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The future of psychedelics, according to an expert

Where the Psychedelic Revolution Is Headed, According to the Guy Who (Arguably) Started It

Rick Doblin, a pioneer psychedelic researcher and activist, made some interesting predictions about the future of psychedelics in the US.

Here’s where he thinks the sector is headed:

  • MDMA will be FDA-approved by the end of 2023, with psilocybin following a year or two after.
  • By 2023 or 2024, there will be 6000+ psychedelic therapy clinics (there are currently about 1000). Every town with a hospice center will have enough demand for a psychedelic clinic.
  • By 2030, one million MDMA therapy sessions will have been administered by 25,000 trained therapists.
  • A licensed legalization model could be implemented around 2035 in which patients can earn a license to use psychedelics outside the clinic once undergoing a supervised session.

Doblin is hopeful that the tremendous impacts on mental health will result in a spiritualized society that “has finally come to the point of embracing global thinking, global humanity, and dealt with economic inequity.”

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Will this European island legalize shrooms?

After Cannabis, Maltese People Want To Legalise Mushrooms Next

Malta may legalize cannabis, but residents don’t want the reforms to stop there.

In a recent survey, 447 people in Malta were asked if they think the country should legalize any other substances beyond cannabis. Magic mushrooms was the most popular response with 45% in favour of its legalization.

LSD was the next most common response at 27%, but 56% did not see a need for any other drugs to be legalized.

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Psychedelic farmer’s markets coming to Cali!

Oakland Psychedelics Activists Launch Initiative To Legalize Community-Based Sales With Support From City Council

Oakland could legalize the sale of psychedelics as early as next year!

The city decriminalized the use and cultivation of many entheogens back in 2019, and now, activists are building on their progress with a “Go Local” Legislative Initiative. The initiative would create a community-based model to allow people to legally purchase natural psychedelics like psilocybin and ayahuasca from local producers.

The initiative, which is backed by a key City Council member, will gather research on how best to implement the model over the next year and will introduce a legislation in the summer of 2022.

Some possible reforms being considered include allowing commercial agriculture in residential zones, creating “sacred plant adult farmer’s market permits”, and allowing cannabis dispensaries with 100% local ownership to sell entheogens, among may others. All products would have to be grown, produced, and tested locally.

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Another Michigan city decriminalizes psychedelics

Grand Rapids stopping short of decriminalizing psychedelic mushrooms, plants

In a 5-2 vote, Grand Rapids, Michigan approved a psychedelics decriminalization resolution, yet activists feel the measure falls short.

The resolution calls for law enforcement deprioritization for use and possession of psilocybin, peyote, ayahuasca, and ibogaine, but it doesn’t address the cultivation, purchase, transportation or distribution of the entheogens, unlike the measure passed in Ann Arbor.

On the bright side, the measure notes that the Mayor and City Commission will support efforts to decriminalize the entheogenic plants and fungi on a local, state, and federal level.

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Go sign this petition!

California Activists Cleared To Collect Signatures For Psilocybin Legalization Ballot Initiative

A California activist group, Decriminalize California, is working to get a psilocybin legalization measure on the 2022 ballot, and they’re making progress!

The measure, called the California Psilocybin Initiative, would allow the possession, use, cultivation, social sharing, and even the retail sale of psilocybin.

This week, the group was  cleared to begin collecting signatures for the initiative- they’ll need 623,212 registered voters to sign the petition within 180 days. Luckily, 2,800 people have already volunteered to help with the process.

“I feel pretty damn good honestly [about the prospects of the initiative]. People are so psyched for psychedelics,” said the director of the campaign.

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Tackling Seattle’s opioid crisis

Seattle Overdose Task Force Calls for Decriminalization of All Drugs

Will Seattle be the next city to decriminalize psychedelics?

On Tuesday, Overdose Emergency Innovative Recovery (OEIR) task force made five policy recommendations to address Seattle’s ongoing opioid crisis, as requested by the City Council, including a call for the widespread decriminalization of all drugs.

The task force said that decriminalization, or potentially legalization and regulation, would promote research opportunities, create a safe supply, reduce the stigma of substance use, and could bring in billions of dollars in revenue to the state.

The OEIR believes psychedelic therapy could be a solution to the opioid crisis, noting its effectiveness in treating substance abuse disorder. The group is advocating for municipalities to deprioritize the enforcement of psychedelics and encourages State and federal officials to broaden access to psychedelic therapy.

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Slow and steady wins the race

California Bill To Legalize Psychedelics Possession Put On Pause Until 2022

California’s psychedelics decriminalization bill, SB519, has been put on hold until 2022, but it may be for the best.

The bill has already been approved by the Senate and 2 of 3 assembly committees, but has now been made into a two-year bill, meaning it won’t advance to the floor until next year.

Senator Scott Wiener (D), the bill’s sponsor, decided put things on pause as more time is needed to build the case for decriminalization and generate support.

“Now that we have more time, I’m optimistic through education and member engagement we can pass this critical legislation next year,” he explained.

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No more excuses for Health Canada

B.C. non-profit challenges Health Canada to end 50-year prohibition on magic mushrooms

Several non-profits are doing Health Canada’s dirty work to speed up the legalization of psilocybin.

TheraPsil sent 165 pages of proposed psilocybin regulations to Health Canada, which were based on the medicinal cannabis regulations created 20 years ago. The document addresses regulations around selling and growing magic mushrooms, such as how to qualify for a license, quality control processes, security measures, and packaging requirements.

Other non-profits including the Multidisciplinary Association of Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) and the Canadian Psychedelic Association (CPA) are drafting their own legal frameworks.

“This will hopefully be a gift to them to have done their work for them,” said a CPA board member.
“All they have to do is agree, but of course, it’s never that simple. The bureaucrats will have to go over it with a fine tooth comb,” said a former federal treaty negotiator and psilocybin exemption applicant.
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California gets one step closer to legalizing psychedelics

California Lawmakers Approve Bill To Legalize Psychedelics Possession In Committee

If you’ve been following along with the Daily Mushroom newsletter, you know that earlier this month, the California Senate approved a bill that would decriminalize possession of psychedelic drugs like magic mushrooms. Well, that bill (SB 5119) was just approved by The Assembly Public Safety Committee – one of three assembly committees needed to advance the legislation before reaching the governor’s desk.

Senator Scott Wiener, the bill’s sponsor, turned to Twitter to celebrate the win. “Another step toward ending the failed & racist War on Drugs & expanding access to mental health & addiction treatment.”

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California approves bill to legalize possession of psychedelic drugs including psilocybin

California Senate Approves Bill To Legalize Possession Of Psychedelics Like Psilocybin And LSD

California Senate passed a bill that would make it lawful to possess and socially share psychedelic substances including psilocybin, LSD, DMT, MDMA, and ibogaine. If enacted, the state Department of Health would establish a working group to study and recommend regulatory systems that California could use to promote safe and equitable access to the substances. The working group’s recommendations would be due by the beginning of 2024. However, an activist group aims to put forward an initiative to legalize the use and sale of psilocybin mushrooms on California’s 2022 ballot.

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