New York state lawmakers have pre-filed a bill ahead of the 2023-2024 regular session seeking to legalize the adult use of certain psychedelics.
Bill A00114 would legalize the “possession, use, cultivation, production, creation, analysis, gifting, exchange, or sharing by or between natural persons of twenty-one years of age or older of a natural plant or fungus-based hallucinogen.”
Under the terms of the bill, a “natural plant or fungus-based hallucinogen” refers to DMT, ibogaine, mescaline, psilocybin, and psilocin.
READ: Conventional FDA approval or a magic bullet? The possible regulatory pathways to legalization of psychedelics in North America
The bill would grant protections for individuals lawfully using such hallucinogens, such as allowing for the provision of risk mitigation, religious, spiritual or related supportive services with or without remuneration.
It would also remove such hallucinogens from the list of Schedule 1 Controlled Substances.
Further, state or local law enforcement agencies will not cooperate with the United States government or its agencies enforcing the federal Controlled Substances Act.
The bill is being co-sponsored by Assemblymembers Linda Rosenthal (Democrat), Jo Anne Simon (Democrat), and Karines Reyes (Democrat) and will be formally introduced on January 4.
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