Atlanta is considering decriminalizing magic mushrooms and other psychedelics

This article was written by Lara Goldstein and originally published on Benzinga.

The growing demand for better treatments for mental illness is making the discussion more public.

With San Francisco’s last call for the decriminalization of psychedelics last week, it’s now Atlanta’s turn. On September 12, the City Council’s Public Safety and Legal Administration Committee held a hearing to review a recent resolution tabled by City Council member Liliana Bakhtiari aimed at following San Francisco’s steps.

The discussion also seems consistent with what is happening at the state level, as the Georgia Committee of Defense and Veterans Affairs recently heard testimonies from veterans about the use of psilocybin to treat PTSD. The state is considering funding scientific research to better understand the substance’s potential.

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The new law would advise police not to give priority to enforcing the Psychedelic Mushroom Carrying Act, or in other words, that no city funds would be used to investigate reports of people suffering from personal use, growth or Possession of entheogenic plants, fungi, spores, or plant matter.

The proposed legislation states that entheogenic substances promote “mental and physical well-being” and “support and enhance religious and spiritual practices” while — similar to other current psychedelics decriminalization drafts — making the important distinction of commercial sale from medicinal one separate use. The prior would not be allowed under the new law.

At the hearing, supporters of the bill said they were part of a national movement to normalize the use of magic mushrooms and other plants to treat mental illness. One of them gave her personal testimony about the therapeutic use of these substances to treat anxiety and depression.

Committee members have not yet decided to move forward with the measure, but voted unanimously to hold it for further consideration and eventually further discussion at a future working session.

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