Doctors, researchers and patients press committee on narrow psilocybin access, task force and decriminalization bills

Boston — Dozens of witnesses addressed a package of psilocybin bills that range from narrowly tailored dismissal or diversion for simple possession to a task force studying equitable access and a broader legal‑access proposal.

Joseph McKay, a retired New York City firefighter, described years of cluster‑headache attacks and as‑needed, unsanctioned use of psilocybin that he said brought him remission. "I was at the end of my rope and willing to try anything... The next day, I had no headaches. I was in remission," McKay testified.

The Massachusetts Psychiatric Society told the committee it supports narrowly crafted measures that permit dismissal of simple possession when safety‑based criteria are met (age 21, not operating a vehicle, no endangering of children), while opposing broader, rapid recreational access without clinical safeguards. Doctor Jelam Biswas, president of the society, said that early clinical studies are promising but that broad unsupervised access could harm vulnerable patients and impede controlled research.

Advocates for broader reform, including activists who campaigned for a recent ballot initiative, argued for narrowly tailored post‑election bills that avoid the perceived excesses that led voters to reject the prior measure. Supporters pointed to international experience and clinical trials that show potential benefit for treatment‑resistant conditions, while opponents warned of increased ER visits, child exposures and traffic safety risks.

Ending: The committee did not vote. Chairs asked for technical clarifications and additional written testimony, and signaled further hearings would focus on implementation details and public‑health safeguards.

Speakers quoted in this article were drawn from the hearing transcript and include Joseph McKay and Doctor Jelam Biswas.