Psilocybin Decriminalized Under McFall Bill

(Source: MIRS.news, Published 07/07/2025) Rep. Mike McFall (D-Hazel Park) introduced HB 4686 last month that decriminalizes psilocybin possession for those with a post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis.

Using psychedelics to treat PTSD is an expanding area of research in healthcare, and McFall said preliminary research shows that psilocybin is potentially life-changing, especially for veterans experiencing PTSD.

McFall hosted Michael G. Smith, Jr. at his press conference, where he said he's encouraged by the legislative efforts to decriminalize psilocybin for veterans with PTSD like himself.

"I have had more success in the mitigation of my PTSD symptoms with microdosing psilocybin than all the talk therapy offered by the VA Healthcare System, and I have done all their therapies available, such as Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PET), Depression, General Anxiety Disorder, and Anger Management."

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has researched the use of psilocybin and other psychedelics as a treatment for PTSD, and the most recent program, announced in Dec. 2024 with funding for $1.5 million over five years, will explore the effects of methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted (MDMA), psychedelic compound "believed to increase emotional openness, reduce fear, and promote introspection during therapy," a press release from the VA says.

The bill text says an individual with a PTSD diagnosis and possessing no more than 2 ounces of psilocybin at a time would not be in violation of the law for creating, manufacturing, possessing or using psilocybin.

The bill was referred to the Committee on Families and Veterans.