Enlighten Spokane

Will Spokane be next??

Olympia City Council effectively decriminalizes psychedelic plants, mushrooms The resolution does not allow for the commercial manufacturing or sales of such plants or fungi.

“The Olympia City Council unanimously approved a resolution to effectively decriminalize psychedelics, such as psilocybin mushrooms.”

It’s time for Spokane to follow suit.

Olympia City Council effectively decriminalizes psychedelic plants, mushrooms The resolution does not allow for the commercial manufacturing or sales of such plants or fungi.

"The Reason Foundation took a temperature check on how Colorado is faring after Proposition 122 was passed, which effectively legalized psychedelic therapy and decriminalized the possession of naturally occurring psychedelics, including psilocybin mushrooms, ayahuasca, ibogaine, and mescaline-containing cacti (except pe**te).

In May 2023, the foundation released 'early data' indicating that concerns about harm and public safety risks were unfounded. Since May 2023, the Reason Foundation team has continued to collect data and interview hospitals and law enforcement agencies to assess the occurrence of harm.
'Interviews and public datasets have not shown a noticeable spike in either crime or hospitalizations,' the Reason Foundation wrote in its 2024 report."

Here's How Psychedelics Legalization Is Unfolding In Colorado Psychedelics-related crimes and hospitalizations have not increased since Prop. 122 passed in 2022, according to an analysis by the Reason Foundation.

“Alaska’s Senate on Friday gave final approval to a House-passed bill that would create a state task force to study how to license and regulate psychedelic-assisted therapy in the event of federal approval of substances such as M**A and psilocybin. The bill next heads to the desk of Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R).

The Senate approved the measure overwhelmingly, on an 18–1 vote.

If it becomes law, the bill from Rep. Jennie Armstrong (D), HB 228, would not change the legal status of any drugs in Alaska. Rather, it would create a legislative task force that would spend the rest of the year studying how to license and regulate psychedelic therapy in the state.”

Alaska Bill To Create Task Force To Study Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Heads To Governor's Desk - Ma*****na Moment Alaska’s Senate on Friday gave final approval to a House-passed bill that would create a state task force to study how to license and regulate psychedelic-assisted therapy in the event of federal approval of substances such as M**A and psilocybin. The bill next heads to the desk of Gov. Mike Dunle...

The DEA has made a historic decision to move cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act. The decision comes more than 50 years after cannabis was first listed as a strictly prohibited drug, on par with he**in.

BREAKING: DEA Reschedules Cannabis After 50 years of prohibition, the Drug Enforcement Administration has made a historic decision to reschedule cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act.

The Church of the Eagle and the Condor Reaches a Settlement with Federal Agencies Affirming the Religious Right to Use Ayahuasca

"CEC is the first non-Christian church to receive protection for its spiritual practices regarding Ayahuasca. Also, this is the first time in history a church’s right to import and share its sacrament has been secured without going to trial. This has positive implications and paves the way for other Indigenous-based and syncretic religions. As part of the settlement, within their rights under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, the CEC will receive religious exemption from the United States Controlled Substances Act (CSA). This settlement affirms legitimacy of Indigenous spiritual traditions within the U.S. legal system by recognizing the CEC as a bona fide religious organization.
As part of the settlement agreement, the CEC has received Schedule 1 Permits allowing for importation and preparation of its sacrament, as well as distribution during sacred Ayahuasca ceremony. The agreement affirms the CEC’s practices and efforts to protect public/participant safety, and addresses the government’s concerns about the diversion of Ayahuasca. This includes requiring health screening and intake procedures, secure storage of Ayahuasca, careful recordkeeping regarding importation, storage, and distribution, and notification of ports of entry."

The Church of the Eagle and the Condor Reaches a Settlement with Federal Agencies Affirming the Religious Right to Use Ayahuasca The Church of the Eagle and the Condor (CEC) is pleased to announce that it has reached a settlement to secure its religious freedom and the right to use Ayahuasca as its sacrament. The CEC has settled its lawsuit with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS),

“Lawmakers are closer to legalizing psychedelic-assisted therapy in California as a new bill is making its way through the state legislature. The effort would expand the types of psychedelic drugs allowed for therapeutic use.

Supporters said this kind of therapy is moving the needle to address mental health struggles.”

Push to legalize psychedelic-assisted therapy treatment continues The push to legalize psychedelic-assisted therapy treatments continues, as the FDA recently said some psychedelic drugs show promise.

