Veterans Group Pushes California Governor to Sign Bill Expediting Marijuana and Psychedelics Research

On September 23, 2025, a leading veterans advocacy group launched a campaign urging California Governor Gavin Newsom to sign a new bill designed to accelerate research on marijuana and psychedelics. Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions (VETS), an organization dedicated to expanding access to psychedelic-assisted therapies for veterans, has taken the lead in mobilizing support for the legislation, known as Assembly Bill 1103.

Veterans Call for Swift Action on Psychedelics Research

VETS issued an action alert this week, encouraging veterans and their families to share personal experiences with psychedelic therapies in letters to the governor. The group emphasized that AB 1103 could remove unnecessary bureaucratic obstacles that have long delayed research into alternative treatments for conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury.

According to the organization, the measure has the potential to not only benefit California veterans but also to influence scientific and medical research nationwide. By streamlining research approvals, VETS argues, the state could set a precedent for other jurisdictions to follow.

What the Bill Proposes

Assembly Bill 1103, introduced by Assemblymember Christopher Ward (D), would authorize the Research Advisory Panel of California (RAPC) to expedite its review process for studies involving marijuana and psychedelics. Current law requires researchers to obtain approval from RAPC before seeking authorization from the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), a process often criticized as slow and cumbersome.

Under the new measure, the RAPC chair would be permitted to assign small groups of panel members to conduct expedited reviews, allowing studies to move forward more quickly. The bill also permits panel members to collaborate asynchronously with colleagues who hold complementary expertise, further accelerating the process.

The legislation is set to remain in effect through January 2028, after which lawmakers could revisit or extend its provisions.

A Focus on Veterans’ Mental Health

The central aim of the bill is to facilitate clinical studies that explore whether cannabis and psychedelics—both classified under federal law as Schedule I or Schedule II substances—can effectively treat conditions disproportionately affecting veterans. These include opioid use disorder, PTSD, and traumatic brain injuries.

The bill’s summary makes a direct connection between expedited research and saving lives, stressing that delays in approval processes translate into delayed access to potentially life-saving therapies. For veterans who continue to face alarmingly high rates of suicide, advocates argue, the stakes could not be higher.

Building on Previous Legislative Efforts

The current measure follows earlier legislative actions in California designed to ease research restrictions. Last year, Governor Newsom signed into law a separate bill from Assemblymember Marie Waldron (R), which addressed procedural hurdles faced by the RAPC. That legislation allowed the panel to hold closed-door meetings in order to review sensitive research applications, resolving a logjam that had effectively frozen new studies.

AB 1103 not only extends those exemptions to January 2028 but also strengthens the mechanisms by which applications can be processed. Supporters say this continuity is essential for sustaining momentum in psychedelic and cannabis research.

California’s Expanding Cannabis Policy Landscape

The debate over psychedelics research comes as California continues to refine its broader cannabis policies. On Monday, Governor Newsom signed a bill pausing a scheduled tax increase on marijuana products—a move welcomed by advocates who argue that high tax rates undermine the legal cannabis market and drive consumers toward the illicit market.

At the same time, the state is channeling marijuana tax revenue into social and educational initiatives. Earlier this year, the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) awarded over $52 million in community reinvestment grants to nonprofits and local health departments. These funds, distributed through the California Community Reinvestment Grants program, represent the seventh round of cannabis-funded community investments.

Legal and Regulatory Shifts in the State

California’s Supreme Court has also weighed in on the cannabis debate, recently overturning a lower court ruling that threatened to allow federal prohibition to interfere with the state’s cannabis program. The ruling was hailed as a major victory for the regulated market.

Meanwhile, state regulators continue to grapple with the implications of federal restrictions. Independent analyses commissioned by the state have concluded that the ongoing federal ban on interstate cannabis commerce sustains illicit markets by restricting the ability of legal operators to scale and compete.

Governor Newsom previously signed a bill granting him authority to enter into interstate cannabis commerce agreements, but that authority remains contingent on changes at the federal level or a legal assessment by California’s attorney general.

The Road Ahead for Psychedelics Legislation

While AB 1103 now awaits the governor’s signature, other psychedelics-related measures have faced setbacks. Earlier this year, a bipartisan proposal to create a psilocybin pilot program for veterans and first responders stalled in the California Senate. The measure’s failure highlights the ongoing divisions among lawmakers over how quickly the state should move toward expanded access to psychedelic therapies.

For VETS and other advocacy groups, however, AB 1103 represents a practical, incremental step forward. By focusing on research infrastructure rather than direct legalization or clinical access, the bill seeks to build an evidence base that could support broader reforms in the future.

A Pivotal Decision for Governor Newsom

With AB 1103 sitting on Governor Newsom’s desk, the decision now rests with him. For veterans and their advocates, the bill offers hope for faster progress in understanding the therapeutic potential of substances once dismissed as dangerous. For policymakers, it represents another step in California’s evolving approach to cannabis and psychedelics—an approach increasingly characterized by pragmatism, research, and public health priorities.

Whether the governor signs the bill may determine not only the pace of psychedelic research in California but also how the state positions itself in a rapidly shifting national conversation on drug policy reform. 

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