Massachusetts State Rep. Michael L. Connolly, a Democrat who represents parts of Cambridge and Somerville, submitted two bills in the Massachusetts House last month aimed at reforming controlled substance laws.
The first bill, H.D. 3439, would decriminalize all controlled substances at the state level while the second, H.D. 3829, would form a task force to examine the legalization of entheogenic plants. This category of substances includes peyote, MDMA, and magic mushrooms, also known as psilocybin mushrooms, and has been the subject of research in treating depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other conditions.
This is the latest development in a statewide movement toward broad decriminalization and legalization of controlled substances spearheaded by the Massachusetts Coalition for Decriminalization, a collective of several smaller regional advocacy groups. City councils in Cambridge and Somerville recently passed orders calling for the decriminalization of entheogens following votes of 8-1 and 10-0, respectively.
Filed by Connolly and fellow representative Elizabeth Liz Miranda, a Democrat who represents parts of Dorchester and Roxbury in Boston, the first bill would replace the current criminal penalties for the use and possession of controlled substances with a civil fine of up to $50 which would be waived if an individual agrees to needs screening to address possible substance abuse issues or other health and wellbeing concerns such as lack of food or housing.
The second bill would create a task force of medical and economic justice experts to study the legalization of entheogenic plants and present findings to the state.
In an interview with The Crimson, Connolly said the successful passage of decriminalization bills in Cambridge and Somerville, as well as legalization efforts in other states such as Oregon, were significant factors in his decision to bring both bills before the House.
Our communities have expressed through our city officials that they want to move forward in a very progressive fashion, Connolly said. Seeing some of the national and international thinking on this issue, combined with this local push to decriminalize these substances has convinced us that this is a conversation that we ought to be having at the State House.
Connolly said Bay Staters for Natural Medicine, a member of the Massachusetts Coalition for Decriminalization, has been in touch with him throughout the process. The group also played a part in organizing support in both Cambridge and Somerville for their respective policy orders, he added.
James Davis, a member of Bay Staters for Natural Medicine, credited the Coalitions wide network of volunteers with the successful movements in those cities.
Our coalition, including Decriminalize Nature Massachusetts, wrote the resolutions and helped our community volunteers persistently and persuasively contact their representatives to share stories of how these plants have saved their lives from addiction, trauma, and depression, Davis wrote in an email.
Were proud to be offering training in how to fight the whole drug war, he added.
Both bills are now awaiting public hearings, pending referral to a House committee.
Connolly said public hearings are the next big milestone, after which the committee would have until early 2022 to either send it forward with a favorable recommendation or decline to advance it.
Our immediate goal would be to have a very strong committee hearing and look to move the bill favorably through the committee process, Connolly said. Then it would be a matter of looking to build the consensus to get the bill to the floor.
Brendan T. OConnor, a member of Decriminalize Nature Massachusetts, said the long timetable for both bills is no reason for pessimism, and that his organization will continue its efforts in the interim.
The key message that weve been adopting is that this doesnt delay any of our other efforts, OConnor said. We have an internal goal of decriminalizing 90 percent of the state before the end of the year, and thats a big, audacious goal, and well do that regardless of what the state wants to do.
Staff writer Brandon L. Kingdollar can be reached at brandon.kingdollar@thecrimson.com. Follow him on Twitter at @newskingdollar.
More:
- Vermont Senate Passes Psychedelic Working Group Bill To Study How Entheogens Might Benefit Physical And Mental ... - Marijuana Moment - March 31st, 2024 [March 31st, 2024]
- Melissa Etheridge's New Book and Play Delve Into Her Son's Opioid ... - CelebStoner - October 29th, 2023 [October 29th, 2023]
- Walking the poison path: An interview with Coby Michael - The Wild Hunt - October 29th, 2023 [October 29th, 2023]
