When Maryland lawmakers created the Task Force on Responsible Use of Natural Psychedelic Substances in 2024, they gave it a clear mission: research the potential impacts of legalizing and regulating certain naturally occurring psychedelic compounds, and deliver concrete recommendations to the state legislature.
On August 12, 2025, that mission reached its first major milestone. The task force released an interim report outlining 85 separate policy proposals that range from cautious decriminalization to ambitious commercial sales frameworks. The document reflects more than 100 meetings and over 500 hours of volunteer work by members that include public health professionals, law enforcement representatives, advocates, and academics.
Yet despite its breadth, the report carries a notable absence — the voices of those who oppose psychedelic legalization.
Task force chair Andrew Coop has made no secret of his concern about that gap. In an unusually blunt public statement, he said the group is “begging” for feedback from skeptics to ensure the final recommendations are credible and balanced. The final report, due October 30, 2025, will be sent to the Maryland legislature ahead of what could be a pivotal 2026 session on drug policy reform.
From Bill to Blueprint: How Maryland Got Here
In 2024, Maryland lawmakers passed HB548 — legislation that established the psychedelics task force and set a strict timetable. The bill, enacted as Chapters 792 and 793 of state law, instructed members to deliver a final report by the end of October 2025 and authorized the group to continue its work through December 31, 2026.
By November 2024, the task force had organized into committees, each focused on key themes such as medical use, public health, criminal justice, and economic development.
The August 12 interim report marks the midpoint in this process. It’s a broad menu of policy ideas — some modest, like allowing religious use under regulated exemptions, and others more sweeping, such as establishing a commercial licensing system for psilocybin service centers.
What the 85 Proposals Cover
The interim report’s proposals span five general categories:
- Decriminalization models that would reduce or remove criminal penalties for possession and use of certain psychedelics.
- Supervised adult-use programs that would permit consumption in licensed facilities under trained facilitation.
- Medical access pathways allowing doctors to recommend psychedelics for conditions like PTSD, depression, and end-of-life anxiety.
- Religious use protections modeled after existing federal exemptions for certain entheogenic practices.
- Peer-to-peer sharing models that would allow non-commercial transfers among adults, subject to safety guidelines.
While none of the proposals are binding yet, their breadth signals that Maryland may be preparing to take one of the most comprehensive approaches to psychedelic regulation in the nation.
Who’s at the Table — and Who Isn’t
The task force’s membership includes an unusual mix of stakeholders. There are psychedelic advocates like Marylanders for Beneficial Psychedelics, who frame the issue as a public health opportunity. Law enforcement members have expressed interest in the therapeutic potential for first responders dealing with trauma. Public health officials are focused on developing safe-use guidelines, licensing systems, and training standards.
Yet so far, organized opposition has been missing. That’s unusual given the often polarized debates around drug policy. Without it, the task force risks being perceived as a cheerleader rather than a neutral assessor — a perception that could undermine the credibility of its final recommendations.
In states like Oregon and Colorado, where psychedelic reform has already advanced, opponents have voiced concerns about public safety, commercialization, and inadequate safeguards. Maryland’s outreach to skeptical voices appears to be an attempt to avoid those political and policy pitfalls.
The National Context
Maryland is not operating in a vacuum. Across the country, state legislatures are increasingly willing to at least study psychedelics policy, even if they aren’t ready to legalize.
Oregon and Colorado have implemented regulated psilocybin programs, but not without growing pains. In Oregon, rollout delays, high service costs, and limited availability have frustrated both advocates and consumers. Colorado has faced challenges integrating local control with a statewide framework.
Minnesota recently completed its own psychedelics task force report, which — like Maryland’s — considered a broad range of policy options. Its emphasis on public health, licensing, and training echoes many of Maryland’s proposals.
Academic research is also shaping the debate. A 2023 JAMA Psychiatry review by Siegel et al. analyzed state-level reforms and identified gaps in regulation, particularly around provider training, product safety, and equitable access.
Maryland’s inclusion of these issues in its interim recommendations suggests the task force is paying attention to both successes and failures in other jurisdictions.
Risks, Questions, and the Road Ahead
The sheer scope of Maryland’s 85 proposals raises a strategic question: will the legislature try to implement them all, or focus on a smaller subset?
Overreach could bog down the process, alienate moderate lawmakers, and reduce the chances of any proposal becoming law. Without clear prioritization, the state risks producing a policy blueprint too sprawling to enact effectively.
The absence of dissenting voices is another red flag. Even if the final recommendations are solid, the perception of imbalance could erode public trust — a critical factor in passing controversial legislation. The task force’s public call for opposing viewpoints is an unusual but potentially wise corrective.
Meanwhile, the clock is ticking. With less than three months before the final report is due, public submissions from skeptics, law enforcement feedback on therapeutic models, and lessons learned from other states will be key to shaping Maryland’s ultimate policy direction.
Why It Matters for Cannabis and Psychedelics Reform
While Maryland’s task force is focused on psychedelics, its process mirrors earlier cannabis reform efforts — including in Arizona’s own cannabis policy development. Both rely on advisory bodies to sift through research, solicit public input, and deliver recommendations that lawmakers can either adopt or discard.
For cannabis advocates, Maryland’s work could set a precedent for how other states integrate psychedelic regulation alongside existing marijuana laws. Peer-sharing models, religious exemptions, and supervised adult-use facilities are concepts already familiar to cannabis policy watchers. The intersection between these two reform movements could accelerate policy innovation — or complicate existing regulatory systems.
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