Senator Scott D. Wiener. (Photo: Kevin Sanders for California Globe)
Senator Weiner Reintroduces Psychedelic Drug Decriminalization bill
SB 58 waters down previous versions of the bill by only keeping in plant-based psychedelic drugs
By Evan Symon, December 19, 2022 2:15 pm
A bill to decriminalize plant-based psychedelic drugs was reintroduced on Monday in a much-watered down version that previous iterations have taken.
According to Senate Bill 58, by Senator Scott Weiner (D-San Francisco), plant-based and other natural hallucinogens such as psilocybin (magic mushrooms), dimethyltryptamine (psychedelic drug DMT), ibogaine (psychedelic substance), and mescaline (psychedelic hallucinogen) would be decriminalized, with police being unable to charge those holding the drugs with a criminal penalty and the drug still being across the board illegal for minors.
The bill is a significantly pared down version of SB 519, first introduced in January 2021 by Weiner that would have not only legalized the psychedelics in SB 58, but also would have included synthetic hallucinogens such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), ketamine (“dissociative anesthetic”), and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy, molly). However, the bill was amended heavily in 2021 and 2022, removing ketamine and other troubling parts for legislators and oppositions groups, such as law enforcement agencies. Despite the changes, the bill was still gutted in August, removing everything but a single study on the use of the remaining drugs.
However, as promised, Weiner brought the bill back on Monday, stripping it of the more controversial synthetic drugs. Wiener also kept in tact the reasons behind the bill – to end the mass incarceration that occurred during the war on drugs, as well as to increase scientific and medical testing to help those suffering from mental health conditions such as PTSD and depression.
Weiner brings back psychedelic decriminalization bill
“Research from top medical universities shows that these substances can have significant benefits, particularly for treating mental health and substance use disorders, and decriminalizing their personal use is part of the larger movement to end the racist War on Drugs and its failed and destructive policies,” Wiener said in a press release on Monday. “In the past few years, the mental health and addiction crises have worsened. Since the onset of the pandemic, so many people have dealt with unemployment and financial distress, a lack of community and social isolation, and loss of friends or family — anxiety, depression, overdose and suicide rates are up across the country. With many people seeking treatment for these conditions, it’s critical that we look to alternatives to criminalizing and incarcerating people who are using psychedelics to heal.”
“For veterans, many of whom live with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), access to psychedelics can be lifesaving. Veterans die by suicide at a rate of 1.5 times the general public. That’s why Veterans Affairs is studying psychedelic therapy, and why so many veterans are advocating for the decriminalization of psychedelics. Psychedelics have tremendous capacity to help people heal, but right now, using them is a criminal offense. These drugs literally save lives and are some of the most promising treatments we have for PTSD, anxiety, depression, and addiction.”
Despite Senator Wiener’s advocacy for the decriminalization of the plant-based hallucinogens, as several Californian cities have done, as well as Oregon and Colorado recently passing similar measures, there is still a large segment of opposition against SB 58. While law enforcement groups in large part, others, including medal professionals, also oppose the bill given the significant dangers involved.
“Wiener is trying to make it sound like nothing can go wrong with taking these drugs,” explained former police officer and current drug counselor Marty Ribera to the Globe on Monday. “But he is so wrong. What about the bad trips? What about depression caused by these drugs? What about long-term psychosis? For every success story there are at least 2 others that involve a ruined life. These drugs are illegal, and criminalized, for so many reasons.”
“If anything like this were to happen, it would need to be by a case-by-case basis. Not across the state decriminalization. Remember, the use of these drugs affects other people too, like car accidents caused by them or users hurting themselves and others as a result of being impaired by them. Case-by-case in a safe environment? Maybe, but this bill is nowhere near that. And it will probably fail again as a result.”
SB 58 is to be beard again beginning in the next legislative session next month.
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What is with Weiner? Why is he so focused on the fringe and aberrant?
California needs a lot of things at this juncture, but it does not need SB 58.
Either mental illness, extreme narcissism or malignant personality disorder, apparently….(maybe all of the above, plus??)
Who in the heck put Weiner in office. He is clearly not looking out for the people of California. He puts forth the most horrible bills of any person in Sacramento.
