The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Lawmakers propose bill to decriminalize ‘magic’ mushroom possession
The legislative Judiciary Committee, acknowledging that there is emerging research on its therapeutic used for PTSD and depression, on Tuesday approved a bill that would decriminalize possession of small amount of so-called “magic” mushrooms.
The bill, which passed along party lines 24-13 in the Democratic-dominated committee, next heads to the House of Representatives. If approved there and then in the state Senate, and finally signed by the governor, it would turn possession of a half ounce or less of psilocybin mushrooms from a misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in prison, to an infraction payable with a $100 fine.
Some Republicans on the committee acknowledged its possible medicinal uses for post traumatic stress disorder and other mental health conditions. But they also warned it would be the first step toward approving mushrooms for recreational use, similar to the 2011 decriminalization of small amounts of cannabis, signed by then-Gov. Dannel P. Malloy. In June of 2021, Gov. Ned Lamont approved legislation for retail sales of adult-use cannabis.
“I will note we are not legalizing psilocybin under this bill. Let’s be clear,” said state Rep. Steve Stafstrom, D-Bridgeport, cochairman of the committee. “Possession of psilocybin under this bill would still be illegal. A police officer could still confiscate it,
could still destroy it and could issue an infraction ticket to someone in possession of small amounts of psilocybin. Recognizing there has been quite a bit of study around this drug, recognizing the potential health benefits that veterans and others suffering from PTSD use it for.”
“We went down this path once with the ultimate legalization of recreational marijuana,” said Sen. John Kissel of Enfield,
a ranking Republican on the committee. “You’re going to be seeing things or looking at things and it’s going to have a different effect on your psyche. How that impacts an individual, I don’t know. It’s basically taking what’s a misdemeanor, which is pretty low on our scale of offenses, and essentially turning it into a traffic ticket, an infraction. So it’s probably going to have little or no deterrent effect, certainly
not a huge one. I have no doubts that there is probably some beneficial medical utilization for psilocybin.”
In recent years, advocates have stressed the drug’s success in helping war veterans, alcoholics and those with depression. During a recent public hearing before the Judiciary Committee, advocates sparred with GOP opponents.
State Rep. Tom O’Dea, R-New Canaan, recalling the public hearing, said he did not remember any medical doctors testifying in favor of using psilocybin in a “valid” clinical context. “The path of this is disastrous, in my humble opinion,” he said.
According to written testimony submitted to the committee, both the American Civil Liberties Union of Connecticut, and a retired clinical psychologist favored the legislation. “There was testimony from a number of proponents of this bill about how they find benefits from this drug,” Stafstrom said. “There also was a study done by the state of Connecticut a few years back that talked about some of the health benefits and I believe the FDA has been conducting its own research.”
The state study, issued in February of 2022, found that research on psilocybin found it to be “a promising treatment for some behavioral
health conditions, including substance use, depression, and palliative care for end-of-life anxiety and depression.” The therapy is “effective when administered in highly structured settings under the supervision of a health care professional or professionals.”
In November, State Police arrested 21-year-old Westen Soule of Burlington, Connecticut at his home and seized dozens of bags of psilocybin mushrooms valued at $8.5 million. According to the state Judicial Branch website, he is out on $250,000 bond awaiting to file a plea on two felony charges, with his next court date scheduled for April 26.