A couple of years ago, Denver Co. became the first city to legalize magic mushrooms. Today, Denver City Council considers expanding the laws that govern psilocybin mushrooms in Denver.
Denver’s Finance and Governance Committee probed into the matter at a review held last week. With constituents of the Denver Psilocybin Mushroom Policy Review Panel exhibiting a visual guide on recommendations under development. That includes broadening decriminalization to cover gifting and public use of the magic mushrooms in Denver.
Kevin Matthews, who led the 2019 decriminalization effort and now works as the founder of Vote Nature in attachment to being president of Denver’s mushroom panel, presented a report that the body announced that shows that the policy change resulted in a 50% decrease in psilocybin arrests.
Clinics have not promulgated an increase in cases related to the entheogen, and data indicates that most people are using psilocybin for health and wellness reasons.
Ahead of sponsoring psilocybin gifting and public use decriminalization, the Denver Shroom Panel emphasized the value of implementing city and county first responders education to deal with a person experiencing a hallucinatory crisis.
Other members of the ‘Shroom Brigade’ embrace Councilman Chris Hinds (D-CO), Denver District Attorney Beth McCann, alongside Denver Police Department Investigations Chief Joe Montoya.
The collective also recommended creating ‘co-branded education public service reports’ and a ‘data gathering and recording system for law enforcement and emergency intercommunications involving magic mushrooms in Denver.’
A centerpiece of Tuesday’s exhibition to Denver legislators was simple: nothing ‘bad’ happened after Denver voters chose to make the magic mushrooms among the city’s lowest law enforcement preferences. It’s ignited a national movement of psychedelic reform and has allowed activists to distinguish opportunities to broaden the innovative policy.
Despite the fact that many of the panel’s recommendations can take place in the body, ideas like decriminalizing shroom-gifts and public use would necessitate legislation from the Denver City Council.
Members of the magic mushroom panel also held a conference immediately after the committee meeting ended. Among other concerns, Matthews was inquired about the state of a contract between the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) and the city of Denver to launch an unprecedented training initiative for first responders.
Since Denver’s initial move to end the criminalization of magic mushrooms, there’s been an uptick in interest in psychedelics education on many levels. Last week, Detroit citizens favored a ballot initiative to decriminalize psychedelics across the city.
After local lawmakers enacted decriminalization resolutions last year, the Washtenaw County prosecutor announced that their office will not be chasing charges concerning possessing entheogenic plants or fungi, “despite the amount at [hand.].”
At the same time, local activists pushed to end the criminalization of magic mushrooms. A couple of state senators introduced a bill to legalize the possession, growth and delivery of a litany of plant and fungi-based psychedelics like psilocybin (magic mushrooms) and mescaline (peyote buttons.)
In October, legislators in Easthampton, MA., voted in favor of a fix pleading for the decriminalization of specific entheogenic substances along with other drugs.
The effort comes seasons after the neighboring Northampton City Council issued a resolution stipulating that no agency or police reserves should be used to reinforce laws criminalizing people for using or possessing magic mushrooms. Also, in Massachusetts, Somerville and Cambridge have moved to decriminalize psychedelics completely.
The bounded measures also reveal support for two bills proposed in the Massachusetts state legislature earlier this year. One would eliminate criminal penalties for possession of all illicit drugs. The other would authorize a task force to investigate entheogenic substances with the ultimate goal of legalizing and regulating magic mushrooms.