The heady, thorny journey to decriminalize… [psilocybin containing] mushrooms
How quickly is the push to decriminalize psilocybin progressing, exactly? So quickly that it’s even surprised psychedelics advocates.
“The fact that it’s happening so fast is kind of amazing,” says Brad Burge, spokesperson for the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), which leads studies of psychedelic therapies, including the aforementioned MDMA trial. “Here we have some of the very first policy measures ever to be proposed around the decriminalization of psychedelic substances and they’re passing. This is so surprising, I’ve only just had a chance to start thinking about it.” … As a next step in Denver, they’re ramping up education for first responders and city officials and users. “In particular working with law enforcement, and if they need more training on things like harm reduction,” says Matthews. “Like how to actually work with individuals who are under the influence…”. In Oakland, the city government is going even further in its push to bring psilocybin into the mainstream. When its city council voted last week to decriminalize, it did so without pushback from local law enforcement, says councilmember Noel Gallo, who introduced the resolution. “The police were very receptive…” Gallo says. “…we all agree that’s not a priority any longer. We have plenty of serious crime issues on our streets.”
Original Article (Wired):
The heady, thorny journey to decriminalize magic mushroom
Artwork Fair Use: AnemoneProjectors