Hawaii’s Senate recently approved a proposal to create a special fund that would support clinical research into psychedelic-assisted treatment using substances such as psilocybin and MDMA, both of which have been granted “breakthrough therapy” status by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), according to Marijuana Moment.
Sponsored by Sen. Chris Lee (D), SB 1042 would establish a state “mental health emerging therapies special fund,” which could be used to subsidize clinical trials, establish public-private research partnerships and eventually develop state programs around patient access for “compassionate use.”
According to the document, “emerging therapies” refers to psychedelic or entactogenic substances that are either approved by the FDA or under Hawaii state law as well as compounds undergoing FDA-approved clinical trials. “Compassionate use” is also defined as “treating patients suffering from terminal or life-threatening conditions,” including treatment-resistant mental health conditions.
Senators voted 22–1 on Friday in support of the plan, which will now head to the House of Representatives. If passed, the bill would require the Department of Health to submit annual progress reports to the legislature.
