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A new potential ballot initiative to legalize psychedelic mushrooms has just received approval language from the Oregon Secretary of State.
The new legislation will need to acquire 117,578 signatures before it can be added as an initiative to the ballot. If accomplished, voters in Oregon will be able to vote for the decriminalization of magic mushrooms, known as psilocybins, in the 20/20 general election.
If Oregon does legalize the mushrooms, similar to marijuana, it will go against federal law. It will also be a pioneering move toward circumventing federal drug laws when it comes to challenging the government over another so-called controlled substance.
Many people believe the federal government’s list of Schedule I substances are long overdue for a review and overhaul, especially given that marijuana and psychedelic mushrooms are lumped in having equal footing with more dangerous drugs such as: Heroin, methamphetamine, opium, fentanyl, LSD, cocaine, amphetamines, barbiturates and more.
Before you jump to the conclusion that psychedelic mushrooms are just another way to get high, they actually have a medicinal effect. In recent years, studies have shown that the so-called “magic mushrooms” have beneficial effects for medical treatment, especially for people undergoing cancer treatments or chemical depression.
Currently, just as with marijuana or cannabis, psilocybins are regulated in the federal US drug policy under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) and are classified as a Schedule I hallucinogenic or psychedelic substance, and as such, are a federal felony.
These CSA laws regulate the manufacture, importation, possession, use and distribution of certain substances.
Drugs defined under Schedule I are those deemed:
Except as specifically authorized, it is illegal for any person:
The penalties for Schedule I drug crimes can vary, especially based on the type of drug and the quantity possessed. Possession of magic mushrooms (psilocybins) is a felony, and typically, for the first offense, the penalty could range up to a $250,000 fine and no more than five years in a federal prison.
