A version of the following written comment was submitted to the Nevada Health and Human Services Committee on March 26, 2025.
An Alternative Therapy Pilot Program could expand access to innovative treatments for individuals suffering from mental health conditions in Nevada. While this program would be limited to veterans and first responders, this population could be expanded once safety and efficacy standards are met. In particular, research compiled by the Reason Foundation shows that various psychedelic therapies show far greater promise in combatting depression and opioid addiction than existing therapies and that periodic psychedelic therapy may also allay the onset and reduce the severity of common neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s.
Psychedelics show the potential to be more effective than conventional drugs currently being used to treat a range of mental health disorders. In controlled clinical settings, psychedelics have also exhibited fewer safety concerns than many standard pharmaceutical drugs. Research suggests that psychedelics are non-addictive and carry a low risk of abuse. However, despite promising research, access to innovative psychedelic therapies is limited by the FDA’s designation of psychedelics as Schedule I substances.
The current Schedule I designation hinders scientific research by discouraging research institutions from investigating psychedelic treatments, as well as potential financial supporters from investing money that could implicate them as accomplices to a federal crime. However, the Alternative Therapy Pilot Program could collect comprehensive safety and efficacy data on alternative psychedelic therapies without imposing legal risks on its participants.
Under Assembly Bill (AB) 378, the Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health would be responsible for developing clinical guidelines, licensing requirements, and oversight mechanisms for the pilot program. The bill explicitly states, “To the extent consistent with federal law, the Division shall take all actions which are feasible to ensure that all pilot clinic programs developed and implemented under the Program comply with all applicable federal requirements or guidelines relating to the clinical or experimental use of controlled substances.”
Psychedelic substances such as psilocybin, DMT, ibogaine, and mescaline could only be administered under medical supervision at licensed facilities. Patients would be required to meet strict eligibility criteria and receive treatment in conjunction with supportive services. The legislation also requires the division to license at least one entity to cultivate or manufacture the psychedelic substances necessary for the program.
Under AB 378, participants who manufacture, cultivate, administer, or receive psychedelic substances under its program would be protected from civil, criminal, and administrative penalties, provided their actions remain within the program’s scope.
AB 378 would establish a program that ensures compliance with all relevant federal research and safety guidelines while protecting its participants from legal risks. It would permit psychedelic-assisted therapy under medical supervision, with safeguards that allow Nevada to carefully study outcomes and expand access over time. These changes offer a great deal of promise to citizens who may be struggling with mental health problems.