Initiative 81
{{Short description|2020 Washington, DC, ballot measure}}
{{Infobox referendum
| name = Initiative 81
| title = An initiative to require police to treat entheogenic plants and fungi as a lowest-priority offense, a form of effective decriminalization.
| yes = 214685
| no = 67140
| total = 281825
| map = DC Initiative 81 2020.svg
| mapcaption = Precinct results
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Yes
{{legend|#28497C|80–90% |border=1px #AAAAAA solid}}
{{legend|#47729E|70–80% |border=1px #AAAAAA solid}}
{{legend|#7D9CBB|60–70% |border=1px #AAAAAA solid}}
{{col-end}}
| mapdivision =
| notes =
}}
Initiative 81 was a voter-approved ballot initiative in Washington, D.C. that changed the police priorities related to the possession, consumption, and cultivation of entheogenic plants and fungi. The short title of the initiative was Entheogenic Plant and Fungus Policy Act of 2020.{{cite web|url=https://decrimnaturedc.org/initiative-81/ |title=Initiative 81 |publisher=Decriminalize Nature DC |date= |accessdate=2020-11-17}} The measure was approved by 76% of voters on November 3, 2020{{Cite web |url=https://electionresults.dcboe.org/election_results/2020-General-Election |title=Election Results |access-date=2020-11-17 }}{{cite news|last=Moyer |first=Justin Wm.|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/dc-magic-mushrooms-result/2020/11/03/bb929e86-1abc-11eb-bb35-2dcfdab0a345_story.html |title=D.C. voters approve ballot question to decriminalize psychedelic mushrooms|newspaper=The Washington Post |date=2020-11-03 |accessdate=2020-11-17}} and went into effect on March 16, 2021.{{Cite web |url=https://lims.dccouncil.us/Legislation/B23-1033 |title=Council of the District of Columbia Legislative Information Management System |access-date=2021-03-23 }}
Creation
After the birth of her first child, proposer Melissa Lavasani fell into a deep depression and while she was able to persevere by relying on a daily routine,{{cite web|last=Austermuhle |first=Martin|url=https://wamu.org/story/20/01/09/this-d-c-group-wants-to-decriminalize-magic-mushrooms-and-some-psychedelic-plants/ |title=This D.C. Group Wants To Decriminalize Magic Mushrooms And Some Psychedelic Plants|work=WAMU |date=2020-01-09 |accessdate=2021-03-23}} after her second child she began to develop chronic pain and severe postpartum depression. After listening to a Joe Rogan [https://psychedelictimes.com/paul-stamets-psilocybin-stories-on-joe-rogan-podcast-will-blow-your-mind/ podcast] that featured mycologist Paul Stamets, she learned that psilocybin could be used as anti-depressant to treat mental health. She ordered spores over the internet, began to grow them at home, and tried microdosing.{{cite web|last=Beaujon |first=Andrew|url=https://www.washingtonian.com/2020/07/27/how-the-most-normal-person-ever-became-the-face-of-a-movement-to-decriminalize-magic-mushrooms/ |title=How the "Most Normal Person Ever" Became the Face of a Movement to Decriminalize Magic Mushrooms|work=Washingtonian |date=2020-07-27|accessdate=2021-03-23}} She eventually went on to try ayahuasca in 2019 which she says, “it was like I was I turned out to be not only back to myself, but almost like a better version of myself.”
After learning about the effort to decriminalize psychedelic mushrooms in Denver, Lavasani reached out the campaign's organizer, who put her in touch with Adam Eidinger, who had spearheaded Initiative 71 in 2014. After a dinner meeting, Eidinger worked to convince her that she would be effective proposer for the ballot initiative.
