{"id":2120675,"date":"2023-12-09T16:43:02","date_gmt":"2023-12-09T21:43:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/massachusetts-ballot-proposal-seeks-to-legalize-psychedelics\/"},"modified":"2023-12-09T16:47:10","modified_gmt":"2023-12-09T21:47:10","slug":"massachusetts-ballot-proposal-seeks-to-legalize-psychedelics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/massachusetts-ballot-proposal-seeks-to-legalize-psychedelics\/","title":{"rendered":"Massachusetts ballot aims to legalize psychedelics"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">12<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fmassachusetts-ballot-proposal-seeks-to-legalize-psychedelics%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2120675&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>Massachusetts\u200c Voters May \u200bLegalize Psychedelics\u200c in\u200d 2024<\/h2>\n<p>Exciting news for the residents of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailywire.com\/topic\/massachusetts\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Massachusetts<\/a>! \u2064There is\u2063 a ballot proposal currently <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/elon-musk-speaks-at-berlin-tesla-factory-site\/\" title=\"Elon Musk speaks at Berlin Tesla factory site\">awaiting final approval<\/a> from \u200bthe secretary of state that could \u200blegalize\u200d certain psychedelics\u2064 in 2024.<\/p>\n<p>The proposed law, known as\u200d the Natural Psychedelic Substances\u200c Act, aims to \u200callow\u2064 adults aged 21 and\u200c older to use and\u2062 cultivate \u2063substances like psilocybin, psilocyn (found in magic mushrooms), mescaline, ibogaine, \u200dand dimethyltryptamine (DMT). These substances\u200b are\u200b currently \u200bclassified\u2063 as \u200d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dea.gov\/drug-information\/drug-scheduling\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Schedule I drugs<\/a> by the\u200d Drug\u200b Enforcement Administration \u200c(DEA) due\u2064 to their perceived lack of medical use \u2064and potential for abuse.<\/p>\n<p>However, the law would not\u200d permit the retail\u2062 sale of \u200dthese psychedelics. Instead, individuals would only be able to purchase them at specific locations where they must consume \u200bthem\u200d under\u200d the supervision of a licensed facilitator.<\/p>\n<p>If the proposal is passed in November, it\u200c will take effect on December 15,\u200b 2024, \u200bbringing Massachusetts in line with the six cities in the state that have \u2062already decriminalized magic mushrooms: Northampton, Easthampton, Amherst, Somerville, Cambridge, \u2063and Salem.<\/p>\n<h3>The Committee \u200dBehind the Proposal<\/h3>\n<p>The \u2064ballot question was put forth by\u2062 Massachusetts for Mental Health Options (MMHO), a committee\u2064 established by political consultants Danielle McCourt and \u2062Meredith Lerner \u2064Moghimi. McCourt, who previously served as the finance director for Massachusetts attorney \u200dgeneral and now governor Maura Healy, founded\u2064 her own political \u200dconsulting firm in 2018.<\/p>\n<p>MMHO&#8217;s grassroots outreach director, \u2064Emily Oneschuk, a former Navy\u2063 member who left as\u200c a conscientious\u200d objector, expressed her \u200csupport for psychedelic \u200ddrugs in a press \u200brelease. She believes that plant-based\u200b therapeutics are highly effective in treating mental health challenges\u200b faced by\u200c veterans.<\/p>\n<p>The committee filed two versions of their ballot petition, \u2064with &#8220;Version \u2063A&#8221; \u200callowing individuals to grow psychedelics at home.<\/p>\n<h3>Backers of \u200dthe \u200dProposal<\/h3>\n<p>MMHO received support from New Approach PAC, a political action committee \u200bfounded \u200din 2013 to advocate\u200b for the legalization of marijuana. The PAC&#8217;s founder and director, Graham Boyd, is \u200calso associated with \u2064the\u200b American\u2064 Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Drug Law Reform Project and has a background in law.<\/p>\n<p>Dr.\u2064 Bronner&#8217;s, a California-based company specializing \u2062in organic soaps and personal care products, has been \u200da\u2062 major \u200cfunder of New Approach\u2063 PAC. The\u200b PAC has also received \u2062significant contributions from the\u200b Van Ameringen Foundation and Scotts\u200c Miracle-Gro, totaling over $25.9 million\u2063 in the past \u2063decade.<\/p>\n<p>Other States&#8217; Progress on Psychedelic Legalization<\/p>\n<p>Massachusetts would not be the\u2063 first state to legalize magic mushrooms. Oregon took that step\u2063 earlier \u200dthis year, following a similar model \u2063to Massachusetts by not allowing retail sales and requiring supervised \u2062consumption at approved locations. Washington, D.C., also legalized psychedelics in 2020, and Colorado\u200d voters approved\u2064 legalization last year, set to take effect\u2063 in the near future.<\/p>\n<p>California came close to legalizing hallucinogenic drugs, including magic \u200dmushrooms, with a\u2063 bill passed\u200c by the legislature. \u200bHowever, Governor Gavin Newsom ultimately vetoed the bill.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">This is a very big deal. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/LIZqAU3lEw\">https:\/\/t.co\/LIZqAU3lEw<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Graham Boyd (@grahamaboyd)\u200d <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/grahamaboyd\/status\/1399872471705157633?