♪ ♪ CONNECTING MARYLANDERS TO THEIR GOVERNMENT.

THIS IS "STATE CIRCLE."

>> Jeff: WELCOME TO "STATE CIRCLE."

COMING UP ON OUR PROGRAM THIS WEEK, WHY A STATE TASK FORCE WANTS TO LEGALIZE SOME PSYCHEDELICS LIKE MAGIC MUSHROOMS.

AND WHERE YOU CAN NOW SEE THE WORKS OF ONE OF AMERICA'S MOST CELEBRATED PAINTERS.

BUT FIRST THIS WEEK, THE END OF THE FEDERAL SHUTDOWN, THE DEAL TO REOPEN THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT INCLUDE ENHANCED OBAMACARE SUBS SUBSIDIES SOUGHT BY DEMOCRATS.

HOW WILL THIS IMPACT THE FUTURE OF HEALTHCARE IN AMERICA?

WE SPOKE WITH GERARD ANDERSON OF THE JOHNS HOPKINS BLOOMBERG SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH.

>> THE DEMOCRATS HAVE BEEN PROMISED A DISCUSSION ABOUT ENDING THESE THINGS IN DECEMBER AND IN THE SENATE AND IT'S UNCLEAR WHETHER OR NOT THE HOUSE WILL EVEN TAKE IT UP.

SO, BUT THERE IS STILL SOME HOPE THAT THEY WILL BE EXTENDED.

IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, BOTH FOR RED STATES AND FOR BLUE STATES TO HAVE IT.

PROBABLY MORE IMPORTANT FOR RED STATES TO HAVE IT, SIMPLY BECAUSE THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE ON THE EXCHANGES IN THE RED STATES THAN THERE ARE IN THE BLUE STATES.

SO YOU WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THE REPUBLICANS DEAL WITH THAT.

BUT LET'S ASSUME THAT THEY DON'T DEAL WITH THAT AND IT DOES, IN ACCOUNT FA, ENDS.

THEN IN-- DOES IN FACT END.

THEN IN MARYLAND, WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN IS PEOPLE'S PREMIUMS AND ON THE EXCHANGE ARE GOING TO GO UP DRAMATICALLY.

THEY MIGHT GO FROM A FEW HUNDRED DOLLARS TO A THOUSAND DOLLARS A MONTH.

THEY MIGHT GO FROM A THOUSAND DOLLARS A MONTH TO $2,000 A MONTH.

THESE ARE GOING TO BE SERIOUS INCREASES THAT MANY PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE LOW INCOME, ARE GOING TO SAY CAN I AFFORD HEALTH INSURANCE ANY LONGER?

AND PEOPLE THAT ARE BASICALLY HEALTHY ARE GOING TO SAY NO, I CAN'T.

PEOPLE THAT HAVE SERIOUS ILLNESSES AND CHRONIC ILLNESSES ARE GOING TO SAY THEY CAN, AND, YOU KNOW, HAVE TO HAVE INSURANCE AND WHAT THAT WILL MEAN IS THE PREMIUMS IN THE FUTURE WILL GO UP BECAUSE ONLY THE SICK PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO DECIDE TO HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE IN THE FUTURE.

SO IT'S A SERIOUS PROBLEM.

>> Jeff: PROFESSOR, MIGHT YOU SEE PEOPLE CHOOSING A DOWNGRADED PLAN?

IF YOU HAD A GOLD PLAN AND YOUR PREMIUM JUMPS, YOU CAN MITIGATE SOME OF THAT BY GOING TO THE CHEAPEST BRONZE PLAN.

>> SO I EXPECT THAT PEOPLE WILL, IN FACT DO THAT.

WHAT THAT MEANS, HOWEVER, IS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO PAY A MUCH HIGHER DEDUCTIBLE IN MOST CASES OR THEY WILL HAVE FEWER ACCESSES TO SERVICES.

