By Maranda Vargas
It is a sunny afternoon, and Cal Poly Humboldt student Camryn Hanf is standing in front of the Student Activities Center with a stack of petitions for potential supporters to sign and send to the Eureka City Council in support of decriminalizing the use of specific entheogens within city limits.
Hanf moved to Arcata a little over two years ago to pursue a degree in psychology. Quickly after moving to the area, Hanf expressed she felt an innate curiosity towards psychedelics. One afternoon while at the Arcata Farmers Market, she saw a table for Decriminalize Nature Humboldt. Although she says she felt nervous about approaching due to anxiety she had at the time, she felt compelled to inquire at the table and quickly joined the cause.
“I feel entheogens are not the answer for everybody, but they are absolutely life changing for some people,” said Hanf. “I feel strongly that people should have the choice.”
A California State bill aimed to decriminalize the usage and possession of entheogenic substances, plants and fungi was vetoed on Saturday Oct 7,by Governor Newsom. The bill SB58, was sponsored by Senator Scott Weiner and would have decriminalized the possession and use of a list of approved psychedelics for adults 21 years of age or older. Newsom urged lawmakers to create the bill with parameters on dosage amounts and regulations in place before he will sign the initiative.
“California should immediately begin work to set up regulated treatment guidelines – replete with dosing information, therapeutic guidelines, rules to prevent exploitation during guided treatments, and medical clearance of no underlying psychoses,” Newsom’s statement said. “Unfortunately, this bill would decriminalize possession prior to these guidelines going into place, and I cannot sign it.”
The usage of naturally occurring psychedelics known as entheogens are being studied for their potential in treating and alleviating anxiety, depression, PTSD, addictions and cluster headaches. Psilocybin containing mushrooms are one of the proposed entheogenic substances that has been gaining the attention of research hospitals and institutions for its treatment of mental and physical health issues. The bill, SB 58, would have made the possession and usage of the approved psychedelics the lowest police priority. Ending the practice of criminalizing access to entheogenic substances despite their potential benefits.
“Veterans and anyone suffering from PTSD and depression should not face criminal penalties for seeking relief,” said Senator Wiener in a press release. “Plant-based psychedelics are non-addictive and show tremendous promise at treating some of the most intractable drivers of our nation’s mental health crisis.”
The Department of Veterans affairs has advocated for the need to study the therapeutic usage of entheogens such as psilocybin containing mushrooms for the treatment of PTSD, depression and substance abuse disorders. The usage of naturally occurring psychedelics found in entheogens as a therapeutic treatment for mental and physical health issues is being studied at a rapid pace by research hospitals as well. Johns Hopkins Hospital is a non-profit academic and research medical facility that has a Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research that has been conducting studies exploring the medical usage of psilocybin for over twenty years. The federal government acknowledged the potential benefits of psilocybin mushrooms in 2019 when they designated the naturally occurring substance as a “breakthrough therapy” for use against treatment-resistant depression.
Senator Weiner has expressed disappointment over SB58 being vetoed. “This is a setback for the huge number of Californians — including combat veterans and first responders — who are safely using and benefiting from these non-addictive substances and who will now continue to be classified as criminals under California law,” Wiener said in a statement Saturday.
Those who live in the cities of Arcata, Oakland, San Francisco or Santa Cruz where entheogens have been decriminalized can use the approved psychedelics. Entheogens have been decriminalized in Arcata since the city council approved the measure almost two years ago.
“I have only used it a couple times myself. I think it’s really helped me feel more of a connection to all living things,” said Hanf. “I had this one experience that was really helpful for me. I used to struggle with being alone quite a bit and didn’t really feel capable of helping myself out of my rut or like, my bad feelings… and during that experience, I was opened up to the voice in your head. That’s kind of just stuck with me. I would call it like an older Cameron, kind of guiding me through.”
Cal Poly Alumnus Danielle Daniel of Decriminalize Nature Humboldt presented the Eureka City Council with 105 letters from the community in support of decriminalizing entheogens for personal use at the first council meeting of September.
“The decriminalization model is needed so people feel safer to heal with these medicines and have safe access to these medicines,” said Daniel. “The freedom to grow, gift and gather without having a fear that they are stepping over the line to some regulation which is going to turn them into a criminal.”
Residents living in the city of Eureka may be able to possess and use psilocybin containing mushrooms to address health issues before it is decriminalized on a state level. On Tuesday, Oct. 17, the Eureka city council will decide on the proposed decriminalization measure to allow the usage of entheogenic plants and fungi within city limits. The Eureka city council will be viewing a presentation and hearing comments from the community on the proposal. The meeting begins at 6pm at Eureka City Hall and is open to public comments before they decide on the measure to decriminalize entheogens in the city of Eureka.
“I think in this climate with mental health issues being so prominent and profound, it’s important that we look at all avenues of treatment,” said Bergel.
Eureka Mayor Kim Bergel said the Eureka City Council sent a letter to the state in support of State Bill 58, which will decriminalize entheogens in California. If the Eureka city council approves the proposal, they will be following in the footsteps of Arcata.
“On a personal level, I do support this coming forward,” said Bergel. “I know so many people with PTSD and different trauma problems that this has helped.”
Resource List
Eureka City Council Meeting 09.05.2023
John Hopkins Center for Psychedelics Research and Psilocybin Therapy
VA Health Services and Research Development
STLPR The VA looks to psychedelic drugs to treat its veterans
Featuring Humboldt 