Here’s what Mason Marks ( He’s everywhere these days!) says by way of introduction…
Public and scientific interest in psychedelics such as psilocybin and MDMA is expanding. Once off-limits because of federal prohibition, a trickle of research from the 1990s has grown into a stream. But despite increasing acceptance by the public, and commercial investment in psychedelic therapies, aging federal laws stem the flow of vital research.
Psilocybin, a compound produced by many species of fungi, is one of the most well-studied psychedelics. To acknowledge its impressive safety record and potential for treating depression more effectively than existing therapies, the Food and Drug Administration designated psilocybin a breakthrough therapy in 2018 and 2019 for treating drug-resistant depression and major depressive disorder.
Despite these developments, most psilocybin research is still conducted overseas, and FDA approval remains years away. Psilocybin’s federal status as a Schedule I controlled substance is to blame. Despite overwhelming evidence that psilocybin is misclassified, this barrier restricts research, stifles competition and innovation, and inhibits access. Amid a worsening mental health crisis, the dam preventing scientific progress must be broken.
and his conclusion
Representative Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (D–N.Y.) recently sponsored legislation to remove barriers to funding for psychedelics research, former Texas Governor Rick Perry supported a Texas bill to study psilocybin therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and Representative Dan Crenshaw (R–Texas) sponsored a measure to unlock Defense Department funding for research on psychedelics to help active duty servicemembers.
Despite the strong evidence that psilocybin is misclassified, its Schedule I status stifles research, innovation and access. Rescheduling would address all these concerns in one fell swoop. An abundance of science and public health data supports it.
Read the full article at https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-strategy-for-rescheduling-psilocybin/
Want more of what he thinks?
Check out this Harvard interview in July
A Q&A with Mason Marks on new psychedelics law and regulation initiative
