Decriminalize California Campaign to Legalize Psilocybin Misses Signature Deadline for November Ballot

Due to difficulties caused by the pandemic, Decriminalize California’s initiative to decriminalize psilocybin mushrooms did not reach the number of signatures required to qualify for the November 2020 ballot. Decriminalize California is a statewide ballot initiative committee working towards legalizing and regulating psilocybin mushrooms for medical and personal use. Sponsored by Dr. Bronners, it would also “create a legal framework in which sales of psilocybin mushrooms would be regulated,” according to their website. 

In an email blast to volunteers sent on Tuesday, Decriminalize California says they couldn’t come close to the 623,212 valid signatures needed because of Covid-19. In March, they posted on Twitter that “close to a quarter” of the signatures needed had been collected. 

“As of yet we have not received a single indication that the California government will allow for an extension or electronic signatures,” they said.

Decriminalize California is reaching out to other state decriminalization initiatives whose signature collection was disrupted by the virus to see if there is interest in forming a national movement for electronic signatures. “For every state that passes electronic voting it will remove one more barrier between the people and their government,” the organization says, adding that this lessens the cost to push initiatives. 

The organization will utilize this extra time to edit and tweak the details of the initiative, they announced. In a previous interview with Marijuana Moment, campaign director Ryan Munever said the measure may have to be redrafted so that psilocybin would be legal for adults 21 and older, rather than 18.

Decriminalize California will keep running their campaign, and will be filing for the next election cycle. Their next signature collection stage will take place after the quarantine is officially lifted and the November 2020 election is over.