An Act to direct the Board of Pharmacy to reschedule psilocybin upon federal scheduling changes.
HB1347 directs the Virginia Board of Pharmacy to reschedule certain psilocybin formulations if federal action changes their controlled-substance status. The bill is narrowly focused on psilocybin products that have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for administration by a health care professional in a health care setting. Once the FDA approves such a formulation, and after the relevant federal scheduling action is published, the Board must act at its next quarterly meeting following a 30-day waiting period to align Virginia’s scheduling with federal changes.
The measure does not broadly legalize psilocybin or alter all psilocybin-related laws. Instead, it creates a specific state process for updating the controlled-substance schedule for FDA-approved formulations, tying Virginia’s action to federal scheduling procedures in § 54.1-3443 of the Code of Virginia. In practical terms, it affects the Board of Pharmacy, regulated health care providers, and any future FDA-approved psilocybin treatment products, while leaving non-approved forms of psilocybin subject to existing law.
HB1347 amends the state’s controlled-substances framework by requiring the Board of Pharmacy to reschedule only FDA-approved psilocybin formulations when federal scheduling changes occur. It adds a conditional, automatic state response mechanism rather than creating an independent state approval pathway, and it incorporates the timing and procedures referenced in § 54.1-3443. The bill primarily affects pharmaceutical regulation, controlled-substance scheduling, and the future availability of approved psilocybin therapies in clinical settings.
The available record shows no committee transcripts or recorded votes, so there is no documented debate or roll-call evidence of opposition or support in the provided materials. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears technical and administrative rather than ideological, suggesting a generally procedural approach to aligning state law with federal drug scheduling decisions. The enacted chapter status indicates the bill ultimately advanced successfully.
No specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials. Potential areas of concern, based on the bill’s subject matter, would likely include whether state scheduling should automatically follow federal changes, how quickly the Board of Pharmacy should act, and whether the bill could be seen as opening the door to broader psilocybin access. However, the text is limited to FDA-approved formulations in health care settings, which narrows the scope and may have reduced controversy.