration services. The bill aims to ensure affordability and accessibility for low-income populations.
A new division under the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency would be established to regulate the psychedelics program, with an oversight committee appointed by the governor. The legislation also calls for the creation of a public-private fund to promote education about the safe use of psychedelic substances.
The bill’s passage comes amid other efforts to legalize psychedelics in California. Several local jurisdictions have adopted measures to decriminalize psychedelic plants and fungi, while campaigns to put psilocybin legalization on the November ballot and to create a state agency for psychedelics research have been initiated with varying degrees of success.
Wiener’s bill will now move to the Senate Public Safety Committee for consideration on April 23.
Our legislation to legalize supervised use of psychedelics with licensed facilitators & promote education on safe use passed its 1st committee.
SB 1012 is a big step toward access & education for substances with huge potential to help people be healthy & turn their lives around.
— Senator Scott Wiener (@Scott_Wiener) April 16, 2024
