Three Additional Cities Across The Country Are Considering Decriminalizing Psychedelics

As a wave of psychedelics decriminalization measures sweeps across the country, three new jurisdictions are joining the list of possible places where the use and possession of small amounts of psychedelic drugs could soon become a low-level law enforcement priority.

Most psychedelics continue to be classified as Scheduled I substances under federal law. However, a number of U.S. jurisdictions have already reduced penalties on natural psychedelics such as psilocybin mushrooms and ayahuasca, allowing for a de facto circulation of these substances.

New Cities Could Soon Join The Psychedelics Decriminalization Trend

Marijuana Moment reported that Easthampton, Massachusetts; Grand Rapids, Michigan and Arcata, California are currently exploring avenues to reduce criminal penalties for psychedelics use.

All three jurisdictions share borders with other cities that have already passed decriminalization resolutions, including Oakland and Santa Cruz in California, Ann Arbor, Michigan as well as three Boston suburbs in Massachusetts.

In Grand Rapids, a city commissioner told a local newspaper that there’s “likely enough support among Grand Rapids elected officials to decriminalize the use, possession, growing and gifting of psychoactive plants and fungi.” 

The commissioner, Kurt Reppart, said he expects a resolution to be introduced and likely approved this fall.

In Easthampton, three city councilors are sponsoring a resolution that could decriminalize a host of psychedelic substances as did neighboring Northampton in April of this year.

In California, the state assembly is waiting to vote on a measure that could reduce penalties for possession, personal use and social sharing of certain natural and synthetic psychoactive drugs.

Meanwhile, the city council of Arcata in Northern California, will vote on a resolution to remove penalties on natural psychedelics this coming August 18.

Benzinga photo.