Frequently Asked Questions

Entheogens are natural ethnobotanicals, often erroneously labeled as “drugs,” that are viewed by many communities as sacred. They have a variety of effects on the mind and body and can provoke mystical experiences when consumed at higher doses. Common examples of these plants and fungi include psilocybin mushrooms, DMT containing shrubs (Chacruna) found in ayahuasca, and mescaline containing cacti; all of which have historically been administered in spiritual and religious settings. For millennia, cultures from the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Europe have respected entheogens for providing mental and physiological healing, creative inspiration, and spiritual and community connections. More recently, clinical studies demonstrate that entheogens may be beneficial for treating conditions such as end-of-life anxiety, substance abuse and addiction, PTSD, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and treatment-resistant depression. There is sufficient evidence to suggest that entheogens may also be useful in treating mild chronic depression, eating disorders, cluster headaches, and traumatic brain injury. Additionally, recent studies have shown entheogens to be beneficial to personal and spiritual growth and usage to be correlated to reduced rates of intimate partner violence and recidivism. These studies confirm the anecdotal and sociological evidence provided by entheogenic cultures that have traditionally engaged with these plants to treat a wide range of conditions.

Here are just a few examples of the reasons this resolution might matter to you:

• Perhaps you know a veteran or a law enforcement officer who is affected by PTSD or a friend or family member who struggles with addiction, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or depression; numerous studies have shown the effectiveness of entheogens in treating all of the above illnesses, even when no other treatments have been successful. 

• Perhaps you know someone who is terminally ill and struggling with the death process; entheogens have been shown to help people come to terms with dying and alleviate their anxiety. 

• Perhaps you don’t believe in prisons profiting by the incarceration of people for non-violent crimes; no one should go to jail, lose their children, lose their job and housing, or lose their citizen’s rights for seeking to access the healing potential or self-growth available through entheogenic plants and fungi.

• Perhaps you have some libertarian values and believe in individual liberty, reducing governmental control over what we consume, and that only those acts that infringe upon the rights of another qualify as crimes.

• Perhaps you are an advocate for social justice; decriminalization of entheogens is one step towards ending a drug war that disproportionately marginalizes and persecutes poor people and people of color which inflicts intergenerational harm and contributes to social and financial inequality. Furthermore, decriminalization aims to make the healing potential of entheogens equitably accessible to all people. 

• Perhaps you care about the environment and wish others were similarly inspired; studies have shown that use of entheogens tends to increase one’s care for and connection to the natural world. 

• Perhaps you want to protect nature from commodification; decriminalization protects direct access to entheogens such that the manufacture and provision of these natural resources cannot be monopolized by corporations.

• Perhaps you have studied the history of the war on drugs and the manner in which drug policy in our country has been based on misinformation, fear, and discrimination and want to help right this wrong.

• Perhaps you are passionate about the healing of our planet, our systems, and ourselves, and want to free and support all helpful paths that further this endeavor.

Overview:

The REACH Washington initiative, known as "The Natural Psychedelics and Supportive Services Act," seeks to decriminalize the gifting, gathering, and growing of natural psychedelics, allowing responsible access for adults. Natural psychedelics covered by this initiative, including psilocybin, psilocin, DMT, 5-MeO-DMT, and mescaline (excluding Lophophora Williamsii), must be from plant or fungal source and not be synthetically derived. 

Additionally, the initiative sets up a basic framework for supportive services providers who adhere to the guidelines for offering paid supportive services. This initiative does not decriminalize the sale of natural psychedelics. 

The REACH Washington initiative represents a comprehensive and compassionate approach to drug policy reform, emphasizing education, harm reduction, and equitable access to natural psychedelics for responsible use. The initiative strives to promote a more enlightened, compassionate, community-led approach, steering away from corporatization.

Key Findings and Purposes:

• Addressing Drug Policy Failures: Acknowledges that criminalization does not deter drug use but rather makes it less safe.

