Minnesota magic mushrooms: State lawmakers on the verge of approving federally-funded research

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - Minnesota is on the verge of establishing a medical program for psychedelic mushrooms, and it potentially won’t cost the state a dime. 

READ MORE: Minnesota magic mushrooms: Medical psilocybin bill advances

Magic mushroom therapy research 

Big picture view:

The Minnesota House agreed to allow for medical studies using psilocybin after several veterans explained the drug helped them get past treatment-resistant post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). 

There’s also now $50 billion in federal funding available for research on psychedelics like this, and Minnesota could be at the front of the line for that money.

But so far, the Senate has not agreed to start the program.

What they're saying:

"I think there's a little bit of hesitancy because of the magic mushroom stigma we're getting here. This is not legalizing mushrooms. I would be voting against that. This is a clinical trial funded through the federal government to help people with PTSD and severe depression."

The Minnesota medical program would have stronger guardrails than the medical cannabis program.

It would only register up to one-thousand people in the first three years.

Medical professionals would also have to be there during treatment in almost every case.

The backstory:

Federal law still classifies psilocybin as a Schedule 1 substance, meaning it is considered to have a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use. However, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., has promised to clear the way for psychedelic therapy by this year.

Lawmakers are not considering other psychedelics like ketamine or LSD at this time. Recent studies have shown psilocybin may help people with certain treatment-resistant conditions.

Rep. Andy Smith, a Democrat from Rochester, said, "The big three with psilocybin are PTSD, depression and substance use disorder."

A long line of people, including several veterans, shared personal stories with lawmakers about how psilocybin has helped them during a Minnesota Senate committee in April. 

Stefan Egan, a Chisago County veteran, said: "Unlike many of my brothers and sisters in arms, I was provided with the opportunity to use psilocybin in a therapeutic manner, albeit from the illicit market, but therapeutic nonetheless. Without that access, I wouldn't be here," said Egan.