AND WHAT, YOU KNOW, IF I'M BASICALLY HEALTHY, PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE A MAJOR ADDITION BECAUSE IF I ONLY GO TO THE DOCTOR ONCE A YEAR FOR MY CHECKUP OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, I WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR IT, BUT I CAN AFFORD THAT.

IF, ON THE OTHER HAND, I HAVE LOTS OF THINGS WRONG WITH ME, AND I GO INTO THIS BRONZE PLAN, I'M GOING TO BE PAYING MONEY EVERY MONTH AND A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF MONEY EVERY MONTH.

SO, YES, IT WILL GIVE YOU A LOWER PREMIUM, BUT IT PROBABLY WILL MEAN THAT YOU ARE GOING TO SPEND A LOT MORE MONEY OUT OF POCKET EVERY MONTH, AND IT MIGHT NOT BE COST EFFECTIVE TO CHOOSE THE BRONZE PLAN.

>> Jeff: WE UNDERSTAND FROM THE PEOPLE AT THE STATE HEALTH EXCHANGE THAT THE IMPACT OF THIS WILL BE MITIGATED TO SOME DEGREE BECAUSE THE STATE HAS A SYSTEM WHERE THERE IS A REINSURANCE POOL AND SOME OF THAT MONEY WILL GO TOWARDS MAKING UP SOME OF THE LOST BENEFITS.

IS THAT A SIGNIFICANT BENEFIT FOR MARYLAND?

>> IT IS DEFINITELY A SIGNIFICANT BENEFIT.

THERE ARE SOME OTHER STATES THAT HAVE IT AS WELL.

SO IT WILL PROVIDE SOME MONEY.

BUT IT WILL NOT BE EVEN CLOSE TO REALLY CLOSE THE GAP THAT EXISTS WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT STOPS THESE EXTRA SUBSIDIES.

SO, YOU KNOW, INSTEAD OF GOING UP FROM 3 HOUNDS TO A THOUSAND DOLLARS,-- FROM $300 TO A THOUSAND DOLLARS, IT MIGHT GO UP FROM $300 TO $900 BUT IT'S STILL THREE OR FOUR TIMES MORE EXPENSIVE FOR SOMEBODY.

SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S IMPORTANT.

BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM.

THE SUBSIDIES ARE VERY LARGE AND THE STATE OF MARYLAND, ESPECIALLY WITH ITS BUDGET DEFICIT, CAN'T FILL UP THAT GAP.

>> Jeff: DID OBAMACARE, IN YOUR VIEW,-- IT SUCCEEDED CERTAINLY IN GETTING MORE PEOPLE TO HAVE INSURANCE, THE ABILITY TO SIGN UP, EVEN IF YOU HAVE A PREEXISTING CONDITION, VERY POPULAR, KEEPING YOUR KIDS ON THE POLICY THROUGH AGE 26 IS VERY POPULAR.

BUT DID IT SUCCEED IN BENDING THE COST CURVE IN ANY WAY?

>> IT WASN'T INTENDED TO BEND THE COST CURVE FROM THE BEGINNING.

IT SAYS, YOU KNOW, IT WAS GOING TO LOWER COSTS, BUT WHAT IT MEANT WAS LOWER COSTS TO YOU, WHO IS BUYING INSURANCE.

NOT LOWER COST TO EVERYBODY IN THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM.

SO IT DIDN'T DO ANYTHING TO LOWER THE COST OF HOSPITAL CARE OR PHYSICIAN CARE OR PRESCRIPTION DRUGS CARE.

THAT WASN'T THE INTENTION.

AND IT DIDN'T DO THAT.

MOSTLY BECAUSE IT WASN'T THE INTENTION OF THE LEGISLATION.

THE INTENTION WAS TO GET 20 OR 30 MILLION AMERICANS TO HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE BEFORE AND BE ABLE TO AFFORD IT.

AND THAT, IT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL IN ACHIEVING THAT GOAL.

>> Jeff: IF YOU COULD BE IN THE ROOM-- IF THE SENATE DOES DEBATE THE TOPIC OF THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, AND MAYBE WITH AN OPEN MIND, YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES THINK ABOUT THESE MATTERS ALL THE TIME.

