WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 23: California Governor Gavin Newsom attends an event with fellow governors in the East Room of the White House on February 23, 2024 in Washington, DC. President Joe Biden, first lady Jill Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris all addressed the state and territory leaders who are in Washington for the annual National Governors Association Winter Meeting. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
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.
While the administration continues to frame psychedelics as a “frontier” for mental health treatment—highlighting research and personal stories from those who’ve benefited—Newsom’s posture on the issue remains one of deliberate restraint. His comments suggest a desire to control not just how the state proceeds, but how quickly.
California has made moves behind the scenes to create infrastructure for psychedelics research. Last year, Newsom signed a bill aimed at expediting applications to study both cannabis and psychedelics. The state also continues to fund public health and education programs tied to cannabis legalization, including over $52 million in reinvestment grants awarded in June. But tangible policy progress on psychedelics has been slower and more politically fraught.
The backdrop of California’s cannabis experiment looms large. The rollout of that market—hailed at first as a model of progressive reform—has become a cautionary tale of overregulation, fragmentation, and tax burdens that have undermined its initial promise. It’s clear Newsom doesn’t want psychedelics to follow the same trajectory.
For now, California remains in a holding pattern: committed in theory, stalled in practice. With no new legislation yet passed, and skepticism about commercial influences shaping the debate, the state’s path forward on psychedelics remains open—but far from certain.
