Massachusetts Lawmakers Approve Bill to Create Psychedelic Therapy Pilot Program
Massachusetts lawmakers have taken a significant step toward exploring the therapeutic potential of psychedelics. On Thursday, September 12, 2025, the legislature’s Joint Committee on Health Care Financing advanced a bill that would establish a pilot program allowing regulated psychedelic therapy in the state. The proposal, introduced by Sen. Cindy Friedman (D), will now continue through the legislative process, with further review expected in the coming months.
A Framework for Regulated Psychedelic Therapy
The legislation, known as S.1400, provides the foundation for a structured pilot program but leaves most operational details to the state’s Department of Public Health (DPH). At its core, the measure seeks to create a pathway for monitored treatment of patients with mental health conditions using psychedelic substances.
Under the proposal, therapy sessions would take place in licensed health facilities where multidisciplinary care teams could administer psychedelics on-site in carefully supervised environments. These facilities would be limited to three statewide, ensuring the program remains tightly controlled while initial data is gathered.
The pilot’s primary goals include developing safe clinical practices, collecting outcome data, and refining protocols for the possible future expansion of psychedelic-assisted therapy.
Strict Guardrails on Participation
To maintain a clear focus on patient care, the bill includes restrictions on which organizations may participate. Eligible pilot program operators must be dedicated exclusively to mental health treatment and cannot have ties to the cannabis industry, pharmaceutical companies, or psychedelic drug developers.
Participants would be required to collect and share patient data with DPH. This information would include outcomes for individuals treated for depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance use disorder—four conditions where psychedelics have shown particular promise in research studies.
The data would help regulators assess the benefits and risks of psychedelic therapy while guiding the development of long-term regulatory frameworks.
Parallel Legislative Efforts
S.1400 is not the only psychedelics-related measure under discussion in Massachusetts. Lawmakers are also considering a narrower proposal that would establish a pilot program specifically for psilocybin, the active ingredient in so-called “magic mushrooms.” Both bills are scheduled for a deeper review at a November 10 hearing before the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery.
Advocacy groups, including Mass Healing, are mobilizing to encourage public testimony at that hearing. Supporters of the broader measure argue that focusing exclusively on psilocybin would limit the potential benefits of other compounds such as ibogaine and DMT.
Recent Psychedelics and Cannabis Developments in Massachusetts
The push for a psychedelic pilot program comes after a string of related policy debates in the state. In 2024, voters narrowly rejected a ballot initiative that would have legalized several psychedelic substances for adult use, reflecting both growing interest and lingering hesitation among the public.
Still, momentum for reform has continued. Last year, Massachusetts passed a veterans-focused bill that included the creation of a psychedelics working group, tasked with studying therapeutic applications of psilocybin and MDMA. Earlier this summer, the Joint Committee on the Judiciary reviewed multiple psychedelics-related bills, including one endorsed by the Massachusetts Psychiatric Society that would decriminalize certain entheogens.
Cannabis policy remains active as well. The attorney general has certified dozens of proposed 2026 ballot measures, including some aimed at rolling back adult-use marijuana legalization. Meanwhile, regulators are preparing to finalize rules for cannabis consumption lounges and lawmakers are considering employment protections for cannabis consumers, expanded medical cannabis access, and stricter oversight of hemp-derived intoxicants.
Looking Ahead
While Massachusetts voters have shown caution toward broad legalization, the legislature’s careful approach reflects a different strategy—focusing first on tightly regulated therapeutic use, supported by research and data collection. If successful, the pilot program could provide a model for other states weighing similar initiatives.
As the program develops, much will depend on how regulators craft rules around licensing, patient eligibility, and clinical practices. Supporters see the initiative as a way to responsibly introduce psychedelic-assisted therapy while ensuring patient safety and scientific rigor. Opponents, however, may continue to raise concerns about safety, oversight, and the risks of moving too quickly on substances that remain federally prohibited.
Massachusetts now stands at the forefront of the national conversation on psychedelic medicine, joining a growing number of states exploring how these once-taboo substances might play a role in addressing the nation’s mental health crisis.
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