Psychedelics Policy Newsletter: States pursue psilocybin expansion, Trump administration denies drug fast-tracking, and more

Welcome to Reason Foundation’s newsletter on psychedelics policy. This edition covers:

• States pursue legislation to expand access to psilocybin
• A report on the White House opposing the fast-tracking of drug approval
• Drug Enforcement Administration legal production quota increases

States fund research into psychedelic therapies

The new legislative session has opened, with multiple states proposing bills to expand access to psilocybin and fund research. New Jersey will allocate $6 million to fund a pilot program for psilocybin in three hospitals. Multiple states, including Missouri and New Hampshire, have proposed appropriations for U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved research on the psychedelic ibogaine through an interstate consortium. Read more about progress in the states in our regular state round-up here.

Federal psychedelics fast-tracking blocked by the Trump administration

Multiple outlets have reported that federal officials are reluctant to accelerate approval of psychedelic substances by the FDA for use as pharmaceuticals. Stat News reports that White House officials blocked a psilocybin-like compound sponsored by pharmaceutical company Compass Pathways from admission to the FDA’s new fast-track system.

The FDA Commissioner’s National Priority Voucher pilot program is a new initiative that would significantly accelerate the development timeline for drugs addressing national health priorities. It would entitle drug sponsors to faster communication with the agency and a “rolling review” process that allows the sponsor to gather regulatory feedback on clinical trial designs and results as they become available, rather than waiting until a trial is completed before results can be submitted. According to reports, FDA Commissioner Marty Makary recommended that Compass Pathways receive this treatment, but higher-ranking officials in the administration shot down the idea.

Compass Pathways investor Christian Angermayer was apparently not bothered by the snub. He posted on X on Feb. 4 that, “Today’s chatter about @COMPASSPathway’s Comp360 drug being ’snubbed’ for a National Priority Voucher is making a mountain out of a molehill.” Angermayer argued in the post that psychedelics should not receive special political treatment and should succeed through the normal drug approval process.

Politico reports that advocates and lawmakers are frustrated that no psychedelic drugs have yet been approved by the FDA. U.S. Rep. Morgan Luttrell (R-Texas), for instance, has called on the president to sign an executive order to prioritize psychedelics through the drug approval process. However, no such executive order has materialized, and Congress has also not enacted a law that would significantly improve the drug approval process or grant priority for certain treatments.

DEA increases psychedelics legal production quota

The Drug Enforcement Administration has increased the amount of allowable psychedelic drugs that can be produced for research. “The production goal for psilocybin rose from 30,000 grams last year to 40,000 grams in the initial rule for this year—and has now been raised to 50,000 grams in 2026’s final rule,” reports Marijuana Moment. The agency did not comment on why it increased production.

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