On December, 20, 2019, Lavasani submitted the final text of ballot initiative at the DC Board of Elections and formally created the Campaign to Decriminalize Nature DC. The subject matter hearing took place on Wednesday, February 5, 2020{{cite web|url=https://www.dcboe.org/CMSPages/GetFile.aspx?guid=4f1f314d-f459-4676-acc5-f0c680b876b0 |title=Notice ID: N0089058- Elections, Board of - Notice of Public Hearing - Receipt and Intent to Review Initiative Measure "Entheogenic Plant and Fungus Policy Act of 2020", DC Regulations |publisher=dcregs.dc.gov |date=2020-01-20 |access-date=2021-03-23}} and at the hearing the DC Board of Elections approved the ballot initiative's language.{{cite news|last= Moyer|first=Justin Wm.|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-considers-ballot-initiative-to-decriminalize-magic-mushrooms-other-psychedelics/2020/02/05/f28b3d0a-4770-11ea-bc78-8a18f7afcee7_story.html|title=Vote to decriminalize 'magic mushrooms,' other psychedelics may reach D.C. ballot in November|newspaper=Washington Post |date=2020-02-05|accessdate=2021-03-23}}
Petition gathering
Due the COVID-19 pandemic, the Council of the District of Columbia changed the way political campaigns were allowed to collect signatures to achieve ballot access.{{cite web|last=Kaplan |first=v|url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/may/12/dc-magic-mushrooms-petition-be-signed-online-mail/|title=D.C. 'magic mushrooms' petition to be signed online, by mail|work=Washington Times |date=2020-05-12|accessdate=2021-03-23}} For the first time, voters were able to submit completed petitions through the mail or electronically. Nikolas Schiller, the campaign's field director, said there were over 7,000 petitions that were returned by mail.{{cite news|last= Moyer|first=Justin Wm.|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-residents-to-vote-on-legalization-of-magic-mushrooms-on-november-ballot/2020/08/05/0e62478c-d720-11ea-b9b2-1ea733b97910_story.html|title=D.C. residents to vote on decriminalization of 'magic mushrooms' on November ballot|newspaper=Washington Post |date=2020-08-05|accessdate=2021-03-23}} Between May and July, approximately 60 days, the campaign collected more than 36,000 signatures from voters.{{cite web|last=Peterson|first=Kristina|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/psychedelic-mushrooms-could-pit-d-c-against-congress-11594479600|title=Psychedelic Mushrooms Could Pit D.C. Against Congress|work=Wall Street Journal|date=2020-07-11|accessdate=2021-03-23}} On August 5, 2020, the DC Board of Elections verified that 25,477 signatures, 642 more than what was legally required, were properly submitted, which placed the initiative on the general election ballot.{{cite web|last=Austermuhle |first=Martin|url=https://dcist.com/story/20/08/05/magic-mushrooms-ballot-initiative-dc-police/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200805175733/https://dcist.com/story/20/08/05/magic-mushrooms-ballot-initiative-dc-police/ |url-status=live |archive-date=August 5, 2020 |title=Should D.C. Police Ease Enforcement Of Magic Mushroom Laws? Voters Will Get To Weigh In This Fall|work=DCist |date=2020-08-05 |accessdate=2021-03-23}}
Opposition in Congress
The initiative was opposed by Maryland Congressman Andy Harris, who vowed to force a House Appropriations Committee vote to take it off the ballot.{{cite web | last=Nelson | first=Steven | title=Not groovy, man: Congressman vows to stop DC from allowing magic mushrooms | website=New York Post | date=July 8, 2020 | url=https://nypost.com/2020/07/08/congressman-vows-vote-to-stop-dc-from-allowing-psychedelics/ | access-date=May 12, 2023}} He later filed an amendment to make the law only apply to medically prescribed psilocybin, but withdrew it.{{cite web | last=Jaeger | first=Kyle | title=GOP Congressman Withdraws Amendment To Block D.C. Psychedelics Decriminalization | website=Marijuana Moment | date=July 15, 2020 | url=https://www.marijuanamoment.net/gop-congressman-withdraws-amendment-to-block-d-c-psychedelics-decriminalization/ | access-date=May 12, 2023}}
Election
Completion
The congressional review period ended at 12:01 a.m. on March 16, 2021. The measure makes the enforcement of drug laws against psilocybin mushrooms and psychedelic plants like cacti, iboga, and naturally occurring DMT, found in preparations like ayahuasca, to be among the Metropolitan Police Department's lowest priorities. The measure also calls upon Attorney General for the District of Columbia and the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia to cease prosecution of residents of the District of Columbia for activities associated with those natural plant medicines.