• Promoting Education: Advocates for honest drug education to combat misinformation, stigma, and cultural appropriation surrounding entheogenic plants.

• Supporting Mental Health: Highlights the potential therapeutic benefits of entheogenic plants in addressing mental health challenges and advocates for safer, above ground access.

• Enshrining Human Rights: Emphasizing human rights by providing explicit provisions in the bill that safeguard the right to access entheogens, citing studies supporting the safety and efficacy of entheogenic plants, and emphasizing the role of entheogens in diverse cultural and religious traditions.

• Combating Racial Disparities: Highlights the disproportionate impact of punitive drug policies on people of color and low-income communities.

• Aligning with National Trends: Acknowledges the growing trend of decriminalization in the U.S., citing states and cities that have already passed similar laws.

Key Provisions:

• Decriminalization: Provides legal protection for individuals aged 21 and older to gift, gather, and grow entheogenic plants.

• Supportive Services: Encourages a responsible relationship with entheogenic plants by permitting supportive services, including harm reduction tools, to enhance safety and mitigate risks.

• Service Standards: Sets standards for individuals offering supportive services, encouraging safety, ethical conduct, and informed consent.

• Informed Consent: Outlines requirements for informed consent, emphasizing transparency on potential risks, conflicts of interest, and the nature of the services.

• Expungement: Allows a person who has completed a sentence for an entheogen related conviction to petition to have their records vacated and dismissed at no cost.

• Civil Protections: Safeguards licensed professionals from adverse action based on recommending or participating in entheogenic supportive services (in accordance with professional standards).  Additionally, protects parents and individuals receiving public assistance who engage with entheogens.

• Youth Protections: Establishes penalties for supplying entheogenic plants to individuals under 21. Reduces penalties for youth possession of entheogenic plants to a misdemeanor.

• Community-Based Standards Evolution: Establishes an advisory council with representatives from entheogenic communities to develop best practices, spanning topics such as conflict resolution, transformative justice, reciprocity, ethics, and culturally attuned care.

• Penalties and Prohibited Conduct: Prohibits the sale of entheogens. Does not allow supportive services providers to charge for services without adherence to  standards of care. Addresses issues such as public use, nuisance, and advertising.

Severability: Ensures that if any provision is deemed invalid, the remainder of the initiative remains intact.

Our submission for the 2024 legislative season was largely symbolic and to generate awareness for our campaign. We are still working diligently to finalize our strategy, mobilize our supporters, and find financial backers. We are committed to refining and improving the language of our initiative, whether it’s for the next ballot in 2026 or in hopes of finding a legislative sponsor. Ongoing input remains invaluable to us, particularly on key issues such as the advisory council, penalties for minors, and public use regulations.

While international law does not prohibit or control entheogenic plants and fungi or natural preparations made thereof, the legal status of entheogens varies by country. In the United States, entheogens are prohibited as Schedule I substances, which classifies them as having no medical value and as being highly addictive. There has never been evidence to support the classification of entheogens as such, and indeed these claims have been proven false. One of our aims with this initiative is to educate people about why these plants and fungi are, in fact, healing medicines that can help heal people from trauma and powerful addictions.

The Supreme Court has protected sacramental use of certain entheogens for the Native American Church and for two churches for whom ayahuasca is a sacrament. Through the initiative process, Denver, CO and Washington, D.C. have recently decriminalized psilocybin-containing mushrooms. Seattle, WA; Port Townsend, WA; Oakland, CA; Santa Cruz, CA; Arcata, CA; Detroit, MI; Ann Arbor, MI; and Somerville, Cambridge, and Northampton, MA have all unanimously decriminalized all natural entheogenic plants and fungi by resolution. In Michigan, the Washtenaw County Prosecuting Attorney has extended Ann Arbor's resolution county wide. 

