VETS announces co-sponsorship of Senate Bill (SB) 1012 for regulated access and education of psychedelics in California

CORONADO, Calif., April 15, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ – Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions (VETS), a leading non-profit organization dedicated to ending veteran suicide, has joined forces with the Coalition For Psychedelic Safety and Education (CPSE) in support of California Senate Bill (SB) 1012 which enables regulated access to facilitated use of certain psychedelics and creates a public-private fund to develop a first-in-the-nation education campaign to increase public understanding of potential risks, benefits, and safer-use practices of psychedelics.

SB 1012, introduced by Senator Scott Wiener with Assembly Members Marie Waldron and Josh Lowenthal, aims to establish a professional licensing board and comprehensive program under the California Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency to enable access for adults 21 and older to certain psychedelic substances under the supervision of a licensed and trained facilitator at approved locations. An Expert Oversight Committee will be appointed by the Governor that will develop, with the licensing board, rigorous training programs, ethical standards, scope of practice guidelines, and regulatory oversight of the substances, locations, and facilitators. The bill also establishes a public-private fund to support public health education and enhance awareness about the safe use of psychedelics, potential risks, and where to seek assistance in case of adverse effects.

Established in 2019, VETS has been instrumental in aiding nearly 1,000 U.S. Special Forces veterans and their spouses through a comprehensive program encompassing grants for psychedelic-assisted therapy (P-AT) treatment abroad, preparation and integration coaching, and ongoing community support. VETS' innovative approach significantly enhances the well-being of its grantees by employing diverse therapeutic modalities, notably P-AT, administered by trained medical experts. These professionals adhere to rigorous safeguards and uphold the highest ethical standards, ensuring a secure and holistic treatment experience for all recipients of VETS' support.

“VETS uniquely understands the suffering that exists within the veteran community, as well as the potential for psychedelic therapies to effectively combat these complex challenges. By creating a regulatory framework for psychedelic-assisted therapies, with an emphasis on facilitated support, safeguards, education, harm reduction mechanisms, and controls, more individuals who are suffering will have access to these potentially life-saving treatments,” said Amber Capone, CEO and Co-Founder of VETS. “By co-sponsoring SB 1012, VETS is committed to assisting in the development of the promising frameworks that could impact not only the people of California but have the potential to be replicated in other states across the nation - thereby increasing access to patients and their families.”

“The loss of my child to a distressing journey with psilocybin has been a driving force behind my effort to increase awareness of the risks of these powerful substances. The prevailing narrative about psychedelics that I was seeing both before and after my child died highlighted the potential benefits without mentioning the risks. The public needs to understand the potential harms and how to stay as safe as possible when using these substances. SB 1012 represents a critical step towards ensuring safer access while acknowledging and mitigating the associated risks,” said Susan Sagy, Executive Director of the Coalition for Psychedelic Safety and Education.

“With its emphasis on public health education and professional oversight, SB 1012 paves the way for informed and responsible psychedelic use in California. Without safety nets and robust education to inform of risks, the unregulated use of psychedelics is rising in the state and causing an increase in hospitalizations due to adverse effects. Our coalition, along with VETS, stands to prevent more people from experiencing loss as a result of unsafe practices and to provide an alternative for those seeking support,” said Beth Parker, Coalition for Psychedelic Safety and Education.

“After losing my husband Chad, a Navy SEAL, to suicide in 2018, I’ve dedicated my life to advocating for military and veteran communities dealing with the invisible wounds that so many carry. Psychedelic-assisted therapies have played a pivotal role in my own journey through unimaginable grief and could hold tremendous promise in addressing the issues facing those who’ve served. We must let science, safety, and education serve as guideposts in this critical fight to save lives, understanding that regulated access is paramount in achieving safe and sustainable outcomes,” said Sara Wilkinson, veteran mental health advocate and member of VETS' Board of Directors.

About VETS

Founded in 2019, Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions (VETS) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization working to end the veteran suicide epidemic by providing resources, research, and advocacy for U.S. military veterans seeking psychedelic-assisted therapies for traumatic brain injury (TBI), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), addiction, and other health conditions. VETS envisions a world where our veterans have access to the most advanced healthcare options to heal from the mental and physical wounds of war.

About CPSE

The Coalition for Psychedelic Safety and Education (CPSE) is a group of mental health and research experts, lawyers, public health professionals, ethicists, youth advocates, and families who have lost family members to psychedelic use. We know and appreciate the potential healing benefits of psychedelics. We want to see an end to drug war policies. We simply believe that education about risks and harms and safeguards like regulated access must be part of a responsible approach to psychedelic policy reform.

Media Contact

Brad Burge, Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions (VETS), 1 (650)-863-6887, brad@vetsolutions.org, vetsolutions.org

SOURCE Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions (VETS)