Connecticut Lawmakers Expand Psychedelics Access

HARTFORD – Connecticut’s Joint Committee on Public Health approved a bill that broadens the state’s pilot program for psychedelic-assisted therapy, opening it to adults beyond just veterans and first responders. The measure, Senate Bill 191, clears the way for qualified patients to access MDMA or psilocybin treatments through FDA-approved research studies administered by a state medical school.

The legislation strikes a prior requirement that the program end once the federal Drug Enforcement Administration approves MDMA and psilocybin for medical use. Instead, it mandates the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services to run the initiative within available funds, focusing on clinical trials for those 18-plus who meet eligibility standards set by the program’s review board. This change responds to input from clinicians and researchers seeking wider participation to support the collection of data on the drugs’ effectiveness for conditions like PTSD and depression.

Sen. Saud Anwar, the committee chair, explained during the hearing that the bill adjusts language to keep the program running even after potential FDA nods, saying, “There’s a chance that psychedelic medications for this purpose will be approved by the FDA, which makes the research study stop if you don’t make a change in the language.” He stressed the program’s roots in addressing veteran suicides, noting initial evidence suggested it could save lives amid delays in federal reviews.

The program stems from a 2022 law that limited treatments to military veterans, retired first responders, and certain health care workers in clinical settings. With this expansion, the bill now heads to the Legislative Commissioners’ Office for review before possible floor votes in the Senate and House.

This step aligns with national shifts toward exploring psychedelics’ medical roles, as FDA decisions on MDMA for PTSD loom in the coming months. In Connecticut, it builds on prior efforts, including a House-passed decriminalization measure last year that stalled in the Senate.

The bill’s progress underscores steady interest in psychedelics as a complement to Cannabis reforms, offering a framework for controlled research that could inform future markets if federal barriers lift. Yet, full implementation requires legislative passage and sustained state support, keeping the focus squarely on evidence-based trials rather than broad access.