Hawaii Senate Hearing Garners Overwhelming Support for Psilocybin Bill

Introducing Mr. Ron Kawachi Senate Bill 1454 Passed unanimously in Hawaii on January 25. Senate Committee on Health and Human Services (HHS) February 6th. Specification When it becomes law, the “Therapeutic Psilocybin Working Group” will be established (managed by the Office of Wellness & Resilience). [OWR]) “Examining the medicinal and therapeutic efficacy of psilocybin or psilocybin-based products for mental health, including post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and end-of-life distress.”

The group will also assess how markets such as regulators in Oregon and Colorado are working on their own state psilocybin programs with the goal of developing a comprehensive approach for Hawaii. will be a duty. In effect, its location ensures that access to psilocybin is safe, accessible and affordable for patients.

At the Feb. 6 hearing, dozens of testimonies were presented in favor of passing a bill that would allow access to psilocybin. HHS has compiled these testimonies. 117 page documentIt was attended by a variety of speakers and began with a statement from Tia Roberts Hartsock, Executive Director of the OWR Governor’s Office. “As the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to manifest in our daily lives, promising interventions for mental health disorders should be included in the trauma-related conversation,” said Hartsock. I have written“We need to look at research to make informed decisions about how complex social issues like mental health disorders should be addressed and given attention to. We support the objective of SB1454 to establish a working group that will provide recommendations on findings regarding potential benefits of therapeutic use.”

Nikos Leverenz, president of the Hawaii Drug Policy Forum, also expressed support for the bill. “Hawaii will seek to work more aggressively to create an environment that allows qualified medical professionals to use psilocybin as a therapeutic tool for those who can benefit from its supervised use. should.” Leverenz said.

Patients who have personally experienced botanical medicine treatments shared how the bill could help so many. “I can, without hesitation, prove that botanical medicine is a safe and effective means of dealing with and recovering from severe psychological and physical trauma. veteran“War veterans see first-hand the healing potential of these ancient medicines every day. We strongly advocate decriminalization An effective pathway to recovery As a group we just want to go home This is bigger than the failed drug war Lives are lost every day I have.”

This year has been a fruitful year for Hawaii legislators considering herbal medicines and legalization. On January 11, Rep. Jeanne Capella spoke about the introduction of an adult-use marijuana bill. “We all know, and as the people of Hawaii know, that it is time to legalize adult recreational cannabis use in Hawaii. ,” said Capella. “Following the recommendations of the task force dedicated to addressing cannabis policy, we now have a roadmap for legalizing recreational cannabis on our islands.” Capela is still submitting the bill. No, but I explained that it included a mass erasure program. “Social equity. People. That’s the core of our proposal,” she explained.

Hawaiians have also recently shown support for cannabis legalization through a poll conducted by the U.S. government. Hawaii Cannabis Industry AssociationA survey found that 52% of Hawaii residents were in favor of legalization (31% opposed).