Kevin Saunders doesn’t believe the state of California should lock up people for offenses related to psychedelic mushrooms, a broad category of fungi that contains the psychoactive compound psilocybin. Scientists are currently studying how psychedelic drugs like mushrooms might be used to tackle alcoholism and the opioid epidemic. Saunders is part of a growing movement against the longstanding prohibition on psychedelic drugs and in favor of a more open-minded examination of their therapeutic applications. Activists like Martin Ball, an Oregon professor who has launched an effort to legalize psilocybin in his state, have joined this psychedelic renaissance. In a June survey conducted by YouGov, 63 percent of respondents said they support the use of psilocybin in additional medical trials.

Source: Huffington Post August 29, 2017 16:18 UTC