We absolutely believe decriminalization is a mandatory step if we are to be true to the idea of equitable access. Without decriminalization before or at the same time as legalization, people will continue to be needlessly arrested. Criminalization perpetuates the drug war and further penalizes disenfranchised communities who cannot afford expensive treatment options. We cannot accept a situation where only people with certain socioeconomic status have access to medicines found freely in nature. We believe decriminalization empowers all people to have the basic right to access these medicines and that this right must be established and maintained upon legal, regulated channels being created.

Where regulated, for-profit, natural psychedelic services have been legalized, federal taxation and regulatory complexities dictate that the costs of access within these services-based systems are typically $1,000  or more for a single session, despite the fact that natural psychedelics can be foraged in nature or grown at nominal cost. Washingtonians should not be deprived of access to the benefits of natural psychedelics on account of their inability to afford costly, regulated services-based models of access.

​We encourage the conscientious and thoughtful deliberation of leadership at all levels of government to protect equitable access to entheogenic plants and fungi by seeking to restrict any corporate activity that would diminish accessibility, diversity, or supply of entheogens.

To be rescheduled, the Controlled Substances Act requires that every compound has proven “medical value.” Inherent to the process of rescheduling are expensive clinical trials which necessitate the production of purified synthetic compounds. These trials are typically funded by corporations seeking patent protection to monopolize the pharmaceutical under development. Without the investment potential that patenting brings, there is little funding available and few trials completed for the medicinal compounds found in natural plants and fungi which should not be patented.

Furthermore, we believe in the right to have a direct relationship with nature, including the personal liberty to grow, use, and share entheogenic plants and fungi. And while we believe individuals have the right to access these plants for any use they choose, we especially emphasize the basic rights of people to use them for religious practice, personal healing, and self-growth.

Emergent systemic change begins at a local level and fully manifests when small changes distributed throughout a system connect and interweave at higher levels. As such, we are primarily concerned with our immediate community and the state of Washington. We believe in building a strong network of support and showing evidence at the grassroots level that people want this change. Many states are taking the same approach and together we believe we will be able to make a larger impact - one that will eventually reach federal levels. We believe this is the beginning of a new era in mental health treatment, what some refer to as the Psychedelic Renaissance. Meeting these aspirations will require small, steady, and deliberately planned-out steps. We believe working at the local level helps build and strengthen our local community connections and resilience and contribute towards these broader goals.

The Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies has been spearheading the movement to legalize psychedelic medicine within the U.S. since 1986 beginning with MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD. In 2018, Michael Pollan's book, How to Change Your Mind, catapulted this topic into mainstream awareness, enabling people to imagine new potential and possibility within the field. In May of 2019, Denver, Colorado (led by the Decriminalize Denver initiative) became the first city in the U.S. to decriminalize psilocybin mushrooms. In June of 2019, the Decriminalize Nature organization from Oakland, California successfully decriminalized all entheogenic plants and fungi in their city. Decriminalize Nature quickly grew into a nationwide movement and cities like Seattle, Washington DC, Santa Cruz, Ann Arbor, and Cambridge followed suit in decriminalizing all natural entheogenic plants and fungi by resolution or ballot measure. In Michigan, the Washtenaw County Prosecuting Attorney has extended Ann Arbor's resolution county wide. 

In September of 2021, John Hopkins University announced they would be expanding their psychedelic research unit and open the first dedicated Psychedelic Research Center in the U.S. It is now transparently clear that psychedelic medicine will contribute to a much needed revolution in mental healthcare and we believe in our community’s potential to contribute at the forefront of this wave. We are also at a critical tipping point regarding environmental care and concern for the planet and believe these medicines are powerful tools in re-inspiring healthy relationships to the natural systems we all depend on.

We also believe these plants and fungi will be legalized within certain states in upcoming years and emphasize the importance of decriminalizing first or simultaneously. Decriminalization is necessary so that entheogens are accessible for those who cannot afford or access care in a medical, therapeutic, or service-center setting. 

