Arizona Lawmakers Approve Psychedelics Bills To Create Psilocybin Advisory Board And Fund Ibogaine Research

Arizona lawmakers have approved two different bills focused on psychedelic therapy.

Senate passed a bill to create an advisory board tasked with studying the science of psilocybin, as well as state and federal policies surrounding the psychedelic, while the House separately approved a measure to fund clinical trials on ibogaine.

The Senate legislation from Sen. T. J. Shope (R) cleared the chamber in a 23-4 vote on Tuesday after it was significantly amended in committee, with members removing central provisions to establish licensed psilocybin service centers for adults seeking mental health treatment.

On the House side, the body advanced the ibogaine research legislation, sponsored by Rep. Justin Wilmeth (R), in a 36-22 vote on Monday, sending it to the Senate. It would provide funding for the state Department of Health Services (DHS) to “conduct a certified clinical research study on the use of ibogaine for the treatment of neurological diseases.”

An earlier version of Shope’s Senate psilocybin bill moved through both chambers last year with the regulated access components intact, but it was vetoed by the Democratic governor, who argued that “we do not yet have the evidence needed to support widespread clinical expansion.”

However, the year before, Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) signed into law budget legislation that included provisions to fund research into the medical potential of psilocybin mushrooms for a variety of conditions.

The new Senate-passed bill hopes to leverage some of those appropriated $5 million to create an Arizona Psilocybin Advisory Board, comprised of up to 12 members appointed by the governor and legislative leaders.

Representatives of the attorney general’s office and DHS, as well as military veterans, first responders, scientists with experience with psilocybin and physicians would be among the members.

Under the bill, the board would need to be selected by December 31, 2025, and they’d need to hold their first meeting by March 1, 2026.

Members would be required to publish a report, compiled in consultation with DHS, by July 31, 2025 and each subsequent year that examines the “safety and efficacy of psilocybin in treating mental health conditions, including addiction, depression, anxiety disorders and end-of-life psychological distress.”

The report would further look at “proposed and enacted laws, regulations and policies regarding psilocybin by other states or the federal government.”

Meanwhile, ahead of the House vote on Wilmeth’s ibogaine bill, former U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ)—who also championed psychedelics reform while serving in Congress—called on the state legislature to pass the legislation, while pledging to personally raise $5 million in philanthropic donations to support the psychedelic research if it’s is ultimately enacted.

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Under the psychedelics research legislation that was already enacted through the budget, a Psilocybin Research Advisory Council was established under the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS), and members met for the first time last November prior an open application period for potential grant recipients.

The grant money must be distributed to applicants with proposals focused on clinical trials that are meant to identify therapeutic applications that could receive federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for treatment of 13 listed conditions.

Separately, Hobbs signed a bill into law last year that would allow firefighters and peace officers with PTSD to get workers’ compensation coverage for MDMA therapy if it is federally legalized.

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Photo courtesy of Dick Culbert.

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