Legislation that would legalize the therapeutic use of psilocybin mushrooms has been given approval by a key Assembly committee.
The Assembly Health Committee passed Assembly Bill 3852 today, moving it along in the legislative process. The move comes a little over a week after the Senate Heath Committee voted to approve a companion measure.
Initially devised as a way to legalize the personal use of psilocybin for everyone 21 and older, the measure was amended to apply exclusively to the medical/therapeutic use of the substance.
Under the revised bill, patients with eligible conditions who secure a referral from a licensed healthcare provider would be allowed to legally access psilocybin services. The Department of Health (DOH) would be responsible for overseeing the entire lifecycle of legal psilocybin, including its production, testing, transportation, sale, and purchase.
The bill defines five distinct license categories: manufacturer, service center operator, testing laboratory, facilitator, and psilocybin worker. A Psilocybin Advisory Board would be created to identify qualifying medical conditions for psilocybin use, set service and dosage guidelines, develop safety screenings and informed consent procedures, and regulate the training and conduct of facilitators.
According to recent polling by Stockton University’s William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy, a strong majority of New Jersey residents support the legalization of psilocybin for medical use, with only 20% opposed. The poll also revealed that 16% of New Jersey residents have tried a psychedelic drug like “LSD, mushrooms, or ecstasy,” and 46% know someone who has.
