Sacramento, California — A movement in California to legalize “magic mushrooms” recently cleared its first hurdle. Last week, the state government gave organizers the green light to begin collecting the 365,000 petition signatures required for the initiative to be placed on a future ballot.
The initiative, which was filed with the state attorney general’s office back in August, would make the sale and use of psilocybin mushrooms legal for adults, 21 and over, all across the state.
Movement organizers had been waiting for government approval to begin the next phase of their campaign, and now they have it by way of an announcement from California Secretary of State Alex Padilla.
The initiative text was written by Kevin Saunders, who is also spearheading the movement. He told High Times this petition-gathering phase will be the most difficult part, but that once proposal makes it to a ballot he has few concerns:
“We will get the required signatures and this will go straight to the voters. We are confident we can put together a coalition to push us over 51 percent. This is the hard part; the campaign will be the easy part.”
As to how he and other movement organizers plan to acquire the necessary signatures, Saunders says they will “rely heavily on volunteers, those who are well versed in where to harvest” the names. He said his people “plan to be very visible” in the community.
Back in August, Saunders told the Sacramento Bee that his aim is to advance the discussion about drug legalization:
“What I want to do is take the shackles off. I want to have an adult conversation. Not only are the soccer moms high now, but some of them are taking mushrooms.”
As Anti-Media has been reporting, many in the scientific community have recently begun taking a different view of psilocybin. Some are now trying to ascertain its possible benefits, and results from certain studies have been surprising.
Researchers have found that mushrooms have the potential to aid those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and could even “reset” the brains of depressed individuals, among other things.
Scientists are even getting religion in on the action. Recent findings from researchers at Johns Hopkins University reveal that after taking doses of psilocybin, religious leaders of various sects develop a greater appreciation for the theological views of others.
“… would make the sale and use of psilocybin mushrooms legal for adults, 21 and over, all across the state.”
Not out of any consideration for the ‘citizens’.
Mammon extraction, first through taxation, then MORE mammon extraction… through DUIs.
The lawyers must be frothing at the mouth for the new laws.