I used to run a police narcotics unit. Here’s why California should decriminalize psychedelics
In fact, these substances could do more to combat the root causes of addiction than many of the laws I enforced as an officer… SB58 would remove criminal penalties for the personal possession and use of a few naturally occurring psychedelic medicines in reasonable quantities… a recent UC Berkeley survey offers a glimpse of where the public currently stands on these ideas. For example, more than 60% of those surveyed supported psychedelics for therapeutic use, while 78% supported making it easier for researchers to further study psychedelics. Meanwhile, 49% said they supported removing criminal penalties for personal use.
These safeguards and others grew out of years of discussions with law enforcement, medical professionals and researchers, and their adoption led many former opponents to remove their opposition to the legislation. California legislation that could decriminalize psychedelics including mushrooms is one step closer to becoming reality. Senate Bill 58 authored by Sen. Scott Wiener (D-S.F.) was approved by the appropriations committee Friday [9/1/2023] and could make California the largest state to legalize the consumption and possession of certain hallucinogens. Some researchers, doctors and parents urge caution around personal use because psychedelics aren’t for everyone and potential risks are still not all that well understood. Use of these substances should be done with safeguards in place, they say. Wiener’s bill to decriminalize plant-based psychedelics passed the Assembly Appropriations Committee… Senate Bill 58 would ensure that people do not get arrested for possessing and ingesting specified quantities of psilocybin and psilocin, the psychoactive ingredient in hallucinogenic mushrooms; mescaline; ibogaine and dimethyltryptamine, or DMT. Some have expressed good-faith concerns that decriminalization will lead to increased violence and abuse of psychedelics. Luckily, other states have already paved the way, and early data show no impact on public safety. A recent study of Colorado’s experience found that neither law enforcement nor medical providers saw an increase in psychedelic-related incidents. Such incidents were rare before decriminalization and they continued to be rare afterward.
Original Article (The San Francisco Standard & CBS News 13 & Health News):
Is California ready to bring psychedelic therapies into the mainstream? & As California moves toward decriminalizing psychedelics, moms push back & I used to run a police narcotics unit. Here’s why California should decriminalize psychedelics
Artwork Fair Use: Dasaptaerwin
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