Missouri’s House of Representatives gave final approval to a budget bill on Thursday that would spend $10 million from state opioid settlement funds to study the use of psilocybin to treat opioid use disorder. It’s part of a growing push by state governments to support more psychedelics research.
The bill for a short time would have instead put the $10 million toward grants to study ibogaine, another psychedelic, as a possible treatment for opioid use disorder. But earlier this week on the House floor, that provision was adjusted to fund psilocybin research instead.
Money for the program would come from state opioid settlement funds, the result of multiple lawsuits filed against the opioid industry and peripheral businesses.
Rep. Chad Perkins (R), who’d supported the ibogaine research plan, told Marijuana Moment he thought the initial proposal was a “worthy and prudent investment” but is nevertheless optimistic about the shift to study psilocybin.
“I had several concerned individuals reach out and provide me with information regarding the potential benefits of ibogaine,” he told Marijuana Moment in an email. “After some research, I believed it was a worthy and prudent investment for the state to combat opiate addiction.”
“I’m not disappointed,” he said
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