In this episode, Joe interviews two people on the frontlines of the campaign for Massachusetts' Question 4: The Natural Psychedelic Substances Act: Graham Moore and Community Engagement Director, Jamie Morey.
They discuss the specifics of the initiative, listed on the ballot as the “Limited Legalization and Regulation of Certain Natural Psychedelic Substances,” including the removal of criminal penalties for limited personal use, and the establishment of a regulatory agency that will provide therapeutic access to any of five natural psychedelics (psilocybin, psilocin, DMT, mescaline, and ibogaine). They tell their stories of how they discovered the power of psychedelics, and discuss the work they’re doing, educating a fairly interested – but still very hesitant – public about the bill and the importance of it passing this November.
They talk about:
- The significance of this happening in Massachusetts, especially with the amount of biomedical research happening in Boston
- The story of a member of Baystaters creating a fraudulent persona in a veterans advocacy group to fight against legalization efforts
- The challenge of getting people to publicly support initiatives that deal with illegal substances
- The power of small steps in legislation: Before this bill, MA had the most local measures in the U.S.
- How data collection should be handled at service centers
and more!
If you live in Massachusetts, learn about the bill here, and make sure to get out and cast your vote in November.
For links, head to the show notes page.
