Second Nature
In May, Denver, Colo., became the first city in the United States to decriminalize "magic mushrooms" — and now a city in California is following its lead.
On Tuesday, the Oakland City Council voted unanimously to decriminalize entheogenic plants and fungi, including peyote and mushrooms containing psilocybin. That means adults over the age of 21 can now possess hallucinogens derived from those sources without worrying about facing any criminal penalties — a change that could encourage more people to explore their potential medical benefits.
Trippy Treatment
Under the new ordinance, Oakland will no longer allot any funds toward enforcing laws criminalizing the plant- or fungi-derived hallucinogens, and the county's district attorney won't prosecute anyone already arrested for use or possession of them.
Proponents of the change are hopeful it will grant more people the ability try hallucinogens as a treatment for their medical conditions, such as PTSD or depression.
“I don’t have words, I could cry," Nicolle Greenheart, co-founder of Decriminalize Nature Oakland, told the San Francisco Chronicle. “I’m thrilled. I’m glad that our communities will now have access to the healing medicines and we can start working on healing our communities.”
READ MORE: Oakland becomes 2nd US city to legalize magic mushrooms [Associated Press]
More on psychedelics: Denver Becomes First U.S. City to Decriminalize “Magic Mushrooms”
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