California Introduces Bill To Decriminalize Psychedelic Drugs
On February 18th 2021, A Democrat from San Francisco, California introduced a bill to decriminalize psychedelics on a state level. Senator Scott Wiener introduced Senate Bill 519 to decriminalize certain psychedelics in the interest of public health and safety and to address the failed War on Drugs. The failed “War on Drugs”, has had huge societal and financial impacts, especially in low income neighborhoods. It has caused a thriving black market that is increasingly dangerous. Drug Criminalization does not deter drug use or sales and many people claim to have had more access to drugs while being incarcerated.
Senate Bill 519 would decriminalize psilocybin, psilocyn, dimethyltryptamine (DMT), ibogaine, mescaline, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), ketamine, and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and create a working group to research and make recommendations to the Legislature regarding, among other things, the regulation and therapeutic use of these substances . A proven overdose prevention tool also known as “drug-checking” or substance testing & analysis, as well as all tools and equipment related to analyzing these substances would also be decriminalized and criminal records related to use and possession of these substances would be expunged and or sealed. Social sharing of these drugs would be allowed, by and with persons 21 years of age or older. Sharing with individuals under 21 years of age or possession on school grounds is still illegal. Possession of paraphernalia relating to the use or sharing of these substances, like weighted scales for example, will also be decriminalized to increase safety among users. As always, driving under the influence or being loaded at work will still be illegal. Peyote, a psychedelic cacti, is not included in the bill to protect the traditional spiritual practices of Native Americans that have used the Cacti for hundreds of years. Recent popularity surrounding psychedelics have threatened the Peyote cacti, San Pedro cacti, and the Bufo Alvarius Toad. Measures to protect these indigenous sacraments are taking place before they become fully extinct. “This act will allow for the noncommercial, personal use and sharing of specified controlled substances, including for the purposes of group counseling and community-based healing, or other related services.” This means that California could soon be joining Oregon as the best destination spots for psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy and health & wellness retreat centers influenced by modern shamanism and psychedelic use. If the bill passes, you can be paid for your services and for “Sharing” these drugs in the context of group counseling, spiritual guidance, and community-based healing, or related services will not count as “financial gains”. The Multidisciplinary Association of Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), the long-standing global leader in psychedelic research and education, assist as expert advisors to Sen. Wiener in development of SB 519. MAPS staff provided the following comments on the bill:
“As we celebrate the success of expanding decriminalization efforts and the potential this bill holds to correct stigma and restore equity across cultural divides, we simultaneously underscore the opportunity for widespread harm reduction education. Through acknowledging that safe and responsible use includes reliance on substance analysis and measurement tools, we afford psychedelic choosers proper paths to keep themselves and their communities empowered to mitigate risk and lessen the likelihood of involvement with legal and medical services.” - Katrina Michelle, Ph.D., LCSW, Director of Harm Reduction.
"This reduces the legal risk for individuals using psychedelics, reducing stigma and allowing communities to step up to offer evidence-based harm reduction services. It will make space for accurate education, which is ultimately good for both personal and public health. Although municipal reforms are an important part of the policy ecosystem and global policy reform is the eventual goal, amending state law to decriminalize personal use is an important step toward appropriately addressing the use of psychedelics for healing, spiritual development, celebration, or personal growth." - Ismail Lourido Ali, J.D., Policy & Advocacy Counsel.
“Americans’ growing recognition that the War on Drugs is a decades-long public health disaster demands policies to both correct its immeasurable damage and acknowledge the tremendous potential benefits of so many criminalized substances, including psychedelics. Public health research continues to show that criminalization makes drug use more dangerous, exacerbates social and racial inequities, and plays a key role in the erasure of countless ancestral plant medicine practices. SB 519 is a compelling step closer to a world in which no one is criminalized for drug use and substances can be used more safely, responsibly, and intentionally.” - Natalie Lyla Ginsberg, M.S.W.,, Director of Policy & Advocacy.
Senate Bill 519 Full Text:
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220SB519
Resources: https://maps.org/news/media/8885-statement-california-state-legislator-introduces-bill-to-decriminalize-psychedelics, https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220SB519
