During the 130th Legislature, you may recall that I sponsored LD 1582, “An Act to Enact the Maine Psilocybin Services Act.” Although the Maine Senate passed the bill, the Maine House rejected it. As a lawmaker who has previously served in the House and who currently serves in the Senate, I know that some bills require multiple legislative sessions before they become laws. That’s why I’m happy to share that I am bringing my psilocybin bill back to the State House. It just has too much potential for me to give up after one try.
While some more “conventional” therapies can help individual patients, it’s clear that we need to explore additional treatment options, such as psilocybin therapy. It breaks my heart to note that the first annual gun violence report from the Department of Health and Human Services shows that more than 85 percent of Maine’s firearm deaths were suicides. Nationwide, domestic violence increased during the pandemic, especially when people were on lockdown or in isolation. I have another heartbreaking statistic. Maine set another record for overdose deaths in 2021. These 636 overdose-related deaths represent a 23 percent increase over the number of deaths for 2020. We have people dying from overdoses and suicides, and we have people hurting from the after-effects of domestic abuse and violence. Reflecting on these statistics, I can’t help but ask, “Why not try something new? Why not try all the tools we have?”
As I explained in my testimony for the public hearing, psilocybin therapy has great potential to treat patients who are suffering from mental health disorders. It can help domestic abuse survivors and veterans who are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Maine has one of the highest veteran populations per capita in the country. While the number of veterans dying from suicide has declined, even one veteran suicide is too many. Breakthrough studies show that psilocybin therapy can dramatically improve quality of life and reduce the severity of symptoms.
If you have been treated with psilocybin therapy or you know someone who has been, I would encourage you to provide testimony for the public hearing on the bill. It hasn’t been scheduled for a public hearing yet, but you can start preparing now. For the 131st Legislature, the public can choose one of several ways to participate in public hearings, which are held inside Committee Rooms at the State House and the Cross Office Building. You can visit Augusta on the day of the public hearing and speak in person. If you choose this option, please bring 20 copies of your written testimony to the committee room and sign up with the committee clerk. You can go to the Law and Legislative Reference Library on the second floor of the State House if you can’t make copies at home. In addition to traveling to the State House, you can participate in the public hearing via Zoom or on the phone. This is a great option for people who can’t drive far or who can’t take time off work to travel to and from the State House — and also attend the public hearing in person. To register for the Zoom, go to www.mainelegislature.org/testimony. Finally, you can also submit written testimony online, using the same link.
I know that life is busy, so you might miss the public hearing. The audio and video from the committee meeting will be broadcast live and then archived afterward. You can access the live broadcast or the archived material by going to legislature.maine.gov/Calendar/#Weekly and clicking the “speaker” icon next to the public hearing that you want to listen to or watch.
As a lawmaker, I have several duties and responsibilities. One duty that I take very seriously is helping the public participate in the lawmaking process. If you have questions or need assistance, please let me know. You can send me an email at Donna.Bailey@legislature.maine.gov or you can call my legislative office at (207) 287-1515. Your participation helps us make better laws that benefit Maine people.
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