WHEREAS, a 2021 study by the United States Department of Veteran Affairs found that an average of 17.2 veterans commit suicide a day;
WHEREAS, on average, 6.8 of 17.2 suicides per day had contact with the Veterans Health Administration in the prior two years;
WHEREAS, the U.S. has been at war for over 20 years, sending millions of young men and women into combat in the Middle East;
WHEREAS, medical studies have show psilocybin paired with therapy may help patients with PTSD, anxiety disorders, depression and even traumatic brain injury;
WHEREAS, Pennsylvania State Representative Tracy Pennycuick has sponsored HB2421 – Establishing Clinical Studies for Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy, a bill allowing the Department of Health to contract with at least one academic research institution to study the effectiveness of psilocybin therapy;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania:
- calls upon State Representative Kathy Rapp, Chair of the House Health Committee, to bring the bill to a vote in the committee in the next legislative session beginning September 12th, and
- calls upon the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and Senate to pass the bill immediately following,
- urges all members of the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania to write or call their elected representatives in support of this bill.
Language and further information on HB 2421 can be found here.
