Community members denounced California Senate Bill 58, which seeks to legalize psychedelic drugs, in a virtual press conference on March 28.
Opponents said this bill is “the pivotal first step to legalize all drugs.”
This bill would allow people age 21 or older to possess and transfer certain amounts of psychedelic drugs, including psilocybin, psilocyn, dimethyltryptamine (DMT), ibogaine, and mescaline for personal use or facilitated or supported use.
Psilocybin, a hallucinogen, is also known as “magic mushrooms.” Mescaline comes from peyote, a type of cactus.
Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), author of SB 58, said it’s the first step to “implementing a regime of full legalization and access to regulated usage of these promising treatments,” in a press release on March 21 when the bill passed the Senate Public Safety Committee.
Wiener called the bill “a hopeful step for veterans and others suffering from PTSD, depression, and anxiety throughout California.”
SB 58 is scheduled to be reviewed by the Senate Appropriations Committee on April 17.
Frank Lee, vice president of the California Coalition Against Drugs, said in the virtual press conference: “All drugs should go through proper FDA research and approval process for the protection of citizens. Psychedelics should not be treated differently; otherwise it is very dangerous to the users and bystanders alike.”
Lee pointed out that when marijuana was legalized, it was done in two steps—first for medical use and then for recreational use.
“Right now, they are trying to force the issue; they try to legalize for both medical and recreational purposes, and also for commercial sales and group sharing,” he said. “Without adequate details in SB 58, specifying the laws to govern such legalization, this is like asking us to sign a blank check.”
The bill text does not require that psychedelics be used only in a medical setting under the supervision of medical professionals.
Gukasyan also cautioned that “people should not attempt to try it on their own.”
“Any plant or drug not tested and authorized by the Food and Drug Administration should not be sanctioned by legislators,” said Ed Pecis, president of the California Narcotic Officers Association, in the virtual press conference. “We recommend that scientific findings to support the medical application of psychedelics be obtained first, rather than putting the cart before the horse.”
“Our veterans deserve the best of the best, not unregulated drugs that can worsen disease, anxiety, depression, and cause a host of medical issues,” Dr. Roneet Lev, former chief medical officer of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, said in the conference via pre-recorded video. “SB 58 circumvents the established medical and regulatory protections and places Californians in danger.”
Cardiologist Dr. Evelyn Li said in the conference that hundreds of different compounds are classified as psychedelics, and they primarily affect the neurotransmitter serotonin with multiple effects.
“Hallucinogens can produce very violent reactions that are dangerous to other lives and dangerous to other individuals,” Greg Totten, CEO of the California District Attorneys Association, said in the conference.
Patricia Wenskunas, founder and CEO of Crime Survivors Inc. and a victim of drug-related crime, is worried there will be more crimes if SB 58 is passed.
“Crime rates are going to go up,” she said in the conference. “More people will be murdered, sexually assaulted, raped; elders will be abused.”
Some cities have already passed similar legalization ordinances. They include Washington, D.C. as well as the California cities of San Francisco, Oakland, and Santa Cruz.
Oregon and Colorado have passed ballot measures for the legalization of certain psychedelic drugs.
