Massachusetts Veterans Advocate For Psilocybin Legalization: Will Voters Support Them?

Army combat vet CJ LoConte credits psilocybin, the active ingredient in “magic mushrooms,” with transforming his life. Once hospitalized for suicidal ideation after battling mental health issues, LoConte says psychedelics saved him by offering an alternative when traditional therapies and medications failed. As WWLP reported, LoConte is now part of a growing movement advocating for Question 4, a ballot measure aimed at decriminalizing psychedelics in Massachusetts.

LoConte shared his story at the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in Boston, where veterans gathered to voice support for the initiative. "I do credit my psilocybin experience with saving my life," he said. "Seven days after my first experience, another former soldier of mine died by suicide, and that still hits hard. That's why passing Question 4 is important."

If passed, Question 4 would decriminalize small amounts of psychedelic substances like psilocybin, psilocin and mescaline. It would also establish licensed facilities for supervised use and allow home cultivation. While proponents argue the measure will provide essential mental health treatment options, opponents caution that the home-grow provision could pose safety risks.

Advocates Highlight Healing Potential Of Psychedelics

Veterans at the event talked about how psychedelics provided them a lifeline after years of struggling with PTSD and depression. Jamie Morey, the wife of an Iraq war veteran, shared her experience having witnessed “profound” healing at a trauma retreat abroad. She said veterans in Massachusetts should have the same legal right to access these treatments at home. "I beg my fellow citizens to educate themselves by reading the clinical research," Morey said, stressing the importance of offering hope to those who have exhausted other options.

U.S. Navy veteran Emily Oneschuk, now a grassroots campaign director for Massachusetts for Mental Health Options, became an advocate after her own experiences with psilocybin. Attending a psychedelics retreat in Jamaica, she found relief from PTSD and depression, conditions that had devastated her quality of life. "Psychedelics were the first crack in the dam that let the healing flood in for me," Oneschuk said.

A Divisive Measure

While advocates tout the mental health benefits, opposition has mounted due to concerns about unregulated home use. The Boston Globe's Editorial Board expressed reservations, stating the proposal goes "too far" by allowing unrestricted personal cultivation. Despite these concerns, veterans argue that prohibiting psychedelics only prevents people from openly discussing their use with health care providers.

Recent polling shows a close race, with 46.8% of likely voters supporting the measure and 46% opposed. As the debate continues ahead of November's vote, veterans like LoConte and Morey are determined to ensure that psychedelic-assisted therapy becomes a legal option in Massachusetts.

Cover image made with AI