Santa Cruz, California Decriminalizes Magic Mushrooms

Freshly Picked Magic Mushrooms Reclassififed As Class A Drug In UK

The Santa Cruz City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to decriminalize the so-called "magic mushrooms" along with other natural psychedelics, making it the third city in the United States to do so after Denver, Colorado and Oakland, California.

"This Council initiative is part of a diversity of strategies taking care of mental health in our community," Councilmember Chris Krohn said in a statement. "This resolution ensures that only people 21 and over have access to these plants and the Council has given direction to our Police Department to make it a low priority infraction."

The measure,which was sponsored by then-Vice Mayor, now Mayor Justin Cummings, makes investigation and arrest of adult individuals over 21 who possess, use or cultivate "psychoactive plans and fungi" a low-priority infraction by law enforcement.

"Entheogenic plants offer many in our community a way out of the addictive pharmaceuticals known as opioids. People came forward at last night’s meeting telling of the beneficial effects of how these plants changed their lives," Krohn added.

The resolution does not apply to synthetic drugs such as LSD or MDMA.

Research has pointed to psilocybin, the active psychedelic in magic mushrooms, as a potential treatment for conditions such as anxiety and depression. A recent study from John Hopkins University found the potential of abuse for psilocybin to be low.

Supporters of similar measures in around 100 cities and are looking to try and decriminalizing magic mushrooms with one major effort underway in Oregon to get the issue on the state's 2020 ballot. However, like pot, psilocybin is a Schedule 1 drug, meaning federal policy states it has no currently accepted medical use and remains illegal under both state and federal laws.

Photo: Getty Images


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