Maryland's State’s House of Representatives has been working on this legislation for quite some time. After gaining unanimous approval in both the Senate and the House of Delegates, Maryland’s Governor Larry Hogan announced on Friday that he will not veto the bill. Yet he will not sign it either. That is, he included it in a list of measures that will be enacted without his proactive support, a list that includes marijuana legislation as well, as Marijuana Moment reported.
The approved bill will imply the creation of a state fund to provide cost-free access to alternative therapies, including psychedelics, to military veterans who suffer from PTSD or traumatic brain injuries. The legislation stipulates the fund must use the money for research on the therapeutic potential of psychedelics for this specific group. $1 million from the annual budget for fiscal year 2024 would be destined for that purpose.
The Department of Health will be bound to periodical consultations with the Dept of Veteran Affairs, Johns Hopkins University, University of Maryland, Sheppard Pratt Hospital and Walter Reed Medical Center in order to determine the “effectiveness of and a method for improving access to alternative therapies for treating” PTSD and traumatic brain injury in veterans.
A further set of requirements stipulates that the department submits a report to the governor and legislation with “initial findings and recommendations” by December 1. A second deadline for findings & recommendations based on studies specifically funded through the PTSD fund is set for two years.
All of these are expected to focus on “budgetary, legislative, or regulatory changes to expand access to alternative therapies for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries,” as the bill states.
