Minnesota is in the middle of a mental health crisis, and two bills at the State Capitol could open the door to a powerful new treatment. We're urging Minnesota lawmakers to pass legislation that would create a pilot program for psilocybin-assisted therapy and decriminalize possession of the substance.

These bills aren't coming from the fringes — they are direct recommendations from Minnesota's Psychedelic Medicine Task Force, a body of researchers and medical professionals who studied this issue closely. Psilocybin mushrooms have been showing real promise in treating conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and severe depression, including cases where other treatments have failed. As Dr. Jessica Nielson, chair of the task force and adjunct professor at the University of Minnesota, put it: "Mental health issues are a huge problem. They're getting worse and we don't have enough tools to meet that moment."

Treatment-resistant depression and PTSD devastate lives. People who have tried every available option deserve access to new therapies — not criminal penalties for seeking relief. Decriminalizing psilocybin removes the threat of prosecution from people who are simply trying to get better. And the pilot program would ensure that therapeutic use happens in a safe, supervised, and medically guided setting.

Minnesota would not be breaking new ground. Colorado, New Mexico, and Oregon have already legalized psilocybin for therapeutic use. It's time for Minnesota to follow the science and give patients, doctors, and families more tools to fight back against the mental health crisis.

 We're asking Minnesota legislators to advance these bills and stand on the right side of a public health emergency.