California lawmakers passed a bill on Sept. 6 to decriminalize the possession and usage of plant-based psychedelics.
The measure will only apply to those aged 21 and older and does not allow personal transfer or sale of psychedelics in dispensaries, according to a Sept. 7 article from the Los Angeles Times.
The bill, formally known as Senate Bill 58, will remove criminal penalties for personal possession and use of psilocybin and psilocyn found in psychedelic mushrooms or dimethyltryptamine (DMT), used in the hallucinogenic tea ayahuasca, and mescaline, but not peyote, according to a Sept. 11 article from MSN.
Mescaline, according to an article by the Alcohol and Drug Foundation in Australia, is a psychedelic drug that can affect all five senses, alter a person’s thinking, alter their sense of time and alter their emotions.
Psilocybin, the main compound found in “magic mushrooms,” can include symptoms like hallucinations and an inability to discern fantasy from reality, according to the DEA United States Drug Enforcement Administration. Panic attacks and psychotic-like episodes may also occur, particularly if a user ingests a high dose.
Undisclosed veteran groups said decriminalization would help destigmatize psychedelics and that, in some cases, has been more effective in treating post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression than traditional drugs and therapies, according to the same Los Angeles Times article.
Psychology professor, Gregory Feist, said psychologically and scientifically, decriminalization makes sense.
“Hallucinogens are the only class of drugs that are not addictive,” Feist said. “It’s not like opioids, and it's not like alcohol, so there’s relatively little risk. The only risk for hallucinogens is that some people who are prone towards psychosis could have a medically-induced psychotic break.”
Psychosis affects a person’s thoughts and perceptions, altering how they process information, making it difficult to determine what is real from what is not, according to Medical News Today.
People with psychosis may hear, see, smell, taste or feel things that are not there.
Feist also said however, psychedelics could provide numerous therapeutic benefits.
“There’s more and more solid scientific evidence that the therapeutic use of psychedelics can be very beneficial towards some people, especially people who have PTSD, anxiety and depression,” Feist said. “Decriminalizing will make therapy easier.”
The substantial antidepressant effects of psilocybin-assisted therapy, given with supportive psychotherapy, may last at least a year for some patients, according to the John Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research.
Erin Woodhead, psychology professor and chair of Clinical Mental Health Counseling Masters Program, said there are concerns that decriminalizing psychedelics for personal use would lead to risky behaviors, since most college-aged students don't receive education around safe use of psychedelics.
“As we know, any type of drug alters our thought processes, and decisions can be made that lead to unhealthy and potentially lethal choices,” Woodhead said. “That's why it would be important to have some education in place around safe use of psychedelics and be prepared on campus with resources around what to do if a friend is showing unsafe behavior while taking psychedelics.”
Woodhead said a possible concern for when drugs are decriminalized is that use of these drugs will increase, and more people will use the drug experimentally.
“This was found when cannabis was legalized, that there was an increase in cannabis use disorder among college-aged students, and that does present some public health concerns,” Woodhead said. “The decriminalization of psychedelics could follow a similar pattern, where younger adults/college students use the drugs more frequently.”
Woodhead also said she is concerned about how individuals will respond to any safety issues that could potentially arise from personal use of psychedelics.
In a Tweet on Sept. 6, California Senator Scott Wiener, who introduced the bill, said it allows personal possession, use of small amounts of plant or mushroom psychedelics and creates a path for facilitated group use.
"It’s supported by veterans, first responders and health professionals,” Wiener wrote.
Senate Bill 58 also requires the California Health and Human Services Agency to establish a group of experts to discuss and study psychedelics while also recommending a suitable framework for regulating the therapeutic use of the drugs, according to a Sept. 9 article from Forbes.
The group would also investigate other issues surrounding psychedelics, including the safety and efficacy of using them to treat PTSD, depression, addiction and other mental health conditions.
Katie Batoy, behavioral science and forensic studies junior, said she had a friend tell her that doing shrooms was an eye-opening experience.
“After she did the drugs, she said they’ll be on her mind for a couple days after and she has to convince herself to not do them again,” Batoy said. “She said shrooms can be a lot of fun, but they really make you think.”
Batoy also said decriminalization is a good idea, as she hasn’t heard of anything bad happening to other people she knows when they do psychedelics.
“If a drug does not endanger others, I don’t think decriminalizing them is a bad idea,” Batoy said. “For example, decriminalizing meth would be bad, because people do crazy things with it.”
According to Men’s Journal, the bill will need final approval from the state Senate before heading to Gov. Gavin Newsom's desk for signature. If signed into law, it will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2025.
