DENVER (AP) Voters could make Denver the first U.S. city to decriminalize the use of psilocybin, the psychoactive substance in "magic mushrooms."
A citizen initiative on the ballot Tuesday has followed the same tack taken by cannabis activists in Denver to decriminalize pot possession in 2005. The move was followed by statewide legalization in 2012.
Psilocybin campaign organizers said their only goal is to keep people out of jail for use or possession of the drug.
They have focused on people who believe psilocybin helps them cope with depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress and other conditions.
Psilocybin has been outlawed in the U.S. since the 1960s when it was widely seen as a recreational drug.
Researchers warn it should only be used under medical supervision and can spark paranoia and anxiety.
Picture:
A vendor bags psilocybin mushrooms at a pop-up cannabis market in Los Angeles on Monday, May 6, 2019. Voters decide this week whether Denver will become the first U.S. city to decriminalize the use of psilocybin, the psychedelic substance in "magic mushrooms." (AP Photo/Richard Vogel)