WE HAVE THE WORLD'S MOST EXPENSIVE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM.

WE DON'T HAVE THE BEST RESULTS.

WHAT WOULD YOU SUGGEST TO MEMBERS OF THE SENATE THAT THEY CONSIDER IF THEY WANT TO TRY TO BEND THAT COST CURVE?

>> THAT'S A VERY DIFFICULT QUESTION.

MOSTLY BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY WHO REALLY WANTS THE COST CURVE BENT.

I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS ISSUE FOR ALMOST 50 YEARS NOW.

AND THERE ISN'T A CONSTITUENCY THAT REALLY WANTS TO BEND THE COST CURVE.

YOU KNOW, YOU WOULD THINK THAT YOU AND I WOULD WANT TO BEND THE COST CURVE, BUT WHEN WE GET SICK, WE WANT TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL, REGARDLESS OF THE COST OF CARE.

WE WANT TO BE TREATED BY THE BEST HOSPITAL.

AND IF THAT'S THE MOST EXPENSIVE HOSPITAL, THAT'S WHERE WE WANT TO GO.

SAME THING WITH THE DOCTOR.

YOU KNOW, IF THERE IS A DRUG THAT HAPPENS TO COST A MILLION DOLLARS AND THERE ARE DRUGS THAT COST A MILLION DOLLARS, WE WANT ACCESS TO THAT DRUG, EVEN IF IT MIGHT NOT REALLY HELP US VERY MUCH.

WE STILL WANT ACCESS TO THE DRUGS.

SO, AGAIN, I CAN GIVE YOU ALL SORTS OF WAYS TO CONTROL HEALTHCARE COSTS.

AND I'VE DONE THIS FOR HOSPITALS.

I'VE DONE THIS FOR PHYSICIANS.

WE ARE RIGHT NOW MOSTLY FOCUSED ON PHARMACEUTICALS.

BUT UNLESS THERE IS A POLITICAL CONSTITUENCY FOR THAT, THEIR-- THEY'RE TECHNICAL FIXES BUT NOT FUNDAMENTAL REFORMS.

>> PROFESSOR JERRY ANDERSON OF THE BLOOMBERG SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, SIR, WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

>> I'M ALWAYS HAPPY TO BE ON MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION.

>> Jeff: THE LONG AWAITED ARRIVAL ART EXHIBIT AT THE BALTIMORE MUSEUM OF ART IS DRAWING CROWDS.

CHARLES ROBINSON TELLS US ABOUT THE EXHIBIT AND SAMEY CHERYL'S EVOLUTION AS A PAINTER.

>> WITHOUT FURTHER ADIEU, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE ONE, THE ONLY AMY CHERYL.

>> THE ROAD TO THIS ONE WOMAN SHOW WAS NOT EASY.

IT WAS NOT A PART OF THE ORIGINAL TOUR.

THE SMITHSONIAN MUSEUM QUESTIONED HER SELECTION OF A PARTICULAR PAINTING.

CHERYL COUNCILLED HER SHOW IN WASHINGTON-- IT CANCEL HER SHOW IN WASHINGTON IN JULY.

>> IF I HAVE TO SAVE MY INTEGRITY, THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING TO DO.

>> SHE IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PAINTERS WORKING IN THE WORLD TODAY.

AND SHE SPENT A SIGNIFICANT PART OF HER CAREER RIGHT HERE IN BALTIMORE.

THESE OVERSIZED PORTRAITS ARE UNIQUE.

AS PATRONS MAKE THEIR WAY THROUGH THE EXHIBIT, YOU LITERALLY SEE HER WORK IN PROGRESS.

IT BEGINS WITH IDENTIFYING SUBJECTS, ASKING THEM TO COME TO HER STUDIO.

SHE DRESSES THEM IN HER PERSONAL COLLECTION.

THE PROCESS OF PAINTING BEGINS.

ONE OF THOSE WATCHING WAS JOYCE SCOTT, McARTHUR FELLOWSHIP WINNER IN 2016.

