MJ moment

In another setback from Virginia psychedelics activists, a key Senate committee on Monday defeated a bill that would have decriminalized psilocybin and psilocyn in the Commonwealth. Advocates were hopeful that the measure would pass in the Senate Judiciary Committee, which first held a hearing on the proposal earlier this month where bipartisan lawmakers voiced support and the sponsor agreed to file an amendment that would put a focus on the therapeutic application of the psychedelic. Sen. Ghazala Hashmi (D), did offer an amendment to her bill saying that psilocybin decriminalization would only apply to people who’ve consulted with a doctor, nurse, counselor or social worker—as opposed to broadly decriminalizing for people 21 and older as originally drafted. But that evidently did not earn enough support, and the members agree to pass it by indefinitely by a 8-6 vote, with one absence. Senate Minority Leader Tommy Norment (R) had previously signaled support for the bill, and so activists were somewhat taken aback when he voted against it at Monday’s hearing. “Decriminalize Nature is disappointed in how this played out,” Mark Miller, co-founder of Decriminalize Nature Virginia and a licensed professional counselor, told Marijuana Moment. “We represent veterans who are diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and to assist them in healing from the experiences that they had overseas or wherever.” “We owe it to our veterans and our first responders to support them any way we can, which includes medicines that have been found, beyond a shadow of a doubt, in research to be able to assist,” he said. Miller said that the organization will continue to work to educate legislators and advance local decriminalization measures across the state in the interim before the legislature acts. — Marijuana Moment is already tracking more than 1,000 cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in…

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Source : Virginia Psilocybin Decriminalization Bill Defeated In Senate Committee After Top GOP Lawmaker Flips Support

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