California governor signs bill to promote state psychedelics research

It aims to benefit veterans and citizens plagued by mental health complications

Rowan Dunne

Published

4 hours ago

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill to expedite research on psychedelic substances for mental health indications last week.

Assembly Bill 1103 also aims to facilitate studies on psychoactive compounds for treating traumatic brain injuries and substance use disorders. It prioritizes the well-being of state veterans suffering from these challenging indications.

Psilocybin, ibogaine and MDMA are expected to be key focuses. Authorizations for clinical research involving these controlled substances will become easier to obtain for designated California investigators and organizations.

“This is a pivotal moment for science, for mental health, and for every veteran who has waited too long for better treatment options,” said Amber Capone, co-founder of Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions (VETS), in a news release on Oct. 15.

VETS is a non-profit that sponsored the new legislation. It advocates for psychedelic-assisted therapy in the veterans community. Many American veterans have been experiencing impactful therapy sessions with naturally-derived psychedelics, particularly ibogaine.

The organization’s other co-founder and Navy SEAL veteran, Marcus Capone, says ibogaine “gave him his life back” and that other conventional therapies were of no use. His sentiment is shared by fellow Navy SEAL combat vet Robert O’Neill, Army Ranger veteran Chase Rowan, and many others.

“For the millions affected, especially veterans, this is real, measurable progress toward better care,” the organization said in a social media post. “We applaud California’s leadership and every veteran advocate who helped make this possible.”

United States veterans are more than twice as likely to die by suicide than others in the country, VETS has highlighted. This non-profit and others like Heroic Hearts, Reason for Hope and Healing Breakthrough are passionate about finding efficacious treatments, regardless of how controversial they may be.

AB 1103 “authorizes expedited review by deputized panel members for qualified research applications that meet strict federal and institutional safeguards, eliminating unnecessary delays without compromising safety or oversight,” as specified by VETS in its press release.

Cannabis is also being considered for treatment indications, as detailed in the bill. AB 1103 doesn’t legalize psychedelics in California, but rather modernizes the state’s research bureaucracy so that scientists can study these substances more efficiently, particularly for veteran mental health indications.

It streamlines the state-level review process for psychedelic studies via the Research Advisory Panel of California. However, DEA, FDA, and Institutional Review Board approvals are still required.