California bill would establish a psilocybin pilot program for veterans, first responders

A version of the following public comment was submitted to the California Senate Health Committee on April 23, 2025.

Senate Bill 751 proposes the creation of a time-limited, geographically restricted pilot program to investigate the use of psilocybin services for veterans and inactive first responders facing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), end-of-life distress, or related conditions. We believe that SB 751 provides a sensible regulatory framework that prioritizes safety, efficacy, and ethical standards and operates within current federal regulations.

Reason Foundation has comprehensively reviewed the available scientific literature on psilocybin and found that it presents a strong safety profile. Specifically, psilocybin is associated with low physiological toxicity, minimal risk of abuse or addiction, generally well-tolerated psychological effects, and no evidence of lasting harmful physiological or psychological outcomes.

As noted in SB 751’s legislative findings section, “every day, an average of 17.6 veterans commit suicide. … First responders, including law enforcement officers and firefighters, are more likely to die by suicide than in the line of duty.” These stark statistics reflect the inadequacy of existing treatment options for trauma-related mental health conditions and underscore the need to explore promising alternatives.

SB 751 ensures compliance with FDA and DEA regulations

SB 751 does not legalize psilocybin but instead creates a narrowly tailored exception to support federally compliant research. The program would operate in up to five California counties under the oversight of the California Health and Human Services Agency and in partnership with the University of California system. Local pilot sites must also partner with community-based providers already serving veterans and first responders, ensuring the program is embedded within existing support networks.

Importantly, Section 2 requires strict safety protocols aligned with the most current Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Drug Enforcement Administration guidelines for psychedelic clinical trials. University partners would be responsible for designing research protocols, obtaining Institutional Review Board approvals, training facilitators, and collecting clinical data. This structure prioritizes ethical standards, qualified supervision, and scientific integrity.

SB 751 prioritizes transparency, efficacy, and safety

SB 751 ensures transparent partnerships between local pilot programs and participating universities. Sec. 11315(a) states, “[T]he agency shall enter into an agreement with each university partner approved for participation in the pilot program.” The agreement shall specify “the amount of funding available to the local pilot; the conditions under which payments will be made; data collection and sharing requirements; and reporting requirements.”

This bill also includes a clear framework for monitoring, evaluation, and long-term transparency. Sec. 11316(a) requests university partners to submit mid-year annual reports to the California Health and Human Services Agency. By 2029, university partners must also jointly select an independent third-party evaluator to conduct a peer-reviewed statewide study of the program’s efficacy and community impact. By January 15, 2030, the California Health and Human Services Agency is required to compile a comprehensive report to the legislature, including program outcomes, data analysis, and recommendations.

The promise of psychedelic-assisted therapy

Over the past decade, the medical community has increasingly recognized the potential of psychedelic therapies for the treatment of mental health conditions. In controlled clinical settings, psychedelics have exhibited fewer safety concerns than many standard pharmaceutical drugs. Research suggests that psychedelics are non-addictive and carry a low risk of abuse. 

In 2023, Reason Foundation comprehensively reviewed existing FDA clinical trials examining psilocybin for mental health conditions. Our research concluded that psilocybin offers promise for a range of additional disorders, including PTSD, anxiety due to terminal illness, neurodegenerative disease, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and drug dependency, in addition to its potential therapeutic efficacy in treating depression.

However, despite promising research, access to innovative psychedelic therapies is limited by the FDA’s designation of psychedelics as Schedule I substances.

Conclusion

SB 751 presents a cautious, evidence-based pathway to study whether psilocybin-assisted therapy can offer a meaningful improvement in the treatment of trauma-related mental health conditions. By centering this work within academic and clinical frameworks—and ensuring strong oversight and federal compliance, California can responsibly contribute to the development of potentially life-saving therapies for some of the most vulnerable populations.

Right now, many veterans and first responders are traveling outside the United States—often to countries like Mexico or Peru—to access psychedelic therapies that they credit with saving their lives. Those who have spent their lives defending our freedoms shouldn’t be forced to cross borders to access healing.

If this pilot program proves successful and psilocybin services are effective and safe, California will be well-positioned to expand access to these therapies to other populations struggling with mental health conditions. States like Colorado, Oregon, and New Mexico have already taken steps in this direction, and California could build on these efforts by developing an evidence-based, compassionate model for broader access.

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Source: https://reason.org/testimony/california-bill-would-establish-a-psilocybin-pilot-program-for-veterans-first-responders/