Sacramento, California – California Governor Gavin Newsom says the state is committed to leading on psychedelic reform—but his words reflect a cautious balancing act between scientific promise and political hesitation. In a recent interview on a podcast hosted by former Navy SEAL Shawn Ryan, Newsom expressed support for expanding therapeutic access to psychedelics like psilocybin and MDMA. Still, he made clear he’s not eager to open the door to broader commercial use without strict oversight.
Newsom’s comments come nearly a year after he vetoed a bill that would have decriminalized possession of several psychedelics for personal use. At the time, he encouraged lawmakers to come back with legislation focused on medically supervised treatment. Despite that directive, momentum has stalled. Two efforts to advance psychedelic access this year—one that would have legalized service centers, another to establish a veterans-focused pilot program—were halted in Senate committees.
The governor’s latest remarks reflect a continued interest in therapeutic psychedelics, especially for veterans and first responders, but also a discomfort with what might follow. He cited concerns about a potential gold rush in the industry, warning that unregulated commercialization could replicate mistakes made with cannabis, where California’s legal market still struggles against a thriving illicit one. The state’s heavy tax structure has contributed to that imbalance, and lawmakers recently took steps to delay a new tax hike on marijuana products for five years…