At a time when more research is showing that the controlled ingestion of psilocybin mushrooms can help patients deal positively with depression, trauma and end-of-life issues, the state House of Representatives on Wednesday approved legislation that would decriminalize the possession of small amounts of the hallucinogenic fungi.
The bill, which opponents warned could lead to the eventual full legalization of the drug, passed 86-64 and next heads to the Senate. Thirteen Democrats voted against the bill and two Republicans voted for it.
If approved in the Senate and signed into law by the governor, the penalty for a first-time possession of a half ounce or less would be $150. State Rep. Steve Stafstrom, D-Bridgeport, co-chairman of the legislative Judiciary Committee, said that a number of patients with behavioral health issues, including substance abuse, can benefit from the use of the drug, also called “magic mushrooms” or psychedelic mushrooms. But the research, much being done at Yale University, is moving slowly because of the illegality of the drug.
Hellbound and Down 