Campaign to legalise magic mushrooms gains momentum in California
It needs 365,880 votes by April 30
A campaign to legalise magic mushrooms is gaining momentum in California.
The recently proposed legislation has been given the go-ahead to start gathering signatures to reach a statewide ballot.
The campaign, led by former mayoral candidate Kevin Saunders who used mushrooms to recover from heroin addiction 15 years ago, needs 365,880 valid voter signatures by April 30 to make the ballot. Only one voter initiative since the late-1980 has reached the ballot without professional help, and the campaign can't afford professional signature gatherers unless they receive a large donation.
The legislation wants to see the active ingredient in the drug, psilocybin, decriminalised so that anyone over the age of 21 won’t be penalised for selling, growing, possessing or transporting the substance.
A recent study has shown magic mushrooms could help treat depression and past studies have shown promise for treating PTSD.
Louis Anderson-Rich is Mixmag's Digital Producer. Follow him on Twitter
[Via LAWeekly]