“Successful change requires both divestment and reinvestment, in harm reduction and opportunities for the public good.
HorizonMass, Jack Gorsline
Psychedelic advocates across the Bay State scored some short-term wins last week—a dozen, to be exact—as commonwealth lawmakers submitted 12 psychedelics-related bills prior to the legislative filing deadline last Friday.
This increase in activity is a result of the defeat of Question 4 (the Legalization and Regulation of Psychedelic Substances Initiative) on November 20, 2024. Question 4 was aimed at legalizing therapeutic access and decriminalizing the possession and usage of psilocybin and psilocin as well as dimethyltryptamine, ibogaine and mescline for adults aged 21 and older.
Leading the post-election campaign for psychedelics Massachusetts
Former campaign staffers of the ballot initiative have taken the lead to promote ongoing advocacy for reforms in Massachusetts. They are the co-executive Directors of Massachusetts for Mental Health Options. This is the New Approach PAC-backed organization which will disband at the end this month.
Morey thanked the “many lawmakers” who had responded to his outreach efforts, and helped him to file this record number of psychedelic-related bills after the disappointing loss of the referendum question.
Morey is the founder and president of Parents for Plant Medicine. She continued: “Our small grassroots group was able make a compelling argument to legislators about the fact that most Massachusetts citizens want access to psychedelic medicines.” She also acknowledged the efforts made by her former campaign organizers. In particular, CJ LoConte was an Army veteran, who played a significant role in the Question 4 Campaign, and helped draft and support these proposals.
Tim Morris, who lives in Billerica and has been a long-time advocate of psychedelics on the South Shore was instrumental in organizing outreach with Rep. Marc Lombardo, (R), who introduced HD.188. This bill is “relatively to removing criminal sanctions for limited psilocybin possess.”
Henry Morgan, UMass Amherst student, also played an important role in legislative outreach for the new coalition. He hailed Lombardo’s bill as a “crucial shift in our advocacy, beyond medicalization and commercialization.”
Morgan stated that “Drug abuse remains a reality we can’t simply criminalize,” Morgan. “We must confront the enormous and growing public health crisis of chemical adulteration in the black market to protect consumer health…Successful reform requires both divestment from criminalization and reinvestment in harm reduction, opportunities and public good.”
The Grant Program [in HD 188]Morgan concluded that “this will strengthen an eco-system of autonomous and independently run harm reduction organizations which will tackle these systemic problems.”
Beacon Hill psychedelic proposals: a breakdown
The newly submitted bills address many issues, from decriminalization to legalization. Three pilot programs for controlled psychedelic usage are among them:
- HD 4017 – An act relating to therapeutic treatment centers for psilocybin, proposed by Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa. This bill would create a “5 site pilot program” in Western Massachusetts, Central Massachusetts, the North Shore Area, the South Shore Area, and the Metro Boston Area, with “non-profit therapeutic centers that offer psilocybin treatments for mental and health needs.”
- HD 4196: A bill establishing a pilot access program to regulated Psilocybin. Filed by Rep. Marjorie Decker. The Department of Public Health would be required to develop a Psilocybin Assisted Therapy Program. This program is intended for adults suffering from post-traumatic distress disorder, end of life distress, depression or other conditions.
- SD 1624, a state senator Cindy Friedman’s act authorizing pilot use of psychoactives in licensed facilities. The bill allows DPH to establish a “pilot program” that would allow clinically-appropriate patients to receive monitored mental health treatment using psychedelics.
The psychedelic task force bill, HD 4243 is spearheaded by Rep. Mike Connolly. He also introduced HD 3020: an act related to harm reduction and race justice, which is a decriminalization of drugs bill.
Dylan Fernandez, a Democrat from California, also introduced SD 323, An Act to connect veterans with breakthrough treatments. While others introduced four decriminalization bills—HD 3368, HD 188, SD 870 and HD 3895—also reflecting growing public support for reducing penalties for personal use.
While not exactly a psychedelics-friendly bill, Sen. Patrick O’Connor (R) notably filed SD 1408, an act to conduct a public health study of synthetic drugs in the commonwealth. The summary notes that the term “‘synthetic drug’ shall include, but not be limited to, synthetic opioids, fentanyl, carfentanil, synthetic cocaine, bath salts, MDMA, synthetic marijuana, and synthetic psychedelics.”
The bill proposed by Assistant Minority leader O’Connor will provide funding to DPH to “develop legislative and strategic recommendations to reduce synthetic drug use through public awareness campaigns, education curriculum, and rehabilitation therapies”.
What’s Next for Massachusetts Psychedelics Advocates?
Dewey Square Group led the Question 4 Campaign with an $8 million war chest. However, the public’s support for psychedelics remains strong. Morey, a longtime Marshfield resident who was the community engagement director for Question 4’s campaign, stated that “post-election results showed over half of respondents support removing criminal sanctions for personal use and approximately two thirds support legalized access to therapeutic substances.”
Morey and LoConte will launch Mass Healing in the next few weeks, a new advocacy group for psychedelics. Although the referendum was a setback, supporters of grassroots movements like these agree that it’s important to gain real momentum over the next few months and even years.
Moore, the Yes on 4 Educational Outreach Director, has called for a pragmatic approach to reforming policy in the coming years. He said, “I hope that people on both sides of Question 4 can support a narrower policy.” Moore also said that he “fought against an expansive policy, because [he] You can also believe[s] the government shouldn’t put anyone in prison for possessing a mushroom…the voters have spoken: Psychedelics-for-everyone is off the table.”
Moore said that what was lost in the public discussion is that there are “real individuals, neighbors and friends who use psychedelics to treat their health conditions. They should not be treated like criminals because they have made a private choice.” Moore, who lamented a lack of nuanced discourse during the campaign for the last election, said he is still hopeful that the law will reflect this sooner rather than late.
Morey admitted that “there’s still a long way to go,” but hoped the bill filings “will be a huge call-to-action” that will inspire psychedelic supporters in the state “to join us as we push for change.”
This article was syndicated by MassWire, the news service of Boston Institute for Nonprofit Journalists.
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