Amid the fuck-it-all insanity of the 2020 election, some inspiring news out of Oregon is providing a nice (albeit temporary) respite.
The state will now be the first in the country to legalize therapeutic use of psilocybin, a.k.a. shrooms. This was made possible by the passing of Ballot Measure 109, per the Associated Press, which will bring about the manufacturing and controlled use of psilocybin after receiving approximately 56 percent yes votes with an estimated 1.9 million votes having been counted.
The passing of Measure 110, meanwhile, makes Oregon the first state to decriminalize all drugs.
"Passage of Measure 110 is a landmark declaration that the time has come to stop criminalizing people for drug use," Kassandra Frederiquem, the executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, said on Wednesday. "It shifts the focus where it belongs—on people and public health—and removes one of the most common justifications for law enforcement to harass, arrest, prosecute, incarcerate, and deport people. As we saw with the domino effect of marijuana legalization, we expect this victory to inspire other states to follow suit and enact their own decriminalization policies that prioritize health over punishment."
Well done, Oregon.Â
And though it should go without saying, I'll say it anyway: This is how it should be across the U.S. Stop wasting time, money, and energy on interfering with what should be everyone's right to indulge as they see fit. More importantly, it's long been time to recognize the role drug policies have in the oppressive actions of police around the country.