“Recent clinical trials suggest that M**A, ketamine, and psilocybin, when taken under medical supervision, can treat a range disorders, including addiction, major depression, and PTSD. In 2017, M**A (also known as ecstasy) was designated a “breakthrough” medication by the FDA. Last year, a study found that ketamine might be more effective than electroconvulsive therapy in treating major depression. Meanwhile, psilocybin has been shown to ease the anxiety of terminal cancer patients. Last year, Oregon legalized its use in regulated settings.
For proponents, this research demonstrates that psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) might have a role to play in addressing our mental health crisis. And as states move to legalize controlled use of these substances, an industry is taking shape, with some predicting a paradigm shift on par with the rise of SSRIs or medical cannabis.”

Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Is Going Mainstream. How Will the Industry Grow Around It? While significant barriers remain—including regulatory uncertainty and the difficulty of scaling a labor-intensive treatment method—industry leaders see a path forward.

Reminder to anyone who posts solicitous messages on this page: the comment/post will be deleted and you will be banned from commenting in the future. We do NOT condone illegal activities such as sourcing substances.

“We always look to our colleagues around the country for what they’re doing in the process,” explained Pae. “So, a couple of years ago, Texas had passed a bill to authorize clinical research on Psilocybin and how it can help treat PTSD, depression, anxiety, a whole range of mental health conditions.”

A mental cure-all? One Oklahoma bill seeks to unlock the secrets of ‘magic mushrooms’ A bill in the senate looks to open the doors to psychedelic treatment in Oklahoma.

“Doctors at Utah’s two biggest health care systems will have the option to treat patients with psilocybin and M**A — illegal drugs being fast-tracked for development by the Food and Drug Administration because of promising research showing their success in treating depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance misuse and other mental health issues.

Bill sponsor Sen. Kirk Cullimore, R-Sandy, pitched SB266 as a way to address Utah’s growing mental health crisis.

Once stigmatized, psychedelic drugs like psilocybin (sometimes referred to as magic mushrooms) and M**A (sometimes called ecstasy or molly) are having a revival in the U.S. because of their therapeutic potential. As regulators mull legalizing these drugs, research — by both professionals and amateurs — has been booming in Utah.”

Utah quietly legalizes psilocybin, M**A for mental health treatment at these hospitals Doctors at Utah’s two biggest health care systems will have the option to treat patients with psilocybin and M**A after Gov. Spencer Cox didn't sign — but didn't veto — a bill to start a pilot program that legalized such treatments.

Good evening!

We created an online petition for deprioritizing entheogenic plants for personal use in Spokane. Please ask your friends/coworkers/family members who reside in the City of Spokane to consider signing this petition of support. Signers do NOT need to be people who have used plant medicines - simply those who are open to the concept of plant medicines and harm reduction.

We believe that the use of entheogenic remedies/medicines for personal use should not be criminalized; this approach prioritizes public health, harm reduction, personal freedom and autonomy, cognitive and health liberty, spiritual well-being, and the most efficient use of limited city resources.

For equitable access to these entheogens, we also support the "grow-gather-gift” model, which encourages a community-oriented and sustainable approach… emphasizing personal cultivation, responsible gathering from nature, sharing within trusted networks, and fostering a deeper connection to community and nature.

Numerous cities across the United States have deprioritized the personal use of plant medicines, including: Port Townsend, Seattle, Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, Ferndale, Detroit, Minneapolis, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Oakland, Berkeley, District of Columbia, Portland (Maine), and Cambridge, among others.

The residents of Spokane urge the leaders of Spokane to consider, to the greatest extent possible, the reduction of all criminal penalties associated with the non-commercial use of entheogen plants/substances - in all forms, including teas, extracts, and powders – making it the lowest level of concern/priority for law enforcement.

YOUR VOICE IS NEEDED. Please sign our petition and encourage friends and neighbors to do the same.

Enlighten Spokane is also collecting testimonials of healing, transformation, and spiritual growth. If you have an interest in submitting or presenting such a testimony, please reach out to: [email protected]

Petition Deprioritizing Entheogenic Plants For Personal Use in Spokane Deprioritizing Entheogenic Plants For Personal Use in Spokane

"A pair of California lawmakers introduced a bipartisan bill on Tuesday to allow people 21 and older to consume psychedelic mushrooms under professional supervision as part of an agenda to tackle the state’s mental health and substance use crises.

Colorado and Oregon have already decriminalized psychedelic mushrooms and established regulated systems for therapeutic use of the substances. In California, San Francisco, Oakland and Santa Cruz have effectively decriminalized possession of psychedelic mushrooms, meaning a person cannot be arrested or prosecuted for possessing limited amounts of plant-based hallucinogens.”

