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This is a HUGE landmark in the movement towards drug reform in in the United States, the consciousness revolution, and cognitive liberty.
Some of the facts:
In January, Decriminalize Denver announced that it collected nearly 9,500 signatures to get the initiative placed on the ballot
About 50.5% of voters supported the ordinance
The initiative does not legalize psilocybin mushrooms, but it prohibits the city from spending resources to impose criminal penalties on those who possess them
Psilocybin mushrooms containing psilocybin, psilocin, baeocystin, or nor-baeocystin are decriminalized for personal possession (i.e. possession, storage or propagation of psilocybin mushrooms) by an adult for personal use
The sale of psilocybin mushrooms for remuneration is not included in the definition of personal possession and is subject to prosecution under existing state laws.
A Psilocybin Mushroom Policy Review Panel will write a comprehensive written report with recommendations to the City Council that will include, information concerning the public safety, public administration, public health and fiscal impacts of the initiative.
The election results will be confirmed May 16, 2019 and then Initiative 301 will be immediately implemented, according to the ballot language.
What are the implications of all this?
This win will be the first of many, as citizens exercise their power to shape their government to serve them and not the other way around. We will see other cities and states follow in kind. The increasing awareness of psychedelics as beneficial agents is rapidly spreading and truth and justice will prevail if we use the insights we have gained from our experiences and take concrete action in the tangible world. Now is the time to boldly step into the flow of history and take back our right to our own minds and connection to something bigger them ourselves.
As members of the psychedelic community we much be active agents in offering and implementing harm reduction education to support people in using psilocybin mushrooms in a mindful way.
Other psilocybin drug policy initiatives:
Initiative in California: https://decrimca.org/
“The purpose of this citizens initiative is to decriminalize psychedelic mushrooms and the chemical compounds contained in them including psilocybin, psilocin, baeocystin, and or nor-baeocystin, for cultivation, extraction, manufacturing, distribution, and consumption for either medical, therapeutic or religious purposes for anyone over the age of 21, or younger with parental or guardian consent either by amending or removing California Health and Safety Codes HSC § 11 390 & 11391.”
Initiative in Oregon: https://psi-2020.org/
“The intent of the 2020 Psilocybin Service Initiative of Oregon is to advance a breakthrough therapeutic model currently being perfected in research settings at top universities around the world. The service model involves a sequence of facilitated sessions, including assessment and preparation, psilocybin administration, and integration afterwards. We envision a community-based framework, where licensed providers, along with licensed producers of psilocybin mushrooms, blaze trails in Oregon in accordance with evolving practice standards.” – PSI 2020 Chief Petitioners Tom and Sheri Eckert