>> IT'S MORE THAN SIMPLY PAINTING.

IT IS A SOCIAL COMMENTARY AND IT TALKS ABOUT THE EVOLUTION OF PAINTING AND ITS IMPORTANT IN OUR SOCIETY.

BUT I THINK WE MIGHT BE IN A STRANGE TIME WHERE THE ART WORLD AND POLITICS ARE COMBINED TOGETHER, THE WAY THAT THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE POWER CAN MESS AROUND WITH THE IDEA ABOUT WHAT REAL ART IS AND I SHOULDN'T SAY WHAT REAL ART IS.

THE PLACE OF ART IN A SOCIETY AND HOW OTHERS HAVE THEIR FINGER ON IT.

>> HER WORK SAYS THAT WE ALL SHOULD BE INCLUDED.

THAT'S THE MESSAGE I'M TAKING AWAY.

>> IT'S ALL I WANTED TO DO.

I MEAN MOSTLY BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO BE AROUND OTHER PEOPLE.

[LAUGHTER] EVERYTHING STARTS WITH, AND HE DIDN'T HAVE TO STAY AT HOME (INAUDIBLE) AND HE MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN WHAT HE IS TODAY.

THERE IS SOMETHING TO IT, GUESS.

IT IS SOMETHING I WAS NATURALLY INCLINED TO DO.

>> Reporter: IT IS NOT EVERY DAY YOU ARE CALLED ON TO PAINT A PORTRAIT OF FIRST LADY MICHELLE OBAMA.

>> I DIDN'T SURVIVE EVERYTHING I HAVE BEEN THROUGH TO NOT GET THIS.

I WASN'T EXPECTING TO GET IT BUT I'M LIKE IN WHAT WORLD DO I GET THIS OPPORTUNITY AND I DON'T GET IT?

>> Reporter: SO THIS IS LITERALLY A HOMECOMING FOR AMY SHERRILL BECAUSE GUESS WHAT?

SHE WENT TO SCHOOL AT MICA AND HER EARLY EXHIBITIONS WERE HERE AT THE BMA.

>> IT IS TRANSCENDENT.

I HAVE NOT SEEN A PAINTER LIKE THIS IN MY LIFETIME.

>> IT'S VERY ACCESSIBLE.

HER WORK IS ACCESSIBLE.

AMY IS ACCESSIBLE IN HER WORK, I BELIEVE.

AND I MEAN I WANTED TO CRY THE ENTIRE TIME.

IT WAS SO EMOTIONAL.

I FELT EVERYTHING IN MY HEART AND SOUL.

>> Reporter: THE EXHIBIT TRACES 20 YEARS OF HER WORK.

THERE ARE SOME 40 PAINTINGS.

SO WHAT'S ON HER AGENDA?

>> I'M WORKING ON A PROJECT NOW THAT IS LIKE A THEATER PROJECT THAT I CAN'T SPEAK TOO MUCH ABOUT, BUT THAT'S OFFERED ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY GIVE THESE FIGURES A NARRATIVE.

>> Reporter: THE SHOW RUNS THROUGH APRIL 5, AND IT'S FREE.

TO ACCOMMODATE EVERYONE, PATRONS ARE ASKED TO REGISTER ONLINE.

AT THE BALTIMORE MUSEUM OF ART, I'M CHARLES ROBINSON.

>> Jeff: NOW ON THE BOOK BEAT, AN AWARD WINNING GUIDE BOOK ABOUT THE EXPERIENCES OF BEING A MOTHER TO BOYS.

>> JOINING ME IS SUSIE SHAW.

SHE IS AN MPT ALUM, A PODCASTER AND AUTHOR OF AN AWARD WINNING BOOK ENTITLED "MOTHERS OF BOYS: SURVIVAL GUIDE."

WELL WELCOME SUSIE.

I'M A MOTHER OF TWO.

I'M ALL EARS.