- Entheogenic drugs and the archaeological record - Wikipedia - April 14th, 2023 [April 14th, 2023]
- Learn All About The Top 10 Entheogens - Zamnesia Blog - February 20th, 2023 [February 20th, 2023]
- Entheogens and Psychedelics (including Ayahuasca, LSD, Peyote ... - December 12th, 2022 [December 12th, 2022]
- Terence McKenna - Wikipedia - October 23rd, 2022 [October 23rd, 2022]
- Enlightenment (spiritual) - Wikipedia - October 21st, 2022 [October 21st, 2022]
- Shamanism - Wikipedia - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]
- The History Of: Hallucinogens, Psychedelics & Entheogens - August 25th, 2022 [August 25th, 2022]
- How Does Sound Therapy Enhance the Psychedelic Experience? - Psychedelic Spotlight - July 31st, 2022 [July 31st, 2022]
- Could we please have some consistency in our drug laws - Mail and Guardian - July 3rd, 2022 [July 3rd, 2022]
- Filament Health and Jaguar Health Sign Letter of Intent to Develop Botanical Prescription Drugs for Specific Mental Health Indications - Yahoo Canada... - June 11th, 2022 [June 11th, 2022]
- 5 Next-Generation Psychedelics Entering Clinical Trials This Year - Psychedelic Spotlight - May 28th, 2022 [May 28th, 2022]
- Mental Health Startup Journey Colab Aims To Develop Mescaline As An FDA-Approved Treatment For Alcohol Use Disorder - Forbes - April 29th, 2022 [April 29th, 2022]
- Breaking down the decrim movement: Discoveries, doubts and personal ins & outs - Aspen Daily News - April 29th, 2022 [April 29th, 2022]
- Aztec use of entheogens - Wikipedia - March 29th, 2022 [March 29th, 2022]
- The Michigan Decriminalization of Psilocybin Mushrooms and Other Plants and Fungi Initiative Has Been Approved For Circulation As A Ballot Initiative... - February 24th, 2022 [February 24th, 2022]
- 5 Black Pioneers Combatting the Whitewashing of Psychedelics - Psychedelic Spotlight - February 17th, 2022 [February 17th, 2022]
- From Mycophobia to Mycophilia - The McGill Daily - The McGill Daily - February 17th, 2022 [February 17th, 2022]
- Entheogens and Plant Medicine: An Introduction Microdose - Microdose Psychedelic Insights - February 9th, 2022 [February 9th, 2022]
- Schumer Gives Update On Federal Marijuana Legalization And Banking In Meeting With Equity Advocates - Marijuana Moment - February 1st, 2022 [February 1st, 2022]
- USDA Teams Up With Cornell University For Hemp Education Webinar Series - Marijuana Moment - February 1st, 2022 [February 1st, 2022]
- Ohio Lawmakers Will Be Forced To Consider Marijuana Legalization As State Validates Activist Signatures - Marijuana Moment - February 1st, 2022 [February 1st, 2022]
- Psilocybin: Following in the Footsteps of Cannabis Along the Path to Legality - JD Supra - January 29th, 2022 [January 29th, 2022]
- What ketamine therapy taught me about my Jewish intergenerational trauma - Forward - January 29th, 2022 [January 29th, 2022]
- Debunking Myths and Misconceptions of the Psychedelics Industry - Rolling Stone - January 9th, 2022 [January 9th, 2022]
- What are you most excited for in Washtenaw County in 2022? - Concentrate - December 15th, 2021 [December 15th, 2021]
- Looking Into The Florida Bill That Proposes Decriminalization Of Psychedelics (And Every Other Illegal Dr - Benzinga - December 15th, 2021 [December 15th, 2021]
- The Wisdom of Agnosticism - The Humanist - December 15th, 2021 [December 15th, 2021]
- What Are Psychedelic Drugs (Hallucinogenics)? | Leafly - November 28th, 2021 [November 28th, 2021]
- Cannabis & Marijuana Education: Learn All About Weed | Leafly - November 28th, 2021 [November 28th, 2021]
- Vex - Destinypedia, the Destiny wiki - November 11th, 2021 [November 11th, 2021]
- Seattle City Council wants to decriminalize 'magic ... - November 11th, 2021 [November 11th, 2021]
- Tonight at 11: The unseen side of magic mushrooms, from moms to home growers - KIRO Seattle - November 11th, 2021 [November 11th, 2021]
- Guide to Entheogens: Plants, Therapy, Medicine - October 30th, 2021 [October 30th, 2021]
- What are entheogens and which are the best ones - October 30th, 2021 [October 30th, 2021]
- An upcoming election, pay requirement, and holiday, this week - KUOW News and Information - October 30th, 2021 [October 30th, 2021]
- Congressman Says He'll Bring The Psychedelics Reform Movement To Capitol Hill 'This Year' - Marijuana Moment - October 7th, 2021 [October 7th, 2021]
- From Cannabis MSO To Drug Development: Goodness Growth Wants To Understand Traditional Psychedelics Use - - Benzinga - September 16th, 2021 [September 16th, 2021]
- Jarvis Brookfield on his psychedelic paintings, dream-like states and what it means to be human - Creative Boom - September 12th, 2021 [September 12th, 2021]
