Psychedelics remain classified as Schedule I substances under federal law, subject to severe legal penalties despite mounting scientific evidence of their therapeutic potential and low risk of direct harm. In this position paper, D4DPR recommends that statewide decriminalization is a necessary step toward an evidence-based drug policy that shifts focus from punishment to public health, harm reduction, and social equity.
Kristel Carrington, MD was the principal developer and author of this position paper.
Kristel Carrington, MD, a Brooklyn native of Guyanese descent, is a Board Certified psychiatrist committed to a patient-first approach in mental health. She holds a degree in Neuroscience from Columbia University, an M.D. from Yale School of Medicine, and she completed her psychiatry residency at NYU Langone. Working in varied clinical settings helped her develop a comprehensive approach to health. She currently works in private practice providing medication management and psychotherapy, and she is also certified in psychedelic-assisted therapy, providing ketamine treatment to patients experiencing chronic and severe depression. Outside clinical contexts, she was the medical director for an online telepsychiatry clinic that partnered with colleges to support students during COVID. She also served two years as Chief Medical Officer at a biotech startup focused on precision neuroscience. Dr. Carrington is also an educator, working as a collaborating physician for Psychiatric NPs and as clinical faculty at NYU supervising psychiatry residents. Her dedication to lifelong learning earned her the AMA's Physician Recognition Award. Dr. Carrington believes that drug policies should prioritize harm reduction, science, and public safety.
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