Santa Cruz Decriminalizes Psychedelic Mushrooms

By Kelly McCarthy

The city council voted to approve a measure on Tuesday.

A new resolution has been passed in Central California to decriminalize the use of psychedelic mushrooms.

The City Council of Santa Cruz voted unanimously on Tuesday to approve a measure that will make investigation and arrest for "the adult possession, use or cultivation of psychoactive plants and fungi" a low-priority infraction by law enforcement.

"This Council initiative is part of a diversity of strategies taking care of mental health in our community," Councilmember Chris Krohn told ABC News in a statement. "This resolution ensures that only people 21 and over have access to these plants and the Council has given direction to our Police Department to make it a low priority infraction."

Krohn also said: "Entheogenic plants offer many in our community a way out of the addictive pharmaceuticals known as opioids. People came forward at last night’s meeting telling of the beneficial effects of how these plants changed their lives."

Another council member who voted on the measure, Drew Glover, explained that cultures around the world have long "respected entheogenic plants and fungi for providing healing, knowledge, creativity and spiritual connection with nature."

"With the passing of this resolution Santa Cruz has taken an important step in acknowledging the impact that the war on drugs has had on communities while at the same time giving people the liberty to choose how to address their medical needs, providing a potent tool to address issues like PTSD, addiction, and depression," Glover said in a statement to ABC News.

Denver was the first U.S. city to decriminalize hallucinogenic fungi last May, followed shortly by Oakland, California, according to ABC News San Francisco station KGO.

First reported in: https://abcnews.go.com/US/santa-cruz-decriminalizes-psychedelic-mushrooms/story?id=68611065