Local activists from Decriminalize Spokane recently filed an initiative that, if approved, may make Spokane the latest city to decriminalize hallucinogenic mushrooms in the United States.
The measure would prohibit officials from using the city’s resources or funds to enforce laws that impose criminal penalties for the distribution, growing, transportation, possession or use of psilocybin mushrooms. This is in addition to making the distribution, growing and personal possession of psilocybin for individuals aged 21 and over among the lowest enforcement priorities of law enforcement.
Decriminalize Spokane plans to qualify the measure for the city’s ballot. The initiative includes terms forbidding the display or use of psilocybin mushrooms in public spaces as well as a section that directs attention to the scientific research conducted on psilocybin’s therapeutic potential and any low health risks that the psychedelic fungi might pose.
The proposal states that psilocybin can be used to effectively treat trauma, addiction, cluster headaches and depression as well as decrease prison recidivism and reduce end-of-life anxiety for terminal cancer and hospice patients.
The proposal was presented to the City Council earlier in February, with legislators being provided with the option of passing the bill themselves, approving the petition and allowing the voters to vote on it, or declining it and suggesting an alternative.
Legislators decided not to act on the measure, which left the task up to the city officials to make sure the proposal’s language is in accordance with the law before clearing it for signature collection. If activists are successful in gathering enough signatures from registered voters, the proposal could be presented to voters by November 2021. The activists require 3,477 signatures in order for the measure to qualify for the ballot.
Chief petitioner Mason Lord stated in an interview that the measure focused mainly on safety and highlighted the fact that some legal substances, such as alcohol, were considerably more dangerous.
Earlier in 2019, Denver became the first city in the country to decriminalize magic mushrooms through a citizen measure. Since then, other cities in the nation, including Cambridge, Somerville, Washington D.C., Ann Arbor, Santa Cruz and Oakland, have decriminalized various fungi and plant-based psychedelics,
During the 2020 November elections, voters in Oregon passed historic measures to decriminalize drugs and legalize the use of psilocybin for therapeutic purposes. Additionally, lawmakers in Virginia, Washington State, Missouri, Kansas, Hawaii, Florida, Connecticut and California are also considering drug policy and psychedelics reform bills for this year’s session.
An objective look at the developments in the psychedelics field shows that the movements to legalize or at least decriminalize psychedelics have a basis in science. For example, Cybin Inc. (NEO: CYBN) (OTC: CLXPF) has four candidate psychedelic drug formulations in various stages of development, and all these drugs have potential to revolutionize how mental health conditions are treated.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Cybin Inc. (NEO: CYBN) (OTC: CLXPF) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/CYBN
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