State Senator Scott Wiener introduced a bill Thursday to decriminalize the possession and personal use of some psychedelics in California.
Senate Bill 519 follows similar, successful efforts to decriminalize psychedelics in Oakland and Santa Cruz.
“Given the severity of our mental health crisis, we shouldn’t be criminalizing people for using drugs that have shown significant promise in treating mental health conditions,” Wiener, who represents San Francisco, said in a statement. “People should be able to seek alternative treatment for diseases like anxiety, depression, and PTSD, and we need to make science-based treatments available to those in need.”
The bill decriminalizes psilocybin, psilocyn, 3, 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), ketamine, dimethyltryptamine (DMT), ibogaine and mescaline – excluding peyote.
Studies have shown some psychedelics to have positive impacts when used as a treatment for mental health conditions such as PTSD, depression and anxiety.
Alongside decriminalizing the use of psychedelics, the legislation also expunges any criminal records for people convicted of possession or personal use of these substances.
“Policy should be based on science and common sense, not fear and stigma,” Wiener said. “The War on Drugs and mass incarceration are destructive and failed policies, and we must end them.”
SB 519 is co-sponsored by Heroic Hearts Project, an organization that connects veterans to psychedelic therapy for treating complex trauma. It is also co-sponsored by Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions, which works to end the veteran suicide epidemic.
SB 519 is co-authored by Assemblymembers Evan Low of San Jose, Hayward’s Bill Quirk and Sydney Kamlager from Los Angeles.
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