Sacramento, CA - Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions (VETS), a non-profit organization that works to reduce the incidence of suicide among U.S. veterans by providing them lawful access to psychedelic-assisted therapies, issued the following statement today after the California Legislature passed Assembly Bill 2841(AB 2841), a bill that would allow the Research Advisory Panel of California (RAPC) to resume its review and approval of research studies examining the safety and efficacy of psychedelics as treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), substance use disorders (SUDS), and other mental health conditions.
“As a veteran spouse and advocate, I have witnessed firsthand the transformative power of psychedelic therapies for veterans and their families. I have also seen the frustration and despair of many veterans who are unable to access these therapies legally or safely due to the lack of research and regulation,” said Amber Capone, the CEO of VETS. “We applaud the California Legislature for recognizing the urgency of this issue, eliminating an unnecessary barrier to psychedelic research, and supporting our state’s 1.8 million veterans who have sacrificed so much for our country. While there is still more work to be done to expedite and expand psychedelic research in California, the impact of this legislation cannot be overstated.”
AB 2841, authored by Assemblymember Marie Waldron (R-Escondido) and co-authored by Senators Allen (D-Los Angeles) and Wiener (D-San Francisco), will allow the RAPC, a state advisory board in the California Attorney General’s Office, to meet in closed session to review and approve confidential scientific and medical research proposals involving cannabis, psychedelics, or the treatment of substance use disorders. RAPC approval is required prior to conducting such research in California, but the panel has been unable to meet since 2023 due to a legal interpretation that prevented it meeting in closed session.
This has effectively blocked dozens of research studies at VA facilities, the University of California, Stanford, and other institutions across the state. This includes human clinical trials and preclinical research on the potential of psychedelics to treat mental health conditions fueling the disproportionate incidence of suicide among U.S. veterans. According to the VA, between 16 and 22 U.S. veterans die by suicide every day, nearly twice the rate of non-veteran Americans. The bill to end this blockade received bipartisan support in both chambers and now awaits signature by Governor Newsom to be enacted into law.
“We are grateful to Assemblymember Waldron and the members of the Assembly and Senate for working to pass this vital legislation before the July recess. This bill will enable the RAPC to continue the critical work of facilitating psychedelic research in California,” said Khurshid Khoja, legal counsel and Policy Director for VETS. “This bill will save lives by allowing researchers to resume the search for effective treatments for those suffering from PTSD, depression, anxiety, addiction, and other mental health conditions that are not adequately addressed by conventional treatments. We urge Governor Newsom to sign AB 2841 into law the minute it lands on his desk.”
VETS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides education, advocacy, and support for U.S. military veterans who are interested in exploring psychedelic therapies for service-related mental health conditions that are not adequately addressed by conventional treatments. VETS also works to advance psychedelic research and policy reform at the state and federal level. For more information, visit www.vetsolutions.org.