California On Course to Become Third State to Decriminalize Magic Mushrooms
Written by: ERIN WEIST
Last week California became the latest state in the U.S. to pass legislation decriminalizing currently controlled substances. Senate Bill 58 was titled: “Controlled substances: decriminalization of certain hallucinogenic substances,” and included psilocybin, psilocyn, mescaline, and DMT. Several amendments had been made over the years to accommodate concerns over quantities, purpose, age limits, substance (for example, Ibogaine was removed from the allowed list of substances), possession, cultivation, and more.
The bill will legalize these substances for those over 21 and will allow for “possession, planting, cultivating, harvesting, or preparation,” and use of the substances, with mescaline at 4 grams, but DMT, psilocybin and psilocyn at only 1 gram. While these amounts are arguably inadequate for some therapeutic settings this nod to the usefulness of psychedelics, particularly for those with PTSD or in high-demand public careers, is a great step forward in the overall conversation surrounding these substances. To go from a “war on drugs” which penalized people for engaging in private, innocuous behavior to lauding the benefits of magic mushrooms is an enormous win in this particular culture war.
This legislation additionally included the creation of a study group, overseen by the California Health and Human Services Agency, that would research psychedelics and make recommendations to the state regarding the regulating of these substances. This group will also study other issues surrounding psychedelics such as safety & efficacy, and recommend policies for production, distribution, and use, especially for therapeutic purposes.
Senator Scott Wiener (D) proposed the bill and has championed it from the beginning as crucial for the health of veterans, first responders, and those suffering from addiction, depression, or PTSD. His bill will allow California to become the third state in the nation to decriminalize certain psychedelic substances, including magic mushrooms, after Oregon and Colorado. And, as stated in an article published at thehill.com: “In addition to decriminalizing personal possession and cultivation, the bill also aims to establish “community-based healing” practices that promote group therapeutic use of psychedelics.” (https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/4192350-california-lawmakers-approve-psychedelics-decriminalization-bill/)
Research from Johns Hopkins, Harvard, and other reputable centers across the United States has shown that certain entheogenic plants and fungi can be incredibly beneficial to mental health, particularly in healing conditions that have previously only been treated for symptoms, such as depression, anxiety, and addiction. S.B. 58 heads to the desk of Gavin Newsom, Governor of California, where it is unreported whether or not he will sign it into law. Once signed, the bill would go into effect starting January 2025.
