Legislative progress on providing veterans with access to psychedelic therapies like psilocybin, found in magic mushrooms, hit a roadblock last week as Virginia lawmakers decided not to advance a bill aimed at expanding mental health treatments for veterans.
As Henrico Citizen reported, the bill, introduced by Sen. Ghazala Hashmi (D-Richmond) and Del. Michael Jones (D-Richmond), sought to create an advisory council that would study how breakthrough therapies could be used to help reduce veteran suicide rates and treat mental health disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, without further action from lawmakers, the bill was left in committee as of November 18, the deadline for bills to be considered from the previous General Assembly session.
