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Primary Sponsor

Last Action

Re-ref Com On Appropriations/Base Budget2026-05-05

Vote Breakdown

No floor votes recorded.

Plain Language Summary

The HEAL Act establishes a $5 million research grant program to fund studies on psychedelic drugs (psilocybin, MDMA, and ibogaine) as treatments for trauma-related mental health conditions in North Carolina. The bill creates a Breakthrough Therapies Task Force to oversee grant awards to eligible research institutions and monitor findings through 2031.

Arguments in Favor

• •Supporters argue this bill addresses mental health challenges faced by trauma-exposed populations like veterans, first responders, and survivors of domestic violence by funding research into promising therapeutic approaches that may have limited traditional treatment options.
• •They contend that controlled research on FDA-designated breakthrough therapies, conducted under federal protocols, could advance treatment options while maintaining safety standards and potentially reducing healthcare costs.

Arguments Against

• •Opponents may express concerns about funding research on drugs that remain federally controlled substances, questioning whether state resources should support such research before federal legalization occurs.
• •Others might worry about the precedent of state funding for psychedelic drug research, potential public perception issues, or whether the $5.4 million investment could be better directed to proven mental health interventions already available to these populations.