The California state Senate has approved a bill which decriminalizes possession and use of psychedelics substances such as psilocybin, MDMA, DMT and LCT across the state for people aged 21 and above.
California senate voted 21-16 in favor of the bill SB 519 which was initiated by the state’s Senator Scott Weiner. Weiner initiated the proposal in the beginning of the year and since then he has pushing for the bill with all he got.
Before the bill received approval of the Senate it had already passed three separate committees. The bill now proceeds to the desk of California Governor Gavin Newsom.
“The War on Drugs has failed us, and criminalizing these substances doesn’t make anyone safer. It’s time to move away from failed drug criminalization policies and toward a science and health based approach,” said Senator Weiner before voting of the bill took place.
According to Weiner, the state is losing the war on drugs due to using same methods and expecting different results. He believes arresting and sending to people in jail for using drugs is not working thus becoming outdated.
“This approach moves us away from the failed war on drugs, which was based on the badly flawed premise that criminalizing, arresting, prosecuting and imprisoning people for using drugs will somehow deter their use and will somehow improve public safety. If there’s anything we’ve learned from the past half-century it’s that throwing people in jail for using drugs doesn’t stop drug use,” added Weiner.
Following of the bill by Senate, the San Francisco Senator took on twitter to thank the Senate and everyone who played the role on pushing the bill to far the far it has reached so far.
“BREAKING: The CA Senate just passed our legislation to decriminalize psychedelics! To everyone who made calls, shared, posted, told their stores: You did this! Let’s keep up the fight & momentum. We need to end the failed War on Drugs. Thank you, colleagues! #SB519,” tweeted Senator Weiner.
