Jackson Decriminalizes Psychedelic Plants for Mental Health Benefits

On Tuesday, December 16, 2023, the Jackson City Council voted 4-2 to decriminalize the purchasing, planting, and possessing of psychedelic plants and fungi, making these activities the lowest law enforcement priority.

This resolution was met with cheers from supporters who filled the council chambers. City resident Tyler Bashore highlighted the struggles many individuals face with mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, and substance use disorders, emphasizing that conventional treatments can often be ineffective or come with significant side effects.

Roger Maufort, owner of The Seed Cellar, noted that psychedelic substances like ayahuasca, ibogaine, mescaline, peyote, and psilocybin mushrooms have historically been used to address various mental health challenges.

Ward 6 City Councilmember Will Forgrave shared a personal story about how entheogenic treatments helped his wife recover from postpartum depression, stating, "It saved her life, it definitely saved our marriage and our family." The resolution also calls on the Jackson County prosecutor to cease prosecuting those involved with entheogenic plants, but does not authorize possession or purchasing on school grounds, while driving, or for individuals under 18 years old.

Other municipalities in Michigan, including Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Detroit, and Ferndale, have also taken similar steps to decriminalize entheogens, reflecting a growing recognition of their potential mental health benefits, according to the Grand Rapids Press.