Ann Arbor approves Entheogens and Fungi Awareness Month

In Michigan, Ann Arbor City Council members made September Entheogenic Plants and Fungi Awareness Month on August 16.

Councilors Jeff Hayner and Kathy Griswold were two of the people who supported the effort. In a digital city council meeting, Councilor Jeff Hayner explained the reasons why September is the chosen month. “With the help of our local lawyers, we decided that September should be our local month as we passed our resolution to effectively decriminalize these crops in September, and that’s basically what that entails.”

The resolution text mentions that entheogenic plants could potentially help “treat substance abuse, addiction, relapse, trauma, post-traumatic stress symptoms, chronic depression, severe anxiety, anxiety at the end of life, grief, cluster headaches and other debilitating diseases”. in our community ”thanks to clinical studies that have shown its effectiveness as a treatment for some diseases as well as“ personal spiritual growth ”.

It also briefly describes the advances made with substances such as psilocybin, ibogaine, and ayahuasca. The FDA has granted psilocybin Breakthrough Therapy status for use in major depressive disorders; Psilocybin has been shown to relieve treatment-resistant depression, end-of-life anxiety and cluster headaches, ibogaine has been shown to be an effective treatment for opiate addiction, and ayahuasca studies are ongoing to better understand its ability to treat depression and drug addiction … “

“I find it exciting that we’re pushing these new frontiers, that we’re looking for alternatives to mental health solutions, improvements in mental health solutions, etc., and that’s part of it,” Hayner said of the end of his Suggestion. “So I would be happy to have your support in this matter …” All council members present approved the proposal without anyone speaking out against it.

Ann Arbor makes history

The local organization Hayner mentioned is Decriminalize Nature Ann Arbor (often referred to as DNA2), which works to decriminalize entheogenic plants in Ann Arbor “while we reconnect with nature and improve human health, hope and well-being “.

The group posted on Facebook that the new themed month is about entheogenic plant education. “We are delighted that the Ann Arbor City Council voted to make September Entheogenic Plants and Fungi Awareness Month. It shows their continued support for this local movement. September is going to be a wonderful month here in Ann Arbor and across the state of Michigan. ”

DNA2 plans to hold its first EntheoFest 2021 on September 19 at the University of Michigan at The Diag (a prominent venue for many cannabis events such as the Ann Arbor Hash Bash) between 11:11 am and 2:22 pm. The free event lasts three hours and brings with it plenty of speakers, live music, and educational booths. The festival is slated to take place almost a year after the city of Ann Arbor voted unanimously to decriminalize entheogenic plants on September 21, 2020.

DNA2 also plans to submit a bill to the Senate this fall entitled “Decriminalizing the Michigan Nature” with the intent to “remove the penalties for personal and communal use of entheogens (defined as and naturally occurring plants, phenethylamines or indolamines; and / or a preparation or mixture thereof). ”

The decriminalization of psychedelic substances in Ann Arbor is one of many successful attempts to raise awareness of the unique properties of entheogenic plants. Denver, Colorado was the first city in the country to decriminalize psilocybin in May 2019, followed by Oakland, California, which decriminalized psychedelics in June 2019. Oregon became the first state to legalize medical psilocybin on November 5, 2020. These are just a few examples of nationwide efforts to improve access to entheogenic plants with medicinal properties.