Salem, Massachusetts legislators have approved a decriminalization resolution for psilocybin mushroom.
The City Council unanimously voted on Thursday in favor of a measure initiated by activists that would make it official policy for the local government to prioritize enforcement of laws against the possession and cultivation psilocybin.
Other cities that have taken broader psychedelics action include a href=”https://www.marijuanamoment.net/local-massachusetts-lawmakers unanimously approve psychedelics-decriminalization measure/” rel=”noopener” target=”_blank”>Cambridge/a>, a href=”https://www.marijuanamoment.net/cambridge city council Other cities have taken more comprehensive psychedelics actions, including Somerville Cambridge Easthampton, and Northampton.
The resolution states that psilocybin is a powerful therapeutic agent for treating mental disorders such as addiction and post-traumatic disorder (PTSD). It also says that criminalization has failed as a policy, resulting in mass incarceration of people and racial inequality within the criminal justice system.
The local measure doesn’t remove criminal penalties for the substance, but it states that the “arrest of adult persons for using or possessing psilocybin-containing fungi” as well as the “investigation and arrest of adult persons for cultivating, purchasing, transporting, distributing, engaging in practices with, and/or possessing psilocybin-containing fungi” should be “amongst the lowest law enforcement priority for the city of Salem.”
The resolution says that “no City of Salem department, agency, board, commission, officer or employee of the city should use city funds or resources to assist in the enforcement of laws imposing criminal penalties for the use and possession of psilocybin-containing fungi by adults.”
It further calls on the Essex County District Attorney to “deprioritize the prosecution of persons involved in, but not limited to psychedelic-assisted therapeutic services, possession, sharing or cultivation of psilocybin-containing fungi and the use or possession without the intent to distribute” and requests that the mayor direct city staff to “work with the city, state and federal partners in support of decriminalizing all psilocybin continued fungi.”
The Bay Staters for Natural Medicine advocacy group worked on the bill. The organization’s activists have been leading local reform efforts in different cities, while continuing to promote statewide reform of psychedelics.
Alice Rose Merkl, a D-member of the council, said that at last week’s Hearing psilocybin is “not just another treatment option–this very promising” and there’s “great potential here.”
Councilmember Andrew Varela (D) added that “it’s really smart of the city of Salem to focus on one thing, and that would be psilocybin-containing fungi.”
He said, “I believe that this could serve as a model for communities around the world.” “This could be an example of how we can start small, and with something like psilocybin that has a big impact.” I am looking forward to seeing more changes within the Commonwealth in regards to these substances.
Bay Staters for Natural Medicine reported that Lucas Miller, Salem’s Chief of Police, supported the local reform.
In a group press release, he said: “The indications of psilocybin’s potential to help with opiate dependence is something that shouldn’t be ignored.” Salem loses about 20 people a year due to opioid overdose.
A Republican legislator has recently introduced three bills to reform the psychedelics industry. These include proposals to legalize substances such as psilocybin, and reschedule MDMA, pending approval by federal authorities, while also setting a cap on price for therapeutic access.
Other legislators have introduced several pieces of legislation in Massachusetts, including separate measure for legalizing certain entheogenic drugs for adults.
A second bill authorizes the Department of Public Health (DPH) to conduct a study on the therapeutic effects of MDMA and other synthetic psychedelics.
Rep. Mike Connolly, (D), also filed a 2021 bill that was heard by the Joint Judiciary Committee in . The hearing focused on the implications of legalizing substances such as psilocybin or ayahuasca.
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Massachusetts is one of many states where legislators are working to reform psychedelics this session.
The governor of Arizona, for instance, signed into law a budget bill that included provisions to fund research on the potential medical benefits of psilocybin mushroom.
Last week, the Connecticut House of Representatives passed a law to decriminalize the possession of psilocybin mushroom. The bill was then sent to Senate.
Last week, the governor of Washington State approved a bill to encourage research on psilocybin. The pilot program will provide access to psychedelics for mental health treatments.
Vermont legislators held a hearing in a Vermont committee this month. Members discussed legislation that would legalize psilocybin, and took first steps towards providing regulated access.
A California bill to legalize possession of certain psychoactive substances and facilitate their use is headed to the Senate Floor under an accelerated process which allows it to bypass further committee consideration.
The Minnesota House passed a health bill omnibus that includes provisions for the creation of a psychedelics Task Force to prepare Minnesota for possible legalization.
A bipartisan group and a Republican North Carolina legislator filed a bill last month to create a grant program of $5 million to support research on the potential therapeutic benefits of psilocybin, and to create a Breakthrough Therapies Research Advisory Board.
Last month, a Nevada Senate Committee approved a revised version of a bill that would establish a new group to study psychedelics as well as develop a plan for regulated access to therapeutic purposes.
Last month, the Hawaii Senate passed a bill to establish an advisory council that would examine possible regulations to provide access to federal “breakthrough therapies” such as psilocybin or MDMA.
Oregon regulators approved the first license in the country for a Psilocybin Service Center, where people can use the psychedelic under a controlled and facilitated setting.
Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, told senators in a statement last week that new evidence is surfacing that psychoedelics have “significant potential” to be used as therapeutic treatments for some mental health conditions. This topic, she said, was “of great interest” to researchers.
Based on a statistical model of policy trends, an analysis published last year in the American Medical Association journal concluded that most states will legalize psychedelics before 2037.
A national survey published in March revealed that a majority of U.S. citizens support the legalization of psychedelic therapy, and are also in favor decriminalizing substances such as psilocybin or MDMA.
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The post Salem Massachusetts Lawmakers Vote to Decriminalize Psilocybin Mushrooms first appeared on Marijuana Moment.
