In Denver ended with a referendum on the legalization of psychedelic mushrooms. The counting of votes is not yet completed, there are several areas in parts of the army and voices of citizens, outside of Denver or outside the US, participating in the historic decision. But now almost a definite victory for the supporters of the Initiative, 301.
For the mushrooms collected by 50.6% (89 of 320) of the votes. «Against» — 49,4% (87 of 341). The difference is almost two thousand votes is unlikely to be overcome. The official results will be announced on may 16.
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This is how Denver decriminalized magic mushrooms. pic.twitter.com/5Ve4LSIbhg
β VICE News (@chief, Vice news) May 9, 2019
«It was a hell of 21 and a half hours,» said campaign Manager Initiative 301 Kevin Matthews. «If these results are correct, this is an example of absurd Comedy great metaphors. No matter what, we won. This is what happens when a small team of dedicated and passionate people United by a common idea to create change.»
The vote in Denver attracted the attention of concerned citizens from across the country. According to the organizers, efforts are being made for the organization of voting on this issue in Oregon and California in 2020. Previously attempted such a vote in California has already failed, and Denver became the first US city where now the lovers of mushrooms will be possible to enjoy your hobby with relative impunity.
Denver voters said «yes» to decriminalize the psychoactive substance in magic mushrooms pic.twitter.com/2pYJkfXvIg
β TicToc by Bloomberg (@tictoc) May 9, 2019
Director of the Institute of century Colorado Christian University Jeff hunt wrote on Twitter: «We will continue to fight a growing culture of drugs. Denver becomes the illegal drug capital of the world. This is a big problem, not needed for our city… Marijuana has brought more problems than it solved, and if we continue to follow this path, we will continue to see how Colorado is getting worse and worse.»
Also against was district attorney of Denver Beth McCann, who said that only 11 of the more than 9,000 cases of drug use, referred for possible prosecution in the period between 2016 and 2018, touched psilocybin.
Can someone please send me this historical poster!? Or point me towards where one can be purchased?
π #DecriminalizeDenver #magicmushrooms pic.twitter.com/HbNIpHdedI
β πππ£π‘ π½π¦π£ππ¦π€π π, πΌπ€π’. (@GPicbois) May 9, 2019
Advocates say that mushrooms that contain the hallucinogen psilocybin, have been used for thousands of years and may provide an alternative treatment for opiate dependence and mental health problems, as well as spiritual development. Mushroom users have reported bright lights and colors and the feeling of connection with something greater than themselves.
Last fall the Management on sanitary inspection behind quality of foodstuff and medicines of the USA has assigned psilocybin the designation of «breakthrough therapy» for its ability to help against resistant to treatment of depression status, which accelerates the process of development and review of medicines containing this substance.
Initiative 301 instructs the police by the decision to consider the execution of the laws against the storage fungi psilocybin, the lowest priority. Psychedelic mushrooms are still illegal to buy, sale or possession, and the latter is a criminal offence and may entail imprisonment of up to one year and a fine. This is similar to measures to decriminalize approved by the voters of Denver against marijuana in the years before amendment 64 state of Colorado received approval throughout the state.
«Our victory here is a clear signal to the rest of the country that we are ready for a wider conversation about psilocybin and its potential benefits,» says Denver Post’s Kevin Matthews.
flickr.com/kooikkari/CC
However, if you remember the path, which was the legalization of marijuana, the transfer of the crime in the category of non-priority far to the right gives the result. Denver voted in a referendum on the decriminalization of cannabis in 2005 and 2007, but this did not prevent the police to enforce the law — even though supporters of the liberalisation of drug legislation saying that public discussions initiated initiatives on the vote, helped pave the way for legalization statewide in 2012.
Matthews says that the experience taken into account: «we Have the resources necessary to ensure that the Department of justice, office (district attorney) and the police Department of Denver has received the instructions necessary to implement this in a fair manner». Among other things, the Initiative 301 requires that the city create a panel to monitor the effects and execution of the order.
