Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) has vetoed a bill that would have allowed doctors in the state to immediately prescribe a form of psilocybin in the event of federal approval of the psychedelic substance by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Reynolds, who announced her veto of a number of bills on Wednesday, said the lawmaker-approved legislation “surrenders state authority to make an informed determination about classification to federal officials at the FDA.”
The measure, HF 383, passed the Senate in April on a 47–0 vote after clearing the House 92–0 in February. If enacted, it would have reclassified the a form of psilocybin known as “crystalline polymorph psilocybin”—also known as COMP 360—in the event of FDA approval, allowing doctors and pharmacists to prescribe and dispense it in the state.
Similar measures were considered by other states this year, including Colorado—where Gov. Jared Polis (D) signed it into law—and Virginia, where it was vetoed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R).
“I recognize and respect the growing body of research into the potential therapeutic benefits of psilocybin for mental health conditions such as depression and PTSD,” Reynolds’s veto statement of the Iowa measure said. “However, this bill, in its current form, moves ahead of where our public health systems, regulatory frameworks, and law enforcement infrastructure are prepared to go at this time.”
“Psilocybin should first be FDA approved and rescheduled by the DEA before the State of Iowa considers rescheduling,” the governor added. “The pathway provided by this bill for legalization of psilocybin at the state level before we have a chance to review federal action and prepare robust, federally aligned guidelines and safeguards creates legal uncertainty, poses risks for misuse, and could undermine broader efforts to ensure safe and effective therapeutic use in the future.”
Reynolds framed the veto action as “not a dismissal of the emerging science or the sincere advocacy behind this legislation” but instead as “a call for a more deliberate and Iowa-centric approach—one that engages state and federal partners, provides time to review any clinical studies and federal changes, and builds a framework for any future therapeutic access that is clear, safe, equitable, and medically sound.”
In addition to sending HF 383 to the governor’s desk this year, state lawmakers also considered a more far-reaching psilocybin bill, HF 978. That GOP-led proposal, which House lawmakers passed 84–6 in April, would have legalized psilocybin use for up to 5,000 patients through a state psychiatric treatment program. It has not moved in the Senate, however, since April.
—
Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments.
Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access.
—
Whether FDA moves forward with approving either substance is uncertain. The agency faced criticism last year after it rejected an application to allow MDMA-assisted therapy for people with PTSD.
However, some advocates and stakeholders are holding out hope that the tides could shift under the Trump administration, as the president has nominated several cabinet officials who back psychedelics reform, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that oversees FDA.
Other states weighing reform around psilocybin this session included Maine, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Mexico and Missouri.
In Iowa this year, meanwhile, lawmakers also considered legislation that could have doubled the number of medical marijuana dispensaries in the state.
As for adult-use cannabis legalization, Republican elected officials in the state have been broadly opposed despite arguments from advocates that a regulated market could bring in significant state tax revenue.
Marijuana Moment Read More
