On this edition of Century: Psychedelics in Louisiana. The state of
Louisiana is considering legislation to establish a
Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Initiative within the Louisiana
Department of Health office of behavioral health. Under Senate Bill
43, that initiative would identify academic health centers that are
conducting clinical studies and clinical trial-enabling studies for
the use of psychedelic-assisted therapy for the treatment of opioid
use disorders, co-occurring substance use disorders, and
treatment-resistant neurological or mental health conditions. There
was a hearing on SB43 April 28 before the Louisiana House Health and
Welfare Committee. We\'ll hear portions of testimony from that hearing
from witnesses including the lead sponsor of SB43 Senator Patrick
McMath; Doctor Kevin S. Murnane, an Associate Professor of
Pharmacology, Toxicology and Neuroscience, Associate Professor of
Psychiatry, and Director of Basic Science Research for Louisiana
Addiction Research Center at LSU Health Shreveport; retired National
Guard Major General Glenn H. Curtis; General Curtis\'s son, Nick
Curtis; and Gary Hess, founder and Executive Director of the Veterans
Alliance for Holistic Alternatives.