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National Council on Federal Psychedelics Priorities

Getting to know the National Council

Who: Groups and individuals engaged in psychedelic work and who hold demonstrated, shared values around justice, equity, liberation, and the use of psychedelic medicines in the service of these principles.  

 What: HEAL and our partners at Psychedelic Medicine Coalition are convening experts and organizations committed to equity, justice, and healing to form the National Council on Federal Psychedelics Priorities. Together, we are creating a consensus federal agenda around psychedelics and the statutory and regulatory changes required for decriminalization and just legal psychedelics marketplaces. The National Council will take both a broad and detailed view of coming policy changes and consider how to promote the maximum benefit for individuals seeking healing, historically oppressed and under-resourced people and communities, and society as a whole. Pressing issues that the document is likely to address include the following, among others:   

 Ending the Controlled Substances Act as it stands and repairing of drug war harms;  NC image

  • Access to psychedelic healing modalities;  
  • The variety of healing settings, providers, and modalities;  
  • Justice, equity, and healing for BIPOC, LGBTQIA2S, femme, and disabled people;   
  • Issues connected to the use of Indigenous medicines and practices;   
  • The use of federal revenues created through a regulated psychedelics market;  
  • Business licensing and regulation;  
  • Intellectual property;   
  • Federally funded basic, clinical, and other research on psychedelics;  
  • Professional ethics; and  
  • The safety of psychedelic users generally and those accessing professional services. 

The consensus priorities will serve as the basis for coordinated federal education and advocacy.  

 When: Now. We held the first introductory meeting in November of 2021 and envision a process lasting several months. 

 Why: To make a clear, impactful statement to the general public and federal policymakers; to germinate the justice-oriented federal psychedelics policy conversation; to develop and build power and organize around a collectively defined federal education and advocacy strategy.