Here we go again…
Wiener embodies evil.
He will not give up until every citizen is drugged and on a street corner “dealing with life”.
I suggest he give the love and peace of Jesus a try before pushing drugs on people.
Each one of us is given the gift of Christ and that is what this season is about. I pray for all who are hurting physically and mentally to look up to Jesus. He will provide a love like no other, a joy like no other, a peace like no other.
Merry Christmas to all .
Bah humbug! (just kidding)
A delayed thank you, Cali Girl, for posting “the reason for the season.”
I don’t hold out much hope for certain people, but what do I know? If murderers can be saved, I guess it’s possible Scott Wiener can be called home, too.
Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas. 🙂
LOL, ShowandTell.
There is always HOPE. I know God would welcome a repentant Scott Wiener.
Californians who want to see an end to this destruction would also welcome a reformed Scott Wiener.
As you so well pointed out, all one needs to do is look to Oregon and Colorado to see the horrid conditions brought to those states.
Merry Christmas ShowandTell and to your family as well.
We already know the demented Scott Wiener is psychologically programmed to want to weaken and harm and degrade humans. Likely he also has major donors who think they see a goldmine in legitimizing and legalizing this stuff, which is obviously the very last thing California needs, especially now.
Don’t forget, when Oregon voted in 2020 to legalize magic mushrooms there was a companion on the ballot that sought to legalize ALL drugs. Everything you can think of: heroin, meth, cocaine; well EVERYTHING. Both props passed, and now Oregon has major problems stacked on top of their previous major problems. None of it is working out like the “fantasy” everyone had about it. And the drug free-for-all will be pushed here, too. If not today, then tomorrow.
https://www.city-journal.org/oregons-disastrous-drug-experiment
The people pushing this crap will follow the pot legalization model they harangued us with. Scott Wiener and his teeny-weeny (but obnoxiously loud and vocal) group of minions will keep banging away at this with their lies and mischaracterizations until Doomsday. So heads up.
Should have added that the hope of these people is also to further weaken the country by having this B.S. spread to other states, much like pot legalization. Just what we need, right? Sigh!
Thanks for the seasonal reminder of why we celebrate Christmas, Cal Girl. We need Jesus now more than ever.
Scott Weiner is committed to legalising every proclivity and activity that he and his supporters can imagine. He wants it all to be legal and celebrated. He’s one of the worst politicians we have in California. He’s a lover of evil and human degradation. There’s no doubt he’ll follow up with synthetic drugs if he gets this through. He’ll never give up.
Until the voters in San Franfreakshow WISE UP and STOP VOTING FOR HIM (and all the other Democrat nutcases who are on the take to wealthy billionaires, NGO’s and Communist regimes)
Yes, Scott Wiener is hellbent on turning California into a dystopian hell hole. If he would only figure out, God’s powerful love is better than any drug in this world!
Have a blessed Christmas, Erin.
And… let’s not forget that the World Economic Forum wants people doped up and compliant so that they can institute their draconian tyrannical forms of governance that strip us of our God-given liberties, so what better way to do it than by legalizing as many forms of “legal” escape mechanisms…
All under the guise of “compassion” and “healing” and “saving lives”… all FEEL-GOOD platitudes which are NOT supported by hard clinical data, but are SOUND BITES that capture the emotions of a low-information voter….
You are so right. People really need to wake up to what is going on in our State and our country!! Control and compliance is what this is all about!!!
Final parting shot – Weiner’s EYES have the same DEAD-EYED/shark-eyes that Buffy Wicks’ do…
These people are soulless, power-mad individuals, and their lack of an internal moral compass is shown by these dead eyes….
Their “window to the soul” is dark….
They do. Perhaps they are fathered by the Devil himself.
Merry Christmas @Critical D.
“…What about the bad trips? What about depression caused by these drugs? What about long-term psychosis? For every success story there are at least 2 others that involve a ruined life…” Marty Ribera is entirely wrong on every count and is utterly unqualified to make any scientific comment. He has no qualifications to be a clinician or a researcher. He’s just an ex-cop with harsh opinions about addicts.