Des Moines, Iowa (RI) — A House committee has unanimously approved a bill to set up a state program for psilocybin, also known as “magic mushrooms,” that would be similar to Iowa’s medical marijuana program.
Representative John Wills of Spirit Lake — the third-ranking Republican in the Iowa House — says at this time last year, he never would have sponsored the bill — but Wills was convinced psilocybin works after attending a conference on PTSD in Denver.
Wills served in the Iowa National Guard for 25 years and he says some of the soldiers who were with him during three combat tours have PTSD. If the bill becomes law, the state would issue licenses to grow, harvest, weigh, and dispense psilocybin and also issue cards to qualified medical providers who’d administer the drug to patients in a controlled setting. Michael Young, state commander for the VFW, was a Marine in combat in Somalia. Young says he suffered from PTSD when he returned home and doctors prescribed pills.
Young says the bill would provide a more natural treatment option for veterans suffering from service-related conditions. Russell Saffell is the adjutant and executive director of the Iowa VFW.
Representative Larry McBurney of Urbandale served in the Iowa National Guard for 11 years and did three overseas tours. He was diagnosed with PTSD after serving in combat.
Representative Jeff Shipley, a Republican from Birmingham — an advocate of alternative medicine, says his main reservation with the bill is it only legalizes psilocybin for the treatment of PTSD.
The bill as currently written would limit the state-sanctioned psilocybin therapy for PTSD only, but the bill’s sponsor says a state board could decide to allow psilocybin as treatment for other conditions once research proves its effective. The House Ways and Means Committee approved the bill yesterday. It’s now eligible for debate in the Iowa House.
KIWA Staff Photo
