Decriminalization

The California Senate voted last week to decriminalize the possession of psychedelic substances including psilocybin, psilocin, DMT, ibogaine, and mescaline by individuals aged 21 or older.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) signed a bill last week to implement medical psilocybin legalization and decriminalize the personal use and cultivation of other natural psychedelics; the proposal marks lawmakers’ response to last year’s successful psychedelics legalization voter initiative.

The Connecticut House voted this week to reduce penalties for the possession of small quantities of psilocybin mushrooms.

A committee of Kenosha, Wisconsin city officials voted in favor of reducing the fine for first-time cannabis possession and reducing the bond paid by those who are arrested for possession.

The Texas House approved a cannabis decriminalization proposal last week, reducing penalties for possession up to an ounce. The bill moves next to the Senate, which rejected similar legislation in 2019 and 2021.

According to a recent survey, 53% of Fins believe that cannabis use and possession should not be a crime in Finland but just 24% said that cannabis should be fully legalized.

Since Killeen, Texas voters opted to decriminalize low-level cannabis possession last November, city police have released 77% of the individuals they encountered who were in possession of cannabis.

Indiana lawmakers have opted to go at least another year without enacting cannabis reforms after killing multiple proposals which included decriminalization, medical access, and adult-use legalization and regulated sales.

The Indiana House Committee on Courts and Criminal Code is expected today to hold the state’s first-ever hearing for a cannabis decriminalization measure.

According to statistics from car insurance companies, cannabis law reforms have made no statistically significant impact on the rate of vehicular accidents in Canada and the U.S.

Berkeley, California city officials advanced a psychedelics decriminalization proposal this week despite concerns by some reform advocates that the proposal does not go far enough to deprioritize law enforcement actions.

Activists rallied this week outside of Government House in Bangkok, Thailand, to pressure authorities against rolling back the country’s cannabis decriminalization law.

A cohort of U.S. representatives sent a letter to President Joe Biden asking him to consider pardons of simple cannabis possession convictions for immigrants.

Five Texas cities — Denton, Elgin, Harker Heights, Killeen, and San Marcos — voted in favor of decriminalizing low-level cannabis possession during Tuesday’s midterm elections.

The result of the ballot initiative to decriminalize and regulate psychedelics in Colorado is still too close to call the day after Tuesday’s elections.

A spokesperson from the United Kingdom Prime Minister’s office clarified the administration does not intend to reclassify cannabis from a Class B to Class A drug in the country.

Recent polls found the majority of Americans support President Biden’s move to pardon federal cannabis possession charges and want governors around the country to follow suit per the president’s request.

Few individuals in Oregon are utilizing the free addiction help services available under the state’s new drug decriminalization law.

The city of Stonecrest, Georgia voted to decriminalize the possession of an ounce or less of cannabis, eschewing jail time for fines of $100.

Commissioners in Athens-Clarke County, Georgia approved an ordinance to reduce the penalty for possession of less than an ounce of cannabis to a $35 fine, the lowest in the state.

Voters in Killeen, Texas will decide this November whether to decriminalize cannabis possession within city limits.

Voters in Denton, Texas will consider a ballot initiative during the midterm elections that, if passed, would decriminalize low-level cannabis possession by blocking local police from enforcing misdemeanor cannabis crimes.

The advocacy group behind a Washington state drug decriminalization ballot initiative announced it would cease its campaign this year due to funding-related issues despite recording all-time high levels of support.

Canada will temporarily decriminalize opioids, cocaine, MDMA, and methamphetamine in British Columbia as the province looks to fight its record overdose rates.