Psychedelic reform advocates in various states across the country are actively working to change laws that govern psychedelics, including ayahuasca and psilocybin. As part of those efforts, cities such as Arcata, California; Grand Rapids, Michigan; and Easthampton, Massachusetts, are the latest to climb aboard this reform train.
Thus far, the Public Safety Committee in the city of Arcata has advanced a psychedelics reform measure that was led by the Decriminalize Nature chapter in the city. This measure will allow the decriminalization of entheogens, which had been denied by the Arcata City Council, to be voted on again. The passage of this measure would deprioritize enforcement of the laws governing the possession and use of entheogens in private spaces and allow for an educational campaign on the issue to be established.
In Grand Rapids, City Commissioner Kurt Reppart, who is playing the role of advisor to the city’s Decriminalize Nature chapter, recently revealed that he felt there was enough support to advance a psychedelics decriminalization measure. The local legislator stated in a recent interview that most of his colleagues had shown interest in the matter, with some expressing their explicit support for the initiative.
He added that the initiative could be voted on by the year’s end, noting that at the moment, the proposed language was being reviewed by the city attorneys, after which the measure would be advanced to the city’s Legislative Committee. Similar to most Decriminalize Nature resolutions, this particular one would not legalize psychedelics but deprioritize the enforcement of laws governing cultivation and simple possession offenses.
If the measure is approved, Grand Rapids would become the second city in the state of Michigan to pass a psychedelics decriminalization measure, following a unanimous vote by the City Council of Ann Arbor to approve a similar measure in 2020.
In Easthampton, the city council is debating a measure to decriminalize various entheogenic substances. The measure’s approval would make Easthampton the fourth city in the state to do so. The measure is being sponsored by Councilors Thomas Peake, Salem Derby and Owen Zaret, and it would make law enforcement against a wide range of psychedelics one of the lowest priorities of the city.
In a press release, Zaret stated that this was an opportunity to undo the harm done by the criminalization of these substances, which possess therapeutic properties, adding that individuals shouldn’t be incarcerated or arrested for basically using medicine. The measure is also being supported by LEAP. Other cities in the state of Massachusetts that have enacted this change in policy include Cambridge, Somerville and Northampton.
These decriminalization efforts make it even more urgent for companies such as Cybin Inc. (NEO: CYBN) (NYSE American: CYBN) to complete their psychedelic drug-development programs so that people can access approved psychedelic medicines instead of using products sold by black market operators.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Cybin Inc. (NEO: CYBN) (NYSE American: CYBN) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/CYBN
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