- Oregon Psilocybin Panel Teams Up With Harvard To Research Psychedelic History And Impacts Of Reform - Marijuana Moment - September 12th, 2021 [September 12th, 2021]
- National Hemp Association Asks Congress To Budget $1 Billion To Support Industry Innovation - Marijuana Moment - September 12th, 2021 [September 12th, 2021]
- Psychedelic Drug Therapy: Tips and Support for the Experience - Greatist - August 28th, 2021 [August 28th, 2021]
- University of Michigan police say safety will be top priority at psychedelic shroom festival - MLive.com - August 22nd, 2021 [August 22nd, 2021]
- Two Years After Oakland's Psychedelic Decrim, What's Been the Impact? - Filter - August 4th, 2021 [August 4th, 2021]
- Psychedelics Decriminalization Advancing In Three More Cities, Spanning From Coast To Coast - Marijuana Moment - August 4th, 2021 [August 4th, 2021]
- Witch City Tarot & Divination Gathering | Coby Michael Ward - Patheos - July 29th, 2021 [July 29th, 2021]
- With Push From New Nonprofit, Arcata City Council Will Soon Consider a Resolution That Would Decriminalize Psychedelic Plants and Fungi in Arcata -... - July 7th, 2021 [July 7th, 2021]
- Group Hopes to Decriminalize Entheogens (Psychoactive Plant Substances) Within Arcata City Limits Redheaded Blackbelt - Redheaded Blackbelt - July 5th, 2021 [July 5th, 2021]
- Winners of Columbia@Roundabout's 2021 New Play Reading Series Announced - Broadway World - June 24th, 2021 [June 24th, 2021]
- Biden said he'd cut down on unemployment benefits, but he really might reinstate a pre-pandemic job-seeking policy The Madison Leader Gazette - The... - May 11th, 2021 [May 11th, 2021]
- The psychedelic revolution is coming. Psychiatry may never be the same - bdnews24.com - May 11th, 2021 [May 11th, 2021]
- Native Tribes Should Have More Say in the Psychedelic Movement - Green Entrepreneur - April 29th, 2021 [April 29th, 2021]
- Red Light Holland and Headland West Indies Lead #SVGStrong, a Relief Effort in St. Vincent and the Grenadines - InvestorIntel - April 29th, 2021 [April 29th, 2021]
- Jews, Christians, and Muslims Are Reclaiming Ancient Psychedelic Practices, And That Could Help With Legalization - Rolling Stone - April 25th, 2021 [April 25th, 2021]
- Psychedelic Experience launches new website to help navigate the world of psychedelics - PRNewswire - April 25th, 2021 [April 25th, 2021]
- Zide Door Oaklands Church of Entheogenic Plants - April 15th, 2021 [April 15th, 2021]
- Opinion | Is it time for Seattle to decriminalize shrooms and psychedelics? - Crosscut - April 15th, 2021 [April 15th, 2021]
- The Potential (and Peril) of Legalizing Psychedelics - Progressive.org - January 1st, 2021 [January 1st, 2021]
- Oakland continues move to protect entheogen plants - The Leaf Online - September 18th, 2020 [September 18th, 2020]
- The Only Obstacle To A Healthy World Is Government Secrecy And Propaganda - Scoop.co.nz - July 21st, 2020 [July 21st, 2020]
- There's More to the CHOP Than What the Media Will Have You Believe - Study Breaks - July 21st, 2020 [July 21st, 2020]
- Entheogens | Sacred Geometry - June 15th, 2020 [June 15th, 2020]
- Entheogen - Wikipedia - May 4th, 2020 [May 4th, 2020]
- The Return Trip: Psychedelics may come back from the abyss of illegality - Valley Advocate - November 23rd, 2019 [November 23rd, 2019]
- How San Francisco's Summer of Love sparked religious movements - The Oakland Press - August 25th, 2017 [August 25th, 2017]
- Outside the Box - HuffPost - August 13th, 2017 [August 13th, 2017]
- 'Summer of Love' shaped American lives, spiritual expression - Houston Chronicle - July 29th, 2017 [July 29th, 2017]
- The Summer of Love was more than hippies and LSD it was the start of modern individualism - The Independent - July 24th, 2017 [July 24th, 2017]
- How San Francisco's Summer of Love sparked today's religious movements - Religion News Service - July 22nd, 2017 [July 22nd, 2017]
- The Poisoner: Pharmakos and Veneficus-Poisoner's Apothecary - Patheos (blog) - July 19th, 2017 [July 19th, 2017]
- The Summer of Love was more than hippies and LSD it was the start of modern individualism - Metro Newspaper UK - July 8th, 2017 [July 8th, 2017]
- The Summer of Love was more than hippies and LSD it was the ... - The Conversation UK - July 7th, 2017 [July 7th, 2017]
- Entheogen - PsychonautWiki - July 1st, 2017 [July 1st, 2017]
- The History and Possibilities of Putting Weed in Your Witchcraft - Seattle Weekly - June 29th, 2017 [June 29th, 2017]
- Entheogens : Al-Kemi : spagyrics and alchemy - June 27th, 2017 [June 27th, 2017]
- Virtual Reality Takes Consciousness Research into Mystic Realms of the Divine Play - The Sociable - June 26th, 2017 [June 26th, 2017]
- Entheogen - June 15th, 2017 [June 15th, 2017]
- Entheogens | Drug War Facts - June 5th, 2017 [June 5th, 2017]