PA Could Study Medicial Use Of Psychedelic Mushroom Ingredient

Pittsburgh PA

27 July, 2021

2:24 PM

Description

HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania soon could study the potential treatment and cost benefits of using psilocybin, the hallucinogenic ingredient in psychedelic mushrooms, for treatment of various medical and psychological conditions. Two state representatives - Republican Tracy Pennycuick of Montgomery County and Democrat Jennifer O'Mara of Delaware County - are poised to introduce legislation authorizing the clinical study of psilocybin-assisted therapy. The drug would be for post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury and mental health conditions; veterans, first responders and their families would be treatment option priorities. In a recent memo to colleagues, Pennycuick and O'Mara noted that the federal Food and Drug Administration has given psilocybin a "breakthrough therapy" designation for depression treatment. That label means it it has demonstrated significant improvement over current treatments. "A growing body of research provides a reason for hope that psilocybin, administered in a controlled setting, will be the most effective tool at our disposal to combat the suicide, opioid, and overall mental health crisis burdening the commonwealth.," the memo stated. "Studies conducted by world renowned medical institutions indicate that psilocybin has shown efficacy, tolerability, and safety in the treatment of conditions including but not limited to addiction, depression, anxiety disorders, and end-of-life psychological distress." Oregon voters last year approved a referendum giving the state health authority approval, following a two-year development period, to license and regulate the manufacturing, transportation, delivery, sale and purchase of psilocybin products and services. Additionally, Texas recently passed a law to study the efficiency of psilocybin to treat post-traumatic stress disorder in veterans. The proposed Pennsylvania legislation also would target vets because their suicide rate nationwide is 1.5 times that of non-veterans, according to Pennycuick and O'Mara's memo. Be the first to know what's happening in your community and region. With a free Patch subscription, you'll always be up to date on local and state news: https://patch.com/subscribe.