Despite SB-58 passing both the state Assembly and Senate earlier this year, with legislators voting to decriminalize possession of naturally occurring psychedelics including psilocybin, psilocin, DMT and mescal*ne, Governor Gavin Newsom decided to veto the bill on Saturday, citing concerns over decriminalization without regulated treatment guidelines in place.
“This bill would decriminalize possession prior to these guidelines going into place, and I cannot sign it,” Newsom wrote in his decision.
All is not lost for psychedelic reform advocates, however.
Governor Newsom seems to support California embracing psychedelic medicine with proper regulations in place, much like Oregon’s approach.
“Both peer-reviewed science and powerful personal anecdotes lead me to support new opportunities to address mental health through psychedelic medicines like those addressed in this bill,” he wrote.
“Psychedelics have proven to relieve people suffering from certain conditions such as depression, PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and other addictive personality traits. This is an exciting frontier and California will be on the front-end of leading it.”
