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WE NEED PERSONAL TESTIMONIES
FOR THE HEARING THIS THURSDAY 3/23 3:30 PM!!!
Are you feeling called to support? Please see below for details.
***We are dedicating the Wed 3/22 integration circle (5:30 - 7 pm at The Studio Reno, 1085 S Virginia St.) to answering any questions and to crafting & practicing testimonies for the hearing***
OPEN-TO-THE-PUBLC SENATE HEARING SCHEDULED ON 3/23/23 3:30 PM -- PERSONAL TESTIMONIES NEEDED!
A senate hearing has been scheduled on Thursday, March 23, at 3:30 pm, in Room #2134 of the Legislative Building (401 S Carson St, Carson City, NV, Room). At this time, the Health and Human Services Committee will open the floor to hear testimonies (2 minutes each) from the public about how the healing benefits of psilocybin mushrooms have impacted their lives and/or the lives of people they love. The hearing will last as long as need be to accommodate the testimonies. We intend to pack the room by 3:30 PM so please spread the word! That said, if you don't get free from work until later in the day and would like to attend, you may arrive after the hearing starts. Sierra Psychedelic Society will have volunteers at the legislature building on March 23rd to assist. Dress code: collared shirt or blouse. If you have any questions, please email info@nevadacpm.org. Our bipartisan representation and voice at this hearing are critical, and we thank you in advance for your courage and willingness to take a stand on this issue!
SB242 POLICY BRIEF
Ways to support the passage of this bill:
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Please plan on calling in when the Chair announces support testimony dial
(888) 475-4499. Use Meeting ID
83200732458
and then press #. When prompted for a Participant ID, press #.
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You can also write in your support as a PDF to SenHHS@sen.state.nv.us
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Provide in-person testimony:
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Carson City, Nevada State Legislature
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Las Vegas, Grant Sawyer State Office Building
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Psychedelic legislation has been introduced in Nevada. SB242 would decriminalize a small amount of psilocybin mushrooms for personal use, and effectively allow for research on psilocybin and MDMA (decriminalizing the use of these medicines in the context of approved studies). Read the full text of SB242 here.
This is a huge step toward bringing healing to our communities and a pivotal moment for criminal justice reform in our state. We are raising funds to lobby in support of this bill. You can help by donating, spreading the word, and joining the coalition. Thank you for your support--every donation makes a difference!
Why is the issue of psychedelic drug policy reform critical?
Our state and country are facing a mental health crisis.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on mental health, leading to increased levels of anxiety, depression, and addiction.
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Each day between 22 and 26 veterans end their lives with a recent study tragically revealing that number may be as high as 40 per day.
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Our nation continues to battle the opiate epidemic.
Current treatments are ineffective and failing. There is a growing body of evidence demonstrating the therapeutic benefits of psychedelics, particularly for treating mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, addiction, OCD, and eating disorders. Clinical trials are underway to explore the therapeutic potential for psychedelic medicines such as psilocybin (the active compound in magic mushrooms) in treating neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. This evidence suggests that these substances have the potential to help address some of the most pressing public health issues facing society today.
Currently, most psychedelics are still classified as Schedule I substances, meaning they are considered to have a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use. Decades of research have now demonstrated that psychedelic medicines such as psilocybin hold great therapeutic value and carry little, if any, potential for abuse. This has led to calls for drug policy reform to re-evaluate the scheduling of psychedelics and to allow for greater access to these substances for healing. In addition, the safety profile for classic psychedelic compounds such as psilocybin is far superior to that of alcohol and tobacco.
Safety
Leading neuropsychopharmacologist David Nutt's harm scale is a widely cited ranking system that compares the harmfulness of various drugs based on a range of criteria, including physical harm, dependence, and social harm. According to this scale, alcohol and tobacco are ranked among the most harmful drugs, whereas psilocybin is ranked relatively low in terms of harm. Psilocybin has a relatively low risk of physical harm and a favorable safety profile when used responsibly with appropriate guidance.
Legislation in Nevada
Senate Bill Draft 4039 has been introduced in Nevada to “revise provisions governing controlled substances.” The conversation is currently focused on psilocybin (the active component in magic mushrooms). We commend our legislators for their efforts to revise outdated drug policy so that our citizens may pursue these novel treatments for healing without fear of prosecution. Join us in building a network to support this effort.