UPDATED: Denver votes to become first U.S. city to decriminalize 'magic mushrooms'

[Eugene]

Last edited Wed May 8, 2019, 08:34 PM - Edit history (1)

EDIT: Update since original post

Earlier Reuters article: Denver on track to reject 'magic mushroom' legalization

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Source: Reuters

POLITICS MAY 8, 2019 / 8:26 PM / UPDATED AN HOUR AGO

Denver votes to become first U.S. city to decriminalize 'magic mushrooms'

(Reuters) - Denver will become the first city in the United States to decriminalize magic mushrooms, based on final unofficial results on Wednesday of a ballot initiative about the hallucinogenic drug.

The initiative called for Colorado’s capital to end the imposition of criminal penalties for individuals at least 21 years of age for using or possessing psilocybin, widely known as magic mushrooms.

The Denver Elections Divisions will certify results on May 16, but the final count on its website on Wednesday was 50.56 percent of voters in favor and 49.44 percent against.

If the initiative is approved, psilocybin would still remain illegal under both Colorado and federal law. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration classifies the drug as a Schedule 1 substance, meaning the agency has deemed that it has a high potential for abuse with no accepted medical application.

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Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-colorado-magic-mushrooms/denver-votes-to-become-first-u-s-city-to-decriminalize-magic-mushrooms-idUSKCN1SF01S

[hlthe2b]

1. Poor job at educating if they want to decriminalize... With pot, most people have at least minimal

experience with pot--even if only once or twice in college. That was enough to question all the hysteria around keeping it highly scheduled and illegal, especially after reports and limited studies of medical benefits came to light.

The same hasn't happened with mushrooms... Medical benefits? Umm, none really documented. Frankly, even those pressing for drug reform don't all seem convinced on this one. Instinctively, I think there may be justification for decriminalizing since long drug sentences for possession don't seem "right", but they've not done a good job at making the case.

[Celerity]

2. I could see this not ending well