Anthropology

Ann Arbor OKs move to decriminalize psychedelic mushrooms, plants

City Council voted unanimously… in favor of a resolution declaring it’s the city’s lowest law enforcement priority to investigate and arrest anyone for planting, cultivating, purchasing, transporting, distributing, engaging in practices with or possessing entheogenic plants or plant compounds. The resolution defines “entheogenic plants” as the full spectrum of plants and fungi that contain indole…

READ MORE
Anthropology

City council votes to make psychedelic mushrooms, [ayahuasca, cacti, etc.] legal in Ann Arbor, Michigan

In the 1970s, it was among the first to decriminalize marijuana. Now, it’s doing the same thing with mushrooms and other entheogenic plants [and fungi]. The Council voted 11-0, saying Ann Arbor police should stand down enforcing possession. In its resolution, the Ann Arbor City Council also asked the… County Prosecutor’s Office to cease prosecution…

READ MORE
Politics

…government will respond to psychedelics decriminalization petition

That’s the eighth-highest number of signatures an official government petition has received this Parliament. It states that the government should “immediately discontinue enforcement of statutes or regulations that prohibit or impose onerous restrictions on informed adult use, growing, or sharing of any plant or fungi, where an established record of traditional use exists.” Additionally, legislators…

READ MORE
Psychology

Decriminalization is just the start of real reform – and… users need to be part of the conversation

For… users, the potential pitfalls of [blanket] decriminalization are frightening and all too likely to happen. One fear they have about decriminalization is that authorities will drop criminal punishments, only to raise an oppressive regime of civil penalties – specifically, issuing tickets and fines… a fear is that… decriminalize [all] drugs, that’s where the experiment…

READ MORE
Biography/Memoir

How red tape… [psychoactives] are buzzkills…

Advocates said a regulated… industry would push out the black market and generate more than a half billion dollars a year for the state… it’s not quite worked out that way; there’s the cost of operating legally, a major reason. For most people out here, the opportunity to participate does not exist. The barriers to…

READ MORE
Politics

Initiative 81 [Entheogenic Plant and Fungus Policy Act] certified for November [2020] ballot

Initiative 81 would help thousands of DC residents suffering from anxiety, PTSD, addiction, and depression who currently fear arrest or prosecution for using natural psychedelics to heal. This initiative has the support of prominent medical professionals, police officers, and residents across the District of Columbia. The District of Columbia Board of Elections announced on August…

READ MORE
Biography/Memoir

Maryland congressman tries to block D.C.’s psychedelics decriminalization ballot measure

The newspaper noted that Harris is “an anesthesiologist and top pharmaceutical donor recipient.” Harris [said] that he will use Congress’s control over D.C.’s budget to block the measure through a House Appropriations Committee amendment next week. Harris famously led congressional efforts to block Washington, D.C.’s local leaders from passing legislation to create a legal system of…

READ MORE
Spirituality

There’s a case for non-medical [psilocybe mushrooms]

Like marijuana legalization, the case for medical use will no doubt push forward the argument for decriminalization and legalization.  It is far easier to convince lawmakers of a medical case for legislation versus a mystical experience argument. However, [those involved] would be remiss to dismiss the non-medical use for [psilocybe mushrooms]. Original Article (Green Market…

READ MORE
Biography/Memoir

…official call to decriminalize psychedelics… to be heard…

Highlighting that some psychedelics are already on their way to liberalization, [Member of Parliament] Paul Manly pointed to other North American jurisdictions that have decriminalized. Denver, Colorado, became the first U.S. city to decriminalize magic mushrooms [including decriminalizing home cultivation for personal, non-commodified use] following a narrow vote last May [2019].  Last year, Vancouver city Coun. Melissa…

READ MORE