Mason Marks writes in Psychedelic Week
Late Tuesday evening, Medford, Massachusetts, dwelling of Tufts College, turned the eighth metropolis within the state to decriminalize psychedelic vegetation and mushrooms.
In a 6-1 vote, the Metropolis Council adopted a “Decision to help grownup entry and schooling for plant drugs,” offered by councilors. Matt Leming and Anna Callahan.
Councilor Leming, a neuroscience researcher at Massachusetts Basic Hospital, advised Psychedelic Week, “A rising physique of scientific analysis has discovered plant drugs uniquely helpful for treating dependancy and post-traumatic stress dysfunction.” Lemming added, “historical past is stuffed with legislative errors that happen as a result of all mind-altering substances are criminalized, misunderstood and handled with concern. This decision is one step nearer to having a nuanced and science-backed coverage in Massachusetts.”
By adopting the decision, Medford joins Somerville, Cambridge, Amherst, Northampton, Easthampton, Salem and Provincetown, which beforehand prioritized the enforcement of legal penalties. The vote units a brand new nationwide report for Massachusetts, which has extra cities the place psychedelics are decriminalized than some other state.
Just like the Provincetown Choose Board, which did related actions in December, Medford urged state lawmakers to switch a 2024 poll initiative proposed by the New Method PAC (New Method) based mostly in Washington, DC earlier than it reaches the voters of Massachusetts in November.
At Tuesday's Metropolis Council assembly, it was initially unclear whether or not the decision would go. After Leming and Callahan launched the proposal, the Council George Scarpelli expressed issues. He mentioned that as a result of the decision entails regulation enforcement, the Council ought to ship it to a subcommittee for enter from the Chief of Police. To that finish, Scarpelli moved to refer the matter to the Council's Public Well being and Group Security Committee.
Learn extra at
https://www.psychedelicweek.com/p/medford-ma-psilocybin-mushroom-ayahuasca-therapy
