The Illinois legislature introduces legislation to legalize psychedelics

An Illinois state legislature has introduced a bill that would legalize psychedelics for therapeutic use, including psilocybin, the primary psychoactive compound in magic mushrooms. The bill, titled the Compassionate Use and Research of Entheogens (CURE) Act, was introduced Wednesday by Democratic State Assemblyman La Shawn Ford.

The bill, which Ford introduced on the opening day of the new Illinois legislative session, would create a regulated psychedelic therapy program overseen by an advisory committee. The measure, dubbed House Bill 1 (HB1), also removes criminal penalties for personal use of psilocybin, a provision Ford said in a statement was needed to protect patients and providers. Ford noted that while existing criminal bans on the drugs are rarely enforced, “their formal repeal ensures that patients are not made into criminals simply because they seek health, healing, and well-being.”

“I’m seeing more and more legitimate scientific evidence, including information from the FDA, showing that psychedelic therapies are not only safe but also very effective, especially for the most severe patients where other treatments have failed,” Ford said in a press release about the legislation. “At the same time, I’m also hearing from patients and their healthcare providers that Illinois residents should have access to these exciting new treatment options.”

HB 1 legalizes psychedelic therapies in Illinois

Under the legislation, adults over the age of 18 will be permitted to receive supervised psychedelic therapy from trained facilitators. Psychedelic compounds used within the program must be made and tested at licensed facilities. Ford stressed that while the measure would legalize possession of psychedelics, it would not authorize any commercial sale of entheogenic compounds.

“I want to make it clear that this is a health measure. My proposal does not permit retail sale of psilocybin outside of a regulated therapeutic setting and ensures that drugs purchased for therapeutic use at a service center must be used under medical supervision and cannot be taken home,” Ford said. “Only Licensed Facilitators may provide treatment at a strictly regulated and licensed healing center, licensed healthcare facility, hospice, or pre-approved patient residence.”

Ford noted in his statement that a growing body of research on entheogenic plants and mushrooms like psilocybin shows the drugs have the potential to treat a variety of mental illnesses, including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety. Psychedelics can also be effective treatments for neurological disorders such as cluster headaches, migraines, cancer, and phantom limbs. Psychedelic-assisted therapy shows so much promise that psilocybin has been granted Breakthrough Treatment status by the FDA.

Bill marks a new step in psychedelics policy reform efforts

Although the bill focuses on naturally occurring psychedelic compounds, Joshua Kappel, founding partner at cannabis and psychedelics law firm Vicente Sederberg LLP, notes that the bill’s provisions are not limited to traditionally grown or collected entheogens. The difference marks a significant evolution in psychedelics policy reform efforts, which have so far resulted in two states legalizing psilocybin for therapeutic purposes.

“It builds on Colorado and Oregon in very thoughtful and progressive ways, including the approval of synthetic variants of natural medicines approved in Colorado,” Kappel writes in an email to High Times, “which is a key development from a sustainability perspective.”

House Bill 1 has already garnered the support of a broad coalition of medical and psychologists, researchers, patients and grassroots activists for psychedelic reform. Many came together to form Entheo IL to lead efforts to reform psychedelics policy in Illinois.

“Pressure for legal access to entheogenic drugs is widespread at both the state level, such as in Oregon and Colorado, and the federal level,” said Jean Lacy, chief executive officer of the new group, in a statement. “This legislation will ensure that Illinois leads the way in developing the infrastructure needed to do this work.”