The San Francisco Board of Supervisors last Wednesday unanimously approved a resolution that decriminalizes entheogens and their compounds for adults.
The resolution defines entheogens as “the full spectrum of plants, fungi, and natural materials that can inspire personal and spiritual well-being.” This list includes psilocybin, ayahuasca, DMT, ibogaine…
It is not content to decriminalize the possession of entheogenic substances, but also authorizes “the planting, cultivation, purchase, transport, distribution and practices with” these substances. It does not set limits on the amounts of entheogens.
The measure notes that “substance abuse, addiction, recidivism, trauma, post-traumatic stress symptoms, chronic depression, severe anxiety, end-of-life anxiety, bereavement, diabetes, clusterhead and other ailments afflict our community” and that the use of entheogenic plants and fungi has been shown to benefit “the health and well-being of individuals and communities by treating these afflictions through scientific and clinical studies and through ongoing traditional practices, which can catalyze profound experiences of personal and spiritual growth.
This resolution makes San Francisco the fourth city in California to decriminalize psychedelics, after Arcata, Oakland and Santa Cruz. More than a dozen cities in the United States, as well as the entire state of Oregon, have decriminalized psilocybin or all entheogens.
“I am proud to work with Decrim Nature to have San Francisco speak out in support of the decriminalization of psychedelics and entheogens,” Supervisor Dean Preston, one of the resolution’s two sponsors, said in a press release.
“San Francisco joins a growing list of cities and countries that are taking a fresh look at these herbal medicines, following the science and data, and destigmatizing their use and culture. Today’s unanimous vote is an exciting step forward. »
The Council’s vote is also seen as a signal to Sacramento lawmakers, who recently rejected a Senate bill (SB 519) to decriminalize personal possession of small amounts of psychedelics statewide. This bill will probably be reintroduced next year.
The only restriction on decriminalization, since entheogens remain Schedule 1 controlled substances at the federal and state level, police and prosecutors can still legally prosecute a person for possession or sale.
Measures like the one passed by San Francisco can only “urge” law enforcement to make entheogen law enforcement “one of the city’s lowest law enforcement priorities.” law “. It will be up to San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott and City Attorney Brooke Jenkins to decide whether this advice will be implemented as official policy.