WHY IS THIS SUBJECT NEAR AND DEAR TO YOUR HEART AND WHY YOU DECIDED TO WRITE THE BOOK?

>> THANK YOU, NANCY.

I AM AND YOU ARE A MEMBER OF THE MOD, WHICH I CALL THE MOTHERS OF BOYS.

IT'S A COMMUNITY THAT WE ALL, I THINK, NEED TO LEAN INTO AS MOMS OF BOYS.

I HAVE TWO BOYS.

AND I NICKNAMED THEM IN THE BOOK EARNEST AND EXUBERANCE.

AND AND I HAVE A SENSE OF HUMOR, SO I SHARE SOME FUNNY STORIES, SOME TRUE STORIES, SOME OF THE CHALLENGES OF RAISING BOYS IN THE BOOK.

AND OUR GOAL, MY HUSBAND AND MY GOAL WAS TO RAISE HAPPY AND INDEPENDENT BOYS AND I THOUGHT, IT WAS A STORY WORTH SHARING WITH OTHER MOMS.

>> FOR YOU, WHAT DO YOU THINK WAS THE KEY?

WHAT KEPT YOU GUYS CLOSE AND YOUR BOYS ON THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW, SO TO SPEAK?

>> I'M NOT SURE THEY WERE ALWAYS ON THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW.

YOU KNOW, IT IS AN ADVENTURE.

AND I REALLY ENJOYED THE BOYS BECAUSE I FOUND THEM, THAT I COULD COME UP WITH SYSTEMS TO MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE PREDICTABLE.

SO, FOR EXAMPLE, I BELIEVE THAT I COULD FIX THE MAJORITY OF THINGS IN MY HOUSE WITH ONE OF THREE THINGS: AND I CALLED IT THE THREE LEGGED STOOL.

AND THAT WAS FOOD, EXERCISE AND SLEEP.

SO THE WAY IT WORKED IN PRACTICE WAS, PEOPLE WERE START AT THING FALL A-- STARTING TO FALL APART AND I WOULD SAY HEY, CAN I GET YOU A SNACK?

THAT OFTEN FIXED IT.

IF THAT DIDN'T FIX IT, IT WOULD BE LET'S GO OUT AND DO SOMETHING.

IF THEY WERE LITTLE, I WOULD TIME THEM AS THEY RAN AROUND THE HOUSE.

DIDN'T HAVE TO BE COMPLICATED.

THE THIRD THING IS IF YOU CAN'T MAKE IT ALL WORK, IT'S TIME FOR THEM TO GO TO BED AND TRY AGAIN ANOTHER DAY.

JUST TAP OUT AND BE NICE TO YOURSELF.

>> HIT THE RESET BUTTON, RIGHT?

>> RIGHT.

AND COULD THAT HAVE BEEN YOUR EXPERIENCE, TOO?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

YOU KNOW WHAT, IT HAS BEEN CHALLENGING, CHAOTIC, BUT ALSO SO REWARDING BECAUSE I THINK, YOU KNOW, IN SO MANY WAYS, THERE ARE A LOT OF MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT BOYS AS NOT NEEDING AS MUCH AFFECTION OR, YOU KNOW, THAT SORT OF THING, BUT I HAVE FOUND THAT TO BE COMPLETELY UNTRUE.

>> I TOTALLY AGREE.

IN FACT, I BELIEVE THEY'RE EVEN MORE SENSITIVE, AND I THINK SCIENCE, YOU KNOW, HAS TEASED THAT OUT OVER THE YEARS.

AND ONE OF THE REASONS I WANTED TO DO THE PODCAST, IN ADDITION TO THE BOOK, WAS SO I COULD BRING EXPERTS ON TO THE PODCAST AND TALK TO THEM ABOUT DIFFERENT TOPICS.

AND RECENTLY, WE HAVE A PSYCHOLOGIST TALKING, AND THIS IS BROKEN OUT INTO TWO PODCASTS, ONE ON COMMUNICATING WITH LITTLER BOYS, WHICH GETS INTO THIS SENSITIVITY AND UNDERSTANDING THAT-- SHE GIVES SOME GREAT TIPS, LIKE GET DOWN ON THEIR LEVEL SO THAT YOU CAN REALLY UNDERSTAND AND MAKE THEM FEEL SAFE AND COMFORTABLE.

