New Mexico lawmakers weigh possible approaches to state-level psilocybin program

SANTA FE — New Mexico could become the latest state to launch a psilocybin program in an attempt to give an alternative treatment option to individuals suffering from mental health issues — and possibly even substance abuse disorders.

Legislators expressed interest Wednesday in launching a state-level program for psilocybin, the main active ingredient in psychedelic mushrooms, but acknowledged tricky decisions await when it comes to legal, financial and practical implications.

During Wednesday’s meeting of the legislative Health and Human Services Committee in Silver City, lawmakers asked questions about psilocybin’s potential benefits as a treatment for various conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder and depression connected to terminal diseases.

“It may be a little premature. We’ll find out how premature it is,” said Sen. Gerald Ortiz y Pino, D-Albuquerque, referring to the 60-day legislative session that starts in January.

“It’s really important stuff and hopefully we’ll have a way to deal with some of these mental health problems that continue to plague New Mexico,” Ortiz y Pino added.

Several states already have cleared the way for the regulated use of psilocybin, or “magic mushrooms,” though approaches have varied.

Oregon became the first state to decriminalize possession and legalize use of psilocybin in 2022, though such use must be supervised.

Colorado voters passed a ballot measure that same year allowing adults 21 and older to possess psilocybin and give it to other adults, but it remains illegal to sell the substance or use it in public.

Meanwhile, other states like Arizona and Pennsylvania have stopped short of decriminalizing psilocybin but have enacted legislation allowing research to be conducted for clinical trials.

A state health official and University of New Mexico School of Medicine professor said Wednesday it’s ultimately up to lawmakers to decide which of those approaches to take — if any.

Gary French, the medical director for the state Department of Health’s Center for Medical Cannabis, also said launching a new state psilocybin program could take up to three years.

He also said Medicaid, the joint federal-state health care program that covers more than 40% of New Mexico residents, could not cover the program’s costs since psilocybin remains effectively illegal for anything outside of research under federal guidelines.

Meanwhile, Rep. Harlan Vincent, R-Glencoe, also asked whether professionals supervising an individual on psilocybin can administer a drug to reverse its effects.

In response, Lawrence Leeman, the medical director of UNM’s Milagro Program, which helps women struggling with addiction issues during pregnancy, said there are some medications that can reduce the effects, but they’re rarely utilized.

“We don’t have a Narcan for psilocybin,” Leeman said, referring to the medicine used to reverse opioid overdoses. “The challenging experiences are often associated with behavioral change.”

Among other studies, research done at UNM has shown psilocybin combined with psychotherapy can sharply reduce alcohol use.

Psilocybin, which can be made synthetically in addition to being found naturally in certain mushrooms, can cause hallucinations after being consumed.

It works for medical purposes by enhancing neuroplasticity, or the brain’s ability to change its structure.

But health officials also stressed Wednesday that it should be used only infrequently and under supervision, unlike cannabis that can be used daily for medical purposes by individuals in their own homes.