Oregon is the first state to decriminalize drugs, California and Massachusetts now have bills to consider do the same, and now Iowa joins the growing movement to legalize or decriminalize all or some drugs. *
While not a bill to completely legalize or decriminalize all drugs, in this case, Iowan Representative Jeff Shipley (R) sponsored a bill that would allow the use of DMT, LSD, MDMA, mescaline, and psilocybin for patients diagnosed with a terminal illness thereby providing alternative methods of treatment beyond traditional legal medicines.
How would the process work? An individual who is diagnosed with a life-threatening disease would discuss options with his healthcare provider. If that provider agrees that they both first considered (and/or tried) traditional pharmaceuticals and did not get positive results and document the process, all that would be needed is a written consent from the patient.
Rep. Shirley has been an advocate for the utilization of psychedelics in the medical arena having filed related bills since 2019, specifically to legalize the medicinal use of ibogaine, MDMA, and psilocybin. Early this month, he introduced a bill to have psilocybin removed from Iowa’s list of controlled substances whihc is still being considered.
Unfortunately, for those suffering from a terminal illness and whose time for relief is short, there are some who would delay the bills he has sponsored out of political enmity. When he had filed his bill in 2019 to legalize the medicinal use of ibogaine, MDMA, and psilocybin, the Iowa Statehouse Progressive Network accused him of trying to legalize GHB, a date rape drug.
Ironic, that a close-minded group would call itself progressive, but not ironic that they would sling false accusations – a political tactic that is all too popular these days from left of the political aisle.
- Over 100 cities, including major cities like Ann Arbor, Cambridge, Oakland. Santa Cruz, Somerville and Washington, D.C. are actively considering the decriminalization of so-called “magic mushrooms” and similar substances and Denver having done so back in 2019.
