San Francisco lawmakers are spearheading the movement to decriminalize psychedelics in California.
Democratic State Senator Scott Wiener of San Francisco is the author of a bill, known as SB 519, that would allow people 21 and older to possess psilocybin, MDMA, LSD, DMT, mescaline - excluding peyote - and ibogaine.
The reason behind the decriminalization of these psychedelic substances is twofold, Wiener explained. The bill is inspired by research done at top universities that found evidence of therapeutic and medical benefits from psychedelics, as well as the movement to end the destructive War on Drugs.
In his bill, Senator Wiener explains that the "War on Drugs, rather than addressing the root causes of substance use disorder and mental illness, instead criminalized addiction."
If voted into legislation, SB 519 would also expunge any criminal records for people convicted of possession or personal use of these substances.
Originally, the bill also called to decriminalize the "ketamine" drug, but the medication was later removed from the legislature as it was accused of being used for date-rape, KTVU reported.
Even with this adaptation, John Lovell of the California Narcotics Officers Association is weary that SB 519 has the potential to cause more overdoses and deaths, the station said. Drug contamination is a very real issue as well as the dangers of flashbacks from LSD which can result in people experiencing a trip "for the rest of their lives," Lovell told the Assembly Public Safety Committee.
The committee approved the bill on Tuesday, but it still has a few more steps to go until it arrives on Gov. Gavin Newsom's desk. It needs to pass one more committee before it goes before the full Assembly for a vote.
Related