AND THEN THEY WILL OPEN UP TO YOU.

AND THEN WE HAVE ANOTHER PODCAST, WHICH WILL BE SHARED NEXT WEDNESDAY, WITH THE SAME PSYCHOLOGIST AND SHE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT THE OLDER BOYS, THE TEENS, GOING THROUGH PUBERTY AND I CALL THAT AGE GROUP MAN CUBS BECAUSE THEY'RE MAN SIZED AND THEY ARE STILL DEVELOPMENTALLY, YOU KNOW, BABIES TO SOME EXTENT.

BUT THEY ARE LOOKING YOU OFTEN RIGHT IN THE EYE AND SO THAT'S JUST A WHOLE OTHER WAY TO PARENT.

>> SURE.

AND HOW IMPORTANT IS IT, DO YOU BELIEVE, FOR MOTHERS OF BOYS TO HAVE AND BUILD THEIR OWN COMMUNITY?

>> I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.

AND I THINK IN THIS DAY AND AGE OF SOCIAL MEDIA, WHERE PEOPLE ARE WORRIED THAT THEY'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, KEEPING UP WITH STATUS WITH THE JONES, OR THEIR NEIGHBORS, THAT HAVING A GROUP OF FRIENDS AND WOMEN THAT YOU CAN BE HONEST WITH, IS REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT.

AND IT HELPS, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE A WORKING MOM, BUT I THINK FOR ALL MOMS, TO BE ABLE TO FACT SAY THEY'RE DOING.

>> FOR YOU, WHAT WERE THE MOST REWARDING YEARS AS A MOTHER?

>> I WOULD SAY I WAS BETTER WITH THE OLDER CHILDREN THAN I WAS WITH THE BABIES.

I FOUND THE BABIES TO BE AN EXHAUSTING PERIOD FOR ME.

AND I ENJOYED THE TEEN YEARS AND REALLY THE ADULTING, THE YOUNG ADULT YEARS HAVE BEEN REALLY SUPER FUN.

BUT ALL STAGES HAVE BEEN REWARDING.

YOU KNOW, I CALL THAT FIRST STAGE THE DEATH WISH STAGE, FROM 0-3.

BECAUSE IT FEELS AS THOUGH THEY HAVE A DEATH WISH, LIKE THEY ARE DOING HEADERS DOWN THE STAIRS.

THEY ARE BUSY, BUSY PEOPLE, BUT SUDDENLY WHEN THEY TURN THREE, THEY STOP TRYING TO HURT THEMSELVES.

>> SUSIE SHAW, THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND, AGAIN, WE WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE YOUR NEW BOOK, WHICH JUST WON AN AWARD, CORRECT?

>> A SILVER BOOK FEST AWARD, SO AS A BRAND NEW AUTHOR, I'M VERY PROUD OF THAT.

>> CONGRATULATIONS, THE BOOK IS CALLED MOTHERS OF BOYS: SURVIVAL GUIDE."

FOR A LINK TO THAT BOOK AND LINK TO THE PODCAST AND MORE INFORMATION GO TO MOTHERS OF BOYS.LIFE.

THANKS SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU, NANCY.

>> Jeff: OUR NEWSMAKER THIS WEEK IS THE CHAIR OF A STATE TASK FORCE ON LEGAL SIZING PSYCHEDELIC SUBSTANCES, ANDREW COOP IS A PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF PHARMACY.

>> PROFESSOR, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

I WILL CONFESS AT THE TOP, THESE SUBDANCES-- SUBSTANCES ARE NEW TO ME BUT NOT NEW TO MANKIND, IS THAT CORRECT?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME HERE TODAY.

ABSOLUTELY NOT.

