SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — A bill that allows personal possession and use of small amounts of psychedelic mushrooms has passed the California State Assembly, according to State Sen. Scott Weiner. California Senate Bill 58 passed in the California State Senate earlier this year and was passed on to the assembly.
The bill was held up in the state assembly for several months following its passage in the senate. The bill removes criminal penalties for personal possession and use of a limited set of “naturally occurring psychedelics,” according to a statement from Weiner’s office.
Substances covered by the bill include psilocybin (mushrooms), Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and mescaline (excluding peyote). The bill also triggers a process to craft policy proposals for group therapeutic use of psychedelics.
The bill was supported by veterans, first responders and health professionals, according to Sen. Weiner.
“California’s veterans, first responders, and others struggling with PTSD, depression, and addiction deserve access to these promising plant medicines,” said Senator Wiener. “SB 58 has prudent safeguards in place after we incorporated feedback from three years of deep engagement with a broad array of stakeholders. We know these substances are not addictive, and they show tremendous promise in treating many of the most intractable conditions driving our nation’s mental health crisis. It’s time to stop criminalizing people who use psychedelics for healing or personal well-being.”
The bill passed the assembly 42-11 and now returns to the senate for final sign-off before heading to Gov. Gavin Newsom for final review. If passed, SB 58 is slated to go into effect on Jan. 1, 2025.