Oregon is a Step Closer to Decriminalizing Psychedelic Mushrooms

Oregon’s Secretary of State has just approved the language that’ll appear on a 2020 ballot initiative looking to decriminalize psychedelic mushrooms aka shrooms throughout the state. That is if organizers up there can gather a minimum 117,578 signatures.

As you’re probably well aware currently possession of psychedelic mushrooms is a felony. That’s because like marijuana they are classified as a Schedule I substance according to the federal government. And that means they have no medicinal value despite an overwhelming body of evidence proving otherwise.

Currently researchers are investigating the use of magic mushrooms for depression associated with advanced cancer. Studies are showing that they help with chemical depression. And there’s even a group actively trying to give the dying magic mushrooms to help them deal with their depression. Respected writers like Michael Pollan are not only writing books about how the stuff can help treat anxiety, depression and addiction to shit like booze and cigarettes they’re eating magic shrooms and including detailed trip reports in their writing.

Along with removing punishments for possession of magic mushrooms the Oregon initiative also looks to allow for licensed manufacturing and of course the administration of mushrooms and their active ingredient psilocybin.

“The intent of the 2020 Psilocybin Service Initiative of Oregon is to advance a breakthrough therapeutic model currently being perfected in research settings at top universities around the world,” say Tom and Sheri Eckert who created the initiative.

Oregon’s republican secretary of state Dennis Richardson says that the “main impact” of the initiative would be to reduce criminal penalties for unlawful psilocybin manufacture, delivery, and possession. He also feels that the initiative’s creation of a program to license and regulate the manufacture, possession and delivery of psilocybin and the administration of “psilocybin services” would be a “secondary impact.”

Anyhow the ballot initiative aims to legalize and regulate psilocybin in the same or similar manner as cannabis up in Oregon. The chief petitioners explain that the initiative creates a framework for qualified adults to access “psilocybin service” under controlled conditions at licensed facilities “under the supervision and care of licensed facilitators.”

Sound like some progress right? Magic mushroom legalization is also gaining hella political and legal support up in Denver. So maybe that momentum will find its way to California soon.

Do you think magic mushrooms should be legalized in California?