THESE COMPOUNDS, THESE NATURAL PSYCHEDELIC SUBSTANCES THAT WE HAVE BEEN ASKED TO STUDY HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO MANKIND, WHEW, ACTUALLY CENTURIES, IF NOT THOUSANDS OF YEARS.

AND HAVE BEEN USED IN INDIGENOUS CULTURES IN TERMS OF INDIGENOUS RELIGIOUS RIGHTS RITES FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.

>> Jeff: LET'S TALK ABOUT THE RECREATIONAL ASPECT AND THEN THE THERAPEUTIC ASPECT.

RECREATIONALLY, ARE PEOPLE USING IT AS A HIGH, LIKE OTHER DRUGS?

OR ARE THESE DIFFERENT IN SOME WAY?

>> ACTUALLY VERY, VERY DIFFERENT.

ONE OF THE KEY FINDINGS OF THE REPORT WAS THAT THESE COMPOUNDS, THESE SUBDANCES ARE-- SUBSTANCES ARE USED IN A VERY DIFFERENT WAY.

WE DO A NICE ANALYSIS BETWEEN THE SUBSTANCES, THE PSYCHEDELICS, ALCOHOL AND CANNABIS.

ALCOHOL AND CANNABIS ARE USED REGULARLY, CHRONICALLY, EVERY DAY, MANY TIMES A DAY.

WHEREAS PSYCHEDELICS, THE THREE PSYCHEDELICS THAT WE WERE STUDYING, THE D.M.T., THESE COMPOUNDS ARE USED VERY RARELY.

AND IN FACT MANY FOLKS, WHEN THEY USE THESE COMPOUNDS, ACTUALLY USE THEM FOR WELLNESS, FOR A CHANGE IN THEIR THOUGHT PROCESSES.

IN FACT, VERY MUCH SO USED FOR WELLNESS.

WHAT WE CALL, IN OUR MODEL, SUPERVISED ADULT USE.

>> Jeff: AS THESE ARE BECOMING MORE LEGITIMIZED, YOU MIGHT SAY, WHAT ARE THE POTENTIAL THERAPEUTIC USES?

WHAT MIGHT SOMEONE PRESCRIBE ONE OF THESE SUBDANCES TO ACCOMPLISH?

>> MANY THERAPEUTIC USES.

THESE COMPOUNDS WORK ON THE RECEPTORS IN THE BRAIN AND ONE OF THE MECHANISMS BEHIND THIS IS IT'S ACTUALLY THOUGHT TO CREATE NEW CONNECTIONS WITHIN NEURONS AND BRAIN CELLS.

THIS NEW CONNECTION OR REWIRING OF THE BRAIN CELLS, ACTUALLY CAUSES CHANGES IN MANY FOLKS WHO HAVE CONDITIONS SUCH AS DEPRESSION, PTSD.

BUT IT'S NOT JUST MENTAL HEALTH.

THESE COMPOUNDS ALSO HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO HAVE BENEFITS IN A RANGE OF CONDITIONS.

LET ME JUST SAY, FOR INSTANCE, IN PAIN, CLUSTER HEADACHES, DEFINITELY A RANGE OF CONDITIONS.

AND WE LIST ALL THESE CONDITIONS WITHIN THE REPORT.

>> Jeff: WHAT IS STATE LAW AT THE MOMENT OR FEDERAL LAW?

AND DOES ANYONE ACTUALLY GET PROSECUTED?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

FOLKS DO INDEED GET PROSECUTED.

THERE HAVE BEEN STORIES RECENTLY , ACTUALLY I SAW SOME THE OTHER DAY ABOUT D.M.T.

ACTUALLY BEING FOUND IN A RAID.

THESE COMPOUNDS ARE OFFICIALLY SCHEDULE 1.

NOW WHAT THAT MEANS IS THEY ARE AS HIGHLY ILLEGAL FEDERALLY AS HEROIN.

SO THE SITUATION AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL IS THEY ARE ILLEGAL.

THAT IS THE SAME AT THE STATE LEVEL.