“We know that Californians are struggling with mental health and addiction challenges, and we know that psychedelics, particularly when combined with therapeutic support, can be a powerful tool to help people get their health back,” Wiener said at a Monday news briefing. “We know that California veterans and first responders have particularly benefited from these substances, and we know that many more people can as well."

California could legalize psychedelic therapy after rejecting ‘magic mushroom’ decriminalization California could soon legalize psychedelic therapy under a bipartisan bill being introduced Tuesday.

Mapping Psychedelic Drug Policy Reform in the United States:

“As the psychedelic renaissance contributes to a swelling pool of safety and efficacy data pertaining to the potential therapeutic benefits of psychedelic medicine, many localities—particularly in North America—are revising their legal frameworks.

This is happening in a number of ways: from the least rigorous incarnation which involves making the enforcement of psychedelics’ illegality the lowest law enforcement priority in a given city (such as in Oakland and Washington, DC), right through to state-wide legalization of specific psychedelics (such as in Oregon and Colorado).”

Psychedelics Legalization & Decriminalization Tracker - Psychedelic Alpha Stay abreast of current progress in psychedelic drug policy reform with our legalization and decriminalization tracker…

This is what Enlighten Spokane aims to do: start at the city level.

"City council meetings have become key forums for rolling back the drug war, while federal lawmakers drag their feet despite mounting evidence of the therapeutic power of psychedelics. City-level reforms require winning over fewer people and politicians than in larger jurisdictions, and cities are more liberal than rural counties—both important factors behind this local-level momentum."

"Since 2019, a wave of decriminalization measures has swept through the country."

City-Level Psychedelic Decrim Still Spreading Fast, But Questions Remain The city of Ferndale just approved a bill to decriminalize psychedelic plants and fungi. It’s the fourth city in Michigan ...

Good evening, Everyone!
Check out this enlightening article (PDF) about decrim.

A few excerpts:
"Despite the federal prohibitions, psychedelic research experienced a renaissance beginning in the mid-2010s, and hundreds of research laboratories around the world are now studying the drugs."

"Currently, U.S. researchers must get FDA and Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) approval to study Schedule I drugs, which can take years. However, the FDA recently granted “breakthrough therapy” status for studying psilocybin for depression and M**A for PTSD, expediting the review and, potentially, approval of those drugs. Breakthrough therapy status is designed to expedite the development and review of a drug for a serious condition when preliminary clinical evidence indicates it may be a substantial improvement over existing treatments."

"… 23 cities have decriminalized psychedelics since 2019, typically by making drug possession a low priority for law enforcement."

"Legislation to support more research and increased access to psychedelics has a surprising amount of bipartisan support, largely because of activism by military veterans."

drive.google.com

Good evening everyone!! We would like some feedback from the group on what the focus of our decriminalization/deprioritization movement should be. Please take the survey below and let us know your thoughts.

Enlighten Decrim Focus Take this survey powered by surveymonkey.com. Create your own surveys for free.

Happy Saturday, Everyone!

I'm Jenny Hansen and my partner, Randall Hansen ("Ran) and I are reviving the Spokane decrim movement. We were graciously invited by attorney Pat Donahue and admin CJ Morrison to be admins/managers of this FB page/group.

We renamed the movement "Enlighten Spokane" due to the negative connotation currently surrounding the term, "decriminalize." Moving forward, we will use the word, "deprioritize" instead in our discussions on this page and with local office-holders/leaders.

Pat and I have reached out to Mason Lord, who previously was an admin/manager here to respectfully ask for permission to update the cover and profile photos.

As we are just getting started, we have a small core group with whom we have met via Zoom for an initial discussion. (Ran and I are receiving excellent advice/suggestions from those who were previously involved.) Please comment below or DM me if you'd like to be added to my email list for future meetings.

My background/education is in mental health and I'm also an advocate for military veterans. I work for Heroic Hearts Project (HHP), supporting program ops, conducting veteran intake/screening, and managing the HHP Ambassador Program. I previously worked for Psychedelic Passage as Client Success Coordinator & Facilitator Manager.

Ran is an advocate, educator, ethicist, and thought leader with the goal of helping humans truly heal. He's the author of Triumph Over Trauma and HEAL!

We look forward to advocating for policy change regarding the personal use of plant entheogens in the City of Spokane!

For anyone in Washington State......please consider joining the Psychedelic Medicine Alliance's meeting on the 27th to discuss Senate Bill 5660. If passed, this bill will:

▪︎Layout a pathway for psilocybin to be used legally for various mental health issues, and even for self-improvement. This means everyone will be able to benefit from this medicine- Veteran's, Service Members, regular everyday Washington state residents.

▪︎Treatment can be done in person at a treatment center with a therapist/facilitator, or done remotely.

