1. United States
2. Va.
3. Letter

On February 13th, the 9th Circuit of Appeals issued a ruling in Advanced Integrative Medical Science Institute (AIMS) v. United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) that effectively denied a request from Seattle physician Sunil Aggarwal to access psilocybin on behalf of two terminally ill patients. This was the result of appeals after the DEA determined that the Right To Try Act does not override the drug's Schedule 1 status. This decision is a defeat for freedom and access to health in the United States. So-called "psychedelic drugs" like psilocybin have been found by clinical trials to help the terminally ill cope with pain, to address symptoms of depression much faster than current antidepressant medication (which can take weeks before potential relief, while the terminally ill often do not have the time to try different antidepressant medications to see which work best for their individual bodies), and to relieve the fear and anxiety associated with their prognosis. The decision of the DEA, in this particular case, has been decided, but we can move forward with policies that benefit Americans across the country. It is time for drug policy reform. Psychedelic medicines like psilocybin are safe and effective. An individual's responsible use of these substances does not cause harm to others. Just as with any other medication that may cause sedation, it is reasonable to inform the patient not to use it while operating heavy machinery--common instructions on medication labels today. Decriminalizing or changing their scheduled status makes access to these medicines safer as they are regulated by the government and specialists. Decriminalization of psychedelics would mean that money used to purchase them would redirect the flow of money from the black market into the clear economy, which could even be taxed to help fund our government. Our current drug policy has failed Dr. Aggarwal's two terminally ill patients. Let's work together to alleviate the suffering of Americans across the country with drug policy reform. Thank you for your time and representation.