ALTHOUGH, JUST LIKE WITH CANNABIS, JUST LIKE WITH CANNABIS, CANNABIS IS ALSO SCHEDULE 1 AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.

IT IS THE STATES THAT HAVE BEEN MOVING TOWARDS MEDICAL CANNABIS AND ADULT USE CANNABIS.

THIS IS WHAT IS OCCURRING THROUGHOUT VARIOUS STATES AND LOCALITIES WITHIN THE UNITED STATES.

VARIOUS STATES HAVE, INDEED, MOVED SOME OF THESE PSYCHEDELICS, MOSTLY SILL SIB IN-- THE ACTIVE COMPONENT IN WHAT IS CALLED MAGIC MUSHROOMS.

COLORADO AND OTHER STATES ARE MOVING TO DECRIMINALIZING THE COMPOUNDS AT THE STATE LEVEL.

WE IN MARYLAND ARE A LEADER IN THIS AREA.

MUCH OF THE RESEARCH THAT HAS BEEN DONE, THE CONDITIONS I MENTIONED EARLIER HAWKINS, UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, THE RESEARCH WAS DONE HERE IN MARYLAND AND ONE OF THE KEY POINTS OF OUR REPORT THERE ARE SIMILARITIES BUT THEY'RE DISIMPSES IN HOW PEOPLE TAKE PSYCHEDELICS BUT THE ONE THING WE WANTED TO DO WAS TO NOT FOLLOW WHAT MOST OF THE STATES ARE DOING AND WHAT HAPPENED IN CANNABIS PATCHWORK WHAT WE HAVE DONE WITH OUR REPORT, OUR VISION FOR RESPONSIBLE USE OF NATURAL PSYCHEDELIC SUBSTANCES HERE IN MARYLAND IS TO ACTUALLY HAVE THE PATHWAY-- I CALLED THE REPORT, OR WE AS A TASK FORCE CALLED THE REPORT A PATHWAY FORWARD.

WE HAVE A THREE-STEP PROCESS WHERE WE ARE LOOKING AT THE ENSEMBLE MODEL.

WE CALL THAT BECAUSE THERE ARE MODELS USES FOR THERAPEUTIC USE.

SO THIS WOULD BE FOR TREATING CONDITIONS.

THERE WOULD BE SUPERVISED ADULT USE.

SO THIS IS THINGS LIKE WELLNESS AND, YES, COMMERCIAL SALES.

>> Jeff: LET ME ASK ABOUT THE DOWNSIDES.

ARE THESE SUBSTANCES ADDICTIVE, FOR EXAMPLE?

>> NOT IN THE SAME SENSE AS YOU WOULD VIEW SOMETHING LIKE OPIOIDS OR ALCOHOL.

THESE COMPOUNDS DO NOT CAUSE WITHDRAWAL SIGNS, THEY DO NOT CAUSE DEPENDENCE.

SO THERE IS-- AND THEY'RE NOT TAKEN CHRONICALLY.

>> Jeff: IS IT POSSIBLE TO MEDICALIZE THIS?

IN OTHER WORDS, INSTEAD OF A HAP HAZARD BASKET OF MUSHROOMS, FOR EXAMPLE, IT COULD BE STANDARDIZED.

AND TURNED INTO A PILL OR A CAPSULE AND IT COULD HAVE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF MILLIGRAMS SO MUCH LIKE THE CANNABIS STORY, PEOPLE WOULD KNOW WHAT THEY ARE GETTING?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THE ACTIVE INGREDIENTS OF LET'S SAY MUSHROOMS IS THIS COMPOUND I HAVE BEEN CALLING PSILO CY BIN.

IT CAN BE ISOLATED AND ACTUALLY GIVEN AS AN INDIVIDUAL COMPOUND.

AND THAT'S A MAJOR PART, ACTUALLY IS SAFETY.

>> Jeff: WE THANK PROFESSOR COOP AND THAT IS "STATE CIRCLE" FOR THIS WEEK.

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.

WE'LL SEE YOU BACK HERE MONDAY EVENING AT 7:00 FOR "DIRECT