BY RUTH HILL R.N.
This past week the California legislature passed two bills awaiting Governor Newsom’s signature, SB-58: Controlled substances: decriminalization of certain hallucinogenic substances, and SB-302: Compassionate Access to Medical Cannabis Act.
California SB 302, introduced by Senator Stern, is an expansion of Ryan’s existing law which permits the use of cannabis products, except smoking or vaping, for terminally ill patients in health facilities. SB 302 requires not only terminally ill patients but “patients who are over 65 years of age and have a chronic disease.” It also includes a provision to “Ensure that a patient is not denied admission to the health care facility in whole or in part because of the patient’s use of medicinal cannabis.”
If you know a person who is over 65 with a chronic illness you may want to inform them of this bill. Public awareness is essential to overcome resistance. Contact Governor Newsom by calling 916-445-2841 or email him with the instructions at the end of this article. Tell him you support this bill. If there are medical readers of this column against patients’ use of cannabis in health institutions, read the White Paper from Doctors For Cannabis Regulation for more information.
Cannabis prohibition in health institutions is detrimental to public health and fosters the unregulated, untested, illegal market. Cannabis regulation benefits public health, and many of the fears of cannabis legalization are unfounded.
The purpose of SB 58, introduced by Senator Wiener, is to make lawful the possession, preparation, obtaining, transfer, as specified, or transportation of, specified quantities of psilocybin, psilocyn, dimethyltryptamine (DMT), ibogaine, and mescaline, for personal use or facilitated or supported use, as defined, by and with persons 21 years of age or older. DMT is a molecule similar to psilocybin. Ibogaine is used in large doses to treat opiate addiction. Mescaline is a naturally occurring psychedelic in the peyote cactus plant, used by native Indians. Contrary to popular concerns ecstasy is not in the bill. State authorization does not provide immunity from federal criminal proceedings if federal law enforcement is inclined to pursue them.
SB 58 decriminalizes the possession and personal use of certain plant-based psychedelic drugs NOT synthetics. Studies indicate that for veterans, many of whom live with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), access to psychedelics can be effective in treating the sort of acute trauma they face and may even save their lives. Many veterans who have used psychedelic medicines to treat their PTSD report that without this treatment, they would have taken their life.
The public should remember that PTSD does not only occur with veterans but also with adults who suffer from school or multiple shootings, abuse, accidents, rape, or any traumatic event. To gain insight into research on magic mushrooms or other psilocybin plants treating mental illness successfully, read Michael Pollan’s Book, How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence
To email Governor Newsom, go to this website https://www.gov.ca.gov/contact/ On this page here are the steps to support these bills.
- In the upper right corner click on “Contact” “Contact” again.
- Under “What is your request or comment about?” Scroll to and select “Legislation issues/Concerns.”
- Under “What is the purpose of your message?” Select the Topic “Active Bill”
- Under “What Specific Bill?” Type SB 58 Be sure to leave a space between SB and 58.
- Under “What is the purpose of your comment message?” select “Leave a Comment”
- Click “Next”
- Under “If applicable, what is your stance on the topic?” Click “Pro”
- In the message box, simply write in all caps: SIGN This Bill. More comments are optional.
- Click “Next” to go to the next page.
- Enter your first and last name and email address.
- Click “Submit”
- Repeat the above process for SB 203.
Thank you, for your help in getting these bills passed.
Learn Cannabis Education, Dosing Without the High on the 1st Saturday of every month from 11 AM to 1 PM at the Vault Dispensary Lounge. October’s agenda is on the ECS. Call 760-866-9660 or send comments to cannaangel16@gmail.com