▪︎Provides a tiered mechanism to allow for various sizes of businesses to be licensed manufacturers of psilocybin bearing fruit.

▪︎Does *not* exclude the use of microdosing.

▪︎Will prohibit the federal government from discriminating against Washington residents for utilizing this psilocybin through this legal pathway in job applications, etc.

I implore Washington state residents to read the bill....yes it's 68 pages...but it is a well informed bill....and to bring your questions to the meeting on January 27th✌

Mind menders: how psychedelic drugs rebuild broken brains

https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg23631530-300-mind-menders-how-psychedelic-drugs-rebuild-broken-brains/?fbclid=IwAR25ISoLqiQhWXc1g4eh5Tn7YWy58OrUN6i38Ws-VcNcOiZeRdzwLlo4c1c

newscientist.com The healing powers of illegal drugs like M**A and psilocybin are finally living up to the hype – and they are already transforming our view of mental illness

Research finds that psychedelics make you happier

https://yaledailynews.com/blog/2020/02/14/research-finds-that-psychedelics-make-you-happier/

yaledailynews.com A recent study conducted by Yale psychologists found that psychedelic drugs can lead to happier moods and feelings of connectedness to others. Through field studies involving over 1,200 people who attended music festivals throughout the U.S. and U.K., the researchers investigated the effects of psyc...

Exploring Our Relationship To Psychedelic Healing | Mel Cassidy ~ ATTMind 115

https://www.jameswjesso.com/exploring-our-relationship-to-psychedelic-healing-mel-cassidy-attmind-115/

jameswjesso.com Mel Cassidy joins us on Adventures Through The Mind to explore how their models of understanding and engaging human relationships apply to understand and engaging our relationship to psychedelics, psychedelic healing, and psychedelic communities.

Decriminalize Nature is Ending Prohibition of Plants & Fungi | DoubleBlind

https://doubleblindmag.com/decriminalize-nature-entheogenic-plants-fungi-psychedelics/

doubleblindmag.com Miro Tomoski takes a deep dive inside the nationwide Decriminalize Nature campaign to end prohibition around plants and fungi. Read more on DoubleBlind.

Therapist Closed Her Cycle Of Severe Depression Through Healing Plant Medicines - #ThankYouPlantMedicine

thankyouplantmedicine.com Roxana Calin, from Romania. The dark clouds of depression, never lifting over a long period, eventually led Roxana Calin down the road of self-discovery in which she integrated plant medicines. All this led to the decision to become a transpersonal therapist and to study the human mind, enrolling in...

What Is Bearded Tooth Fungus: Lion’s Mane Mushroom Facts And Info

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/fungus-lichen/bearded-tooth-fungus.htm

gardeningknowhow.com The bearded tooth mushroom, also known as lion?s mane, is a culinary delight. You can occasionally find it growing in shady forests, and it?s easy to cultivate at home. Read this article to find out more about this tasty fungal treat.

I Went to a High-End Psychedelic Retreat to Address My Anxiety

https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/n7jeeg/i-went-to-a-high-end-psychedelic-retreat-to-address-my-anxiety

vice.com As more people become interested in trying psychedelics, spa-like retreats are popping up all over the world. Should people with mental health issues feel safe trying them?

Check out a bit of research.

The aims of this study were to assess the impact of ceremonial use of ayahuasca—a psychedelic brew containing N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and β-carboline —and attendance at União do Vegetal (UDV) meetings on substance abuse; here we report the findings related to alcohol and to***co use disorder.
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00136/full

Recent open-label trials show that psychedelics, such as ayahuasca, hold promise as fast-onset antidepressants in treatment-resistant depression.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6378413/

Major depression is a highly prevalent mood disorder, affecting about 350 million people, and around 30% of the patients are resistant to currently available antidepressant medications.
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00185/full

DMTx Psychonaut Training Webinar

https://psychedelicstoday.teachable.com/p/dmtx-psychonaut-training-webinar

psychedeliceducationcenter.com DMTx Psychonaut Training Webinar

Kevin Franciotti - Psychedelic Therapy, Iboga and Journalism – Psychedelics Today

https://psychedelicstoday.com/2017/03/28/kevinf/

psychedelicstoday.com Iboga advocate, researcher, science writer, graduate student and aspiring clinician, harm reduction educator and substance use recovery advocate.

How DMT Switches the Brain’s Reality Channel | Dr. Andrew Gallimore

https://kahpi.net/dmt-brain-reality-channel/

kahpi.net Dr Gallimore takes us through how the sober brain perceives the default reality and how the DMT brain seemingly attunes to a wholly different frequency.