Another City in Massachusetts Approves Measure to Decriminalize Psychedelics

A third city in Massachusetts, Northampton, has passed an initiative to make the distribution, use and possession of various psychedelics, such as ayahuasca and psilocybin, one of the lowest priorities of law enforcement in the area. Prior to this, the cities of Cambridge and Somerville had also approved measures to effectively decriminalize psychedelics.

The Northampton City Council approved the measure, which also stipulates that no police or government funds should be utilized in enforcing laws that criminalize individuals for the possession or use of entheogenic fungi and plants. The city council voted on the resolution this past week, with a unanimous vote of 8 to 0.

Bay Staters for Natural Medicine organizer James Davis stated in an interview that the group’s efforts, which focused on racial justice and cognitive liberty, was growing significantly. He added that a majority of voters in Massachusetts supported the treatment of controlled substances as a public health issue and hoped that more politicians would begin listening to the inspiring psychedelic testimonies given by the persons they claimed to represent. Davis also revealed that a similar initiative was expected to be introduced in Boston, in about a fortnight, adding that Worcester city councilors had begun to set up meetings with the organization.

The Northampton measure also stated that studies have shown the therapeutic potential that some psychedelics possess, which could be useful in the treatment of severe mental health conditions including addiction, chronic depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

The resolution also noted that the war on drugs had led to the unnecessary incarceration, arrest and penalization of vulnerable individuals, in particular, individuals of limited financial means and people of color, instead of treating drug abuse as a public health issue and prioritizing harm-reduction policies.

In addition to this, the resolution requested that the Hampshire County district attorney halt the prosecution of individuals involved in the possession or use without the intent to distribute controlled substances and the distribution, possession or use of entheogenic plants.

The measure also highlighted the City Council’s support for a pair of legislations that were introduced recently to the state’s legislature. One of the bills would set up a task force whose work would be to study entheogenic substances with the objective being to legalize and regulate the substances in the future while the other bill would remove criminal penalties for the possession of all drugs that are currently classified as illicit.

Earlier in March, the council had held a discussion on the resolution before it gave its final approval last week.

As different local and state authorities move to ease the restrictions on psychedelics, many companies such as Pure Extracts Technologies Corp. (CSE: PULL) (OTC: PRXTF) are making investments aimed at developing products from functional mushrooms as well as therapeutic psychedelic products.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Pure Extracts Technologies Corp. (CSE: PULL) (OTC: PRXTF) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/PULL

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