MINNEAPOLIS — Minneapolis is stepping back from enforcing laws that criminalize the purchase and private use of psychedelic plants.
Mayor Jacob Frey has directed the police to cease using taxpayer funds for enforcing most laws against hallucinogenic plants. However, Minneapolis will continue to prioritize laws against selling psychedelic plants, bringing them to schools, or using them while driving.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara has expressed support for the mayor’s decision through a statement.
Mayor Frey announced the order, citing the potential of hallucinogenic plants in treating mental illnesses like depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.
“Experts have informed us about the beneficial effects of these plants on individuals, and that is the focus of our actions – assisting people,” stated Frey. “Given the increase in deaths caused by despair in our city and society, the data suggests that these plants can provide a remedy.”
Some researchers claim that psilocybin, the compound found in psychedelic mushrooms, alters the brain’s organization and aids in overcoming depression, alcoholism, and post-traumatic stress disorder. The FDA has already approved a drug related to the anesthetic ketamine for the treatment of difficult-to-cure depression.
However, medical professionals caution that further research is required to assess the efficacy and risks associated with psychedelics, as they can cause hallucinations.
The American Psychiatric Association has not endorsed the use of psychedelics in treatment, as the Food and Drug Administration has yet to reach a final determination. In 2018, the FDA designated psilocybin as a “breakthrough therapy” to accelerate the development and evaluation of drugs for serious conditions. MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy, also holds this designation for PTSD treatment.
In June, the FDA released draft guidance for researchers conducting clinical trials to test psychedelic drugs as potential treatments for various medical conditions. The Biden administration has also allocated funding for numerous projects studying psychedelic drugs’ potential benefits for mental and behavioral health, including the National Institutes of Health.
Earlier this year, Oregon became the first state to legalize the adult use of psilocybin, while Colorado decriminalized psilocybin through a voter referendum last year.
Denver was the initial city to decriminalize personal possession and consumption of psilocybin in 2019.
An organization based in Minneapolis, advocating for immigrant rights and criminal justice reform, commended the mayor’s order.
“This is an important first step toward reversing the harm caused by the war on drug users, which disproportionately affects people of color,” stated Jessica Nielson, a founding member of the DecriMN Coalition. “The use of these natural medicines by Indigenous peoples predates any of these laws.”