STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3527

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 100

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 100 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO CONVENE A THERAPEUTIC PSILOCYBIN WORKING GROUP TO EXAMINE THE MEDICINAL AND THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS OF PSILOCYBIN AND DEVELOP A LONG-‑TERM STRATEGIC PLAN TO ENSURE THE AVAILABILITY OF MEDICINAL PSILOCYBIN OR PSILOCYBIN-BASED PRODUCTS THAT ARE SAFE, ACCESSIBLE, AND AFFORDABLE FOR ELIGIBLE ADULT PATIENTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Department of Health to convene a therapeutic psilocybin working group to examine the medicinal and therapeutic effects of psilocybin and develop a long-term strategic plan to ensure the availability of medicinal psilocybin or psilocybin-based products that are safe, accessible, and affordable for eligible adult patients.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Clarity Project; Heroic Hearts Project; Drug Policy Forum of Hawai‘i, Inc.; Hawai‘i Health & Harm Reduction Center; Malama Mushrooms; and twenty-two individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Health, Hawaii Psychiatric Medical Association, and American Psychiatric Association.

Your Committee finds that psilocybin is a naturally-occurring chemical compound found in certain species of mushrooms that can activate serotonin receptors in the brain. Your Committee further finds that studies conducted by nationally and internationally recognized medical institutions indicate that psilocybin has shown efficacy, tolerability, and safety in the treatment of a variety of mental health conditions, including addiction, depression, anxiety disorders, and end-of-life psychological distress. Given the State's shortage of mental health professionals, novel, innovative, and safe solutions to treat its residents should be considered. This measure requests the Department of Health to establish a therapeutic psilocybin working group to examine existing laws regarding the therapeutic use of psilocybin and develop a long-term plan to ensure the availability of medicinal psilocybin for eligible patients.

Your Committee acknowledges the testimony of the Department of Health and medical professional organizations, which raised concerns that the studies demonstrating psilocybin's safety are small and controlled, and that the Food and Drug Administration has not yet approved psilocybin, a schedule I drug, for any medical condition.

Therefore, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requesting the working group to develop a long-term plan to enable the availability of medicinal psilocybin, should Food and Drug Administration approval be obtained for its use; and

(2) Amending its title accordingly.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 100, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 100, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

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JARRETT KEOHOKALOLE, Chair