Washington city decriminalizes psychedelic drugs to allow people to ' seek healing'

The city council of Olympia Washington has announced that some psychedelic drugs like mushrooms will be decriminalized in their city.

The Olympia City Council announced that entheogens/psilocybin-related investigations, arrests, and prosecutions will not be high-priority for law enforcement. The city leaders understand that many people use psychedelic drugs as a way to combat depression, anxiety, and PTSD . They want to give people the space to relieve their pain and heal.

The city noted that there were just 5 arrests made between 2019 to 2024 where psilocybin was present. Psilocybin was not the reason that the person was involved with law enforcement in any of those cases.

The decriminalization does not permit people to sell, grow or drive under the influence. Authorities are finding ways to address public safety concerns while honoring the city council’s intent.

City Councilmember Clark Gilman said: “To me, it’s about allowing people to seek healing using things that are available in the world.”

The public reaction to the council’s decision has been mixed but majority of city residents who spoke to Seattle-based news outlet, KIRO 7, said they were supportive. One person emphasized the importance of ‘self responsibility.’

Dr Nathan Sackett with UW Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences told KIRO 7 that decriminalizing psychedelics might be the best step forward.

“I think as cities and states move to decriminalize things like psychedelics, I think that it’s a rational step,” Dr. Hackett said. However, he did point out that despite their popularity in treating mental health issues, he believes there is plenty of research left to do.

“But I think the challenge we face is how do we integrate these sorts of interventions into our current healthcare system,” Dr. Sackett said.

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