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 1, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> What are the arguments for and against the legalization of psychedelics \u2064in Massachusetts<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Petty officer third class, spoke \u2063about the motivations behind the\u2064 proposal. She explained that the committee&#8217;s goal is to provide access to alternative treatments for mental health\u2063 conditions, \u2063such as depression, anxiety,\u2064 and PTSD, that have not responded well to\u2063 traditional therapies.<\/p>\n<p>Oneschuk emphasized that psychedelics have \u2062shown promise in clinical trials for treating these conditions, with studies revealing their potential to alleviate\u2063 symptoms and promote healing and personal \u2064growth. She pointed \u200bto research conducted at institutions \u200clike Johns Hopkins University and Imperial College London, which have demonstrated the therapeutic benefits of substances like psilocybin.<\/p>\n<p>The committee believes that legalizing psychedelics\u2062 is a necessary step to ensure\u2062 access to these treatments for\u200b those who can benefit from them. They argue that \u200bremoving the stigma and legal \u200cbarriers associated with these substances \u200cwill enable individuals to explore these options under the guidance of medical professionals.<\/p>\n<p>The goals of MMHO align with a growing \u200cmovement in\u2063 the mental health\u200d field that recognizes\u2064 the potential of psychedelics as a\u2063 tool for healing and personal transformation. The\u200b increasing acceptance and integration\u2064 of\u2062 these substances into mainstream medicine have led to numerous academic and \u2062clinical studies,\u200d as well as \u2064the \u200dexploration of their therapeutic potential.<\/p>\n<p>Opposition to the proposal \u200chas been voiced by some lawmakers and conservative groups, who \u200cbelieve that legalizing psychedelics could lead to increased drug abuse and \u2063<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/reps-gaetz-greene-hold-free-speech-rally-in-riverside-calif\/\" title=\"Reps. Gaetz, Greene hold \u201cFree Speech\u201d rally in Riverside, Calif.\">public safety concerns<\/a>. However, proponents argue\u2063 that the proposed law\u200c includes strict regulations and safeguards to prevent\u2064 misuse \u2064and ensure the responsible use of these \u200csubstances.<\/p>\n<p>If\u200b Massachusetts voters\u200d approve the proposal in November, the state will become the\u200c third in the country to legalize psychedelics, following \u2062in the \u200bfootsteps of \u2064Oregon\u2063 and Washington, D.C., which \u200bpassed similar initiatives in \u200d2020. This \u200cwould mark a \u2063significant step forward in the national conversation around\u200d psychedelic legalization \u200cand further contribute to the \u200dgrowing body of research\u2062 and evidence supporting\u2062 their use in \u2063<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/california-introduces-bill-to-decriminalize-psychedelic-drugs\/\" title=\"California Introduces Bill To Decriminalize Psychedelic Drugs\">mental health treatment<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>In conclusion, Massachusetts residents\u2062 may have the \u200bopportunity to legalize certain psychedelics through a ballot proposal in 2024. The proposed law aims to provide access to \u200calternative treatments for mental health conditions and aligns with a growing movement in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/walsh-white-people-have-been-made-into-our-societys-villains-and-scapegoats-we-know-how-this-sort-of-thing-ends\/\" title=\"WALSH: White People Have Been Made Into Our Society\u2018s Villains And Scapegoats. We Know How This Sort Of Thing Ends.\">mental health field<\/a> that recognizes the therapeutic potential of psychedelics. While opposition exists, proponents argue that the proposed law includes regulations to\u200c prevent misuse, ensuring responsible use of these substances. If approved, Massachusetts would join a small\u200c but growing number of jurisdictions that\u2064 have \u200bembraced the potential benefits of psychedelics in mental health treatment.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Massachusetts voters may legalize psychedelics in 2024 via a ballot proposal pending approval from the secretary of state. The Natural Psychedelic Substances Act would permit adults aged 21 and above to utilize and cultivate psilocybin, psilocyn, and plant-based psychedelics, such as those found in magic mushrooms<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":243,"featured_media":2120676,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[541],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2120675","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-daily-wire"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2120675","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/243"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2120675"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2120675\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2120676"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2120675"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2120675"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2120675"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}