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At its meeting on June 18, the Olympia City Council considered a referral that could decriminalize the use and possession of psilocybin mushrooms and other plant-based entheogenic substances.
Councilmembers Clark Gilman, Danny Madrone, and Robert Vanderpool co-sponsored the referral, which aims for Olympia to join other cities across the state and the state of Oregon in decriminalizing entheogenic substances, including psilocybin and other fungi and plant-based medicines. If the referral is passed by the council, it will direct the city manager to request that city staff research the topic.
Gilman introduced the referral, saying that these substances may help treat conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). “We had advocates coming from the veteran community, talking about the impacts of PTSD, and the rates of suicide in their community and what they’ve experienced as the efficacy of these treatments.”
The referral calls on Olympia to declare the investigation, arrest, and prosecution of individuals engaging in entheogenic-related activities the city’s lowest law enforcement priority. These activities include but are not limited to, the cultivation of entheogenic plants for use in religious, spiritual, healing, or personal growth practices.
Gilman added that the resolution would offer an opportunity for the prosecutor and police department to review the referral and provide a report back to the council.
However, some council members expressed concerns about enabling substance abuse or moving too far ahead of medical research.
During the discussion, Councilmember Lisa Parshley said she had some issues with the referral language. The councilmember is in favor of keeping low-priority misdemeanors but worried about the potential for abuse if substances are not used under medical supervision, as she noted that some community members are self-medicating.
“And I would hate to tie the hands of our police department by saying ‘no funds, no investigation.’ I have no problem with low priority. But I just don’t think in this point where we’re reaching out in front of science and medicine, that we do that because unfortunately, we’ve seen what happened in the opioid epidemic,” Parshley said.
Parshley requested that the staff report back with input from the Social Justice and Equity Commission and potentially local tribe members on the relationship between entheogenic plants and fungi and the communities.
“I just worry that if we get ahead of our medical community and science, we make sure that we are doing this very thoughtfully,” Parshley commented.
The councilmember also wanted to hear opinions from health departments and medical professionals about the issue, citing, “When we first legalized cannabis, it was under the care of medical professionals, not community members.
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eGoddess
What?? “hate to tie the hands of our police department” … what a farce. Their hands are already tied regarding people defecating and doing drugs IN PUBLIC downtown. If responsible working taxpayers want to self-medicate, let them! They already drink to self-medicate. Alcohol is the worst drug of all.
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MichelleM
If I waited for the medical community and government to approve psilocybin, I’d be dead. I tried synthetic approved ketamine which worsened my depression. When I found out that synthetic psilocybin was being studied rather than the natural chemicals, I went into a bit of debt to try psychedelic medicines in another country. That was still 80% less than going to Oregon for Dr. assisted treatment, which is outrageously priced for the vast majority of people who can benefit from it.
My therapist and Dr. have seen my improvement since I started treating myself upon my return. I’m breaking the law and I hate that. But I’m alive, I’m healing and experiencing post traumatic growth. I still have quite a way to go, but for the first time in over a decade, I have something I lost a long time ago. Hope.
It would be welcome news to know I don’t have to break the law in order to be well. It would be financially ruinos if I was forced to spend thousands for each session with a provider instead of $30/dose. Even if VA paid, I’d be trapped in a sterile office instead of my safe, comfortable home. Environment is important. I had someone watch over me the first couple times as I explored a safe dose to do it alone. I’m able to do it on my own now, safely, and have benefitted more in a few sessions than I’ve been able to with years of therapy.
But therapy is key to maximizing the benefits. I believe psychedelics unlocks the doors we’re not even aware of so that we can then talk about them in therapy and get closer to healing trauma.
I’d support free educational resources about the pros and cons. Adults are capable of making their own decisions. I discussed the potential of trying psychedelics with both my Dr and therapist and neither felt it would make things worse. That may not be the case for some people. Provide the educational resources and encourage people to discuss it with their providers. Decriminalization is the next step in easing the mental health crisis affecting not only veterans, but the population in general. The fear mongering over cannabis turned out to be nothing more than outdated thinking.
While the government hems and haws, calling for more studies, people are suffering mentally and dying. There’s already vast research from the mental health community before the war on drugs criminalized psychedelics that show the benefits of psychedelics for many common mental health issues. Providing pharmaceutical companies the market with synthetics is not the way to go as they’ve proven they don’t care about patients when there’s money to be made, hence the opioid crises.
Approving plant based medicine for therapeutic, spiritual, and healing practices provides an economically fair method sans unwanted side effects synthetics inherently contain, while providing an avenue of hope for the citizens of Olympia, and Washington. Stop with the outdated thinking rooted in fear and capitalism and provide human beings a path towards wholeness and wellness.
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Smaxx5966
I back this 100%, the shroom have been known to help with many medical issue. PTSD, anxiety, depression, eating disorder, PAIN. Just like weed does, They are natural not a chemical compound. Ketamine is another medical compound that helps. Not everyone that does shrooms hallucinates, I’ve tried them and what I got was relief from bad anxiety and pain relief.
8 hours ago Report this
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