TULSA, Okla. — A bill to conduct a study on the benefits of psychedelic mushrooms, also known as “magic mushrooms” has passed the Oklahoma House.
The fungus is currently a Schedule I controlled substance in the U.S. along with heroin and marijuana, which means they're not federally legal to use.
Representative Daniel Pae from Lawton is the author of House Bill 2107.
The bill would allow clinical trials and research on the impacts of psilocybin and psilocin, the compounds found in magic mushrooms, and their possible therapeutic benefits.
Pae says the possibility of the drug's benefits could be huge for veterans in Oklahoma.
“We have to take care of our people. Oklahoma has a population that's different from our friends in Texas. We have a tremendous number of military installations, hence more veterans, I myself represent a community that has veterans and military personnel, and I believe strongly that this bill is going to help them," Pae said on the house floor.
The bill says a university or other institution of high education in Oklahoma could conduct clinical trials and research for the treatment of the drug on those 18 years or older.
However, there are medical conditions and disorders a person must experience in those studies:
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Treatment-resistant/ refractory depression
- Treatment-resistant/ refractory anxiety
- Treatment-resistant/ refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Traumatic brain injury
- Early-stage dementia
- Palliative care
- End-of-life care
- Opioid use disorder
- Moderate to severe chronic pain.
This week, lawmakers debated the bill on the House floor.
"Could it be that some of these individuals taking medicines that we know have side effects that are used for depression, could it be that some of those people come off of those medications with this kind of therapy?" questioned Republican Representative Cynthia Roe.
"Absolutely, and we won't know until we conduct the research, until we conduct this pilot program," Pae responded.
While most of the House supports the bill, more than 30 Republicans voted against it.
Representative Marilyn Stark aired concerns about children getting ahold of the drug. Pae responded, stating everything will be done in a clinical setting.
The bill passed the House with a 66-32 vote and now heads to the Senate.
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