California could decriminalise naturally occurring psychedelics and create a framework for their therapeutic use under a new bill.
Senate Bill 58 – sponsored by Heroic Hearts Project, a non-profit organisation that supports access to psychedelic therapies for veterans – would see the decriminalisation of psychedelics including psilocybin, psilocin, DMT and mescaline for people over the age of 21.
This includes using, possessing, preparing, obtaining, or transporting the substances.
Additionally, under the bill, the California Health and Human Services Agency would be required to establish a working group to recommend a therapeutic framework for psychedelic therapies. This would include facilitated or supported use of those substances.
If the bill is passed, it will come into effect on 1 January 2025, and the working group would have to submit its report containing such recommendations before this date.
Authored by San Francisco Democrat Senator Scott Wiener, Senate Bill 58 follows similar advances in states across the US including Colorado and Oregon.
The bill passed with a number of amendments in a vote of 42 to 11 and will now make its way to the Senate for its final sign off – expected as soon as Thursday, 21 September.
In a press statement, Senator Scott Wiener, commented: “Veterans and anyone suffering from PTSD and depression should not face criminal penalties for seeking relief.
“Plant-based psychedelics are non-addictive and show tremendous promise at treating some of the most intractable drivers of our nation’s mental health crisis.
“After three years of consultation with law enforcement groups and medical experts, SB 58 takes a moderate approach to allowing suffering people to access plant medicine with appropriate safeguards in place.”
Veteran and Founder of the Heroic Hearts Project, Jesse Gould, added: “Every day that criminal penalties prevent veterans from accessing psychedelic plant medicines is a day their lives are at risk.
“Psychedelics helped heal the unseen scars from my service in the War on Terror after traditional medicine failed me for years. Since then I’ve dedicated my life to educating veterans in the safe and effective use of psychedelics. Removing criminal penalties for the use of these substances will help that work, not hurt it.”