When entheogens are decriminalized, people will have the option to grow their own medicine and the freedom to create or choose for themselves how to partake in their use. Upon legalization, those who want to, can also access these medicines through regulated means, such as in a therapeutic or medical setting, provided they can afford to do so and have access. Decriminalization prevents corporations, government, prisons, and so forth from persecuting those who use these natural medicines outside of legal regulatory frameworks.

Finally, as interest in these medicines grows, many with the resources to do so are traveling to countries where they can legally partake in these medicines (at times in questionable and potentially hazardous settings). Others will partake in entheogens in local subpar settings due to lack of education or lack of above-ground access to safe and supportive settings. We believe decriminalization addresses these concerns and enables a Pollination Approach, so that access and support systems are enabled in one’s own community, where circles of trust help people find the right support for their entheogenic experiences, and resources are maximally recirculated through local economies.

We believe entheogens can be helpful tools utilized to help people recover from a wide variety of trauma. There is a mountain of research accumulating for psychedelics and their potential to treat addiction, depression, lack of community connection and support.

We recognize that there will be an initial cost and time investment to enact these changes and pass a ballot measure at the state level: we believe the benefits of decriminalizing these plants and fungi will far outweigh the initial cost. We strongly believe the initial investment will immensely benefit the fabric of our community at large, providing healing opportunities for those for whom nothing has yet worked.

While we ultimately believe these substances should also be decriminalized, we recognize that this is more complicated than decriminalizing plants and fungi that grow naturally in our local environment. Synthetic substances bring up issues of testing and purity, how to handle the labs that create these substances, and where to draw the line with what substances are considered psychedelic. Traditional use of natural psychedelics has a long history and cultural significance that synthetic substances do not share, making them a more appropriate starting point for decriminalization efforts.

In other words, synthetic psychedelics present complexities and controversies that we are not prepared to address initially. For now, we have planned to leave out synthetic psychedelics from our efforts, but we will update this stance if it becomes politically feasible. Although we support the use of testing kits, harm reduction practices, and the decriminalization of all drug possession, these are not part of our current ballot initiative for the reasons described above.

We value the protection of threatened entheogenic species and respect the sovereignty of Indigenous peoples that have long served as stewards of plants central to their spiritual practice and identity. The National Council of Native American Churches has advised the psychedelic movement that they have a national conservation effort in progress that decriminalization efforts will not support and will interfere with. There are other mescaline-containing cacti like San Pedro (Huachuma) that are already legal to cultivate and available for non-native seekers to heal with, and our measure decriminalizes all other mescaline-containing cacti. For more thoughtful commentary see the Plant Medicine Alliance FAQ.

We are not including Iboga in our ballot measure due to both real and perceived physical health risks. See ICEERS – Deciding to Take Iboga – Exclusion Criteria and Risks.

Animal derived medicines bring up concerns related to ethics and sustainability that we are not prepared to address in this initial measure. Many of the animals are threatened within their natural habitats due to poaching and are thus not a sustainable source for these medicines.  Some of these substances such as 5-MEO-DMT can also be derived from plant sources.

We’re taking it one step at a time. While we ultimately believe that substance use disorder is best addressed as a health problem, we want to maximize the possibility of passing our ballot measure. So, for example, this resolution decriminalizes all entheogenic plants and fungi on Schedule 1, but not Schedule 2 plants like poppy and coca, which require a larger educational campaign. Those substances have a much higher risk of dependence and misuse and require a different strategy for legalization.

To support fully ending the War on Drugs in Washington State consider donating or volunteering with organizations like Drug Policy Alliance or ACLU-WA.

We believe our efforts are complementary with those of other groups who are focused on broader scale drug decriminalization, especially given the need for affordable, effective, and accessible paths of recovery. Decriminalizing entheogens provides an innovative and community based healing avenue with the potential to compassionately address root causes, both individual and systemic, that give rise to addiction and problematic substance use.

We acknowledge the harms of the drug war at large, particularly on marginalized communities, and we do not believe anyone should be stigmatized or criminalized for any form of drug use. We hope to partner with organizations focused on providing safe consumption sites, drug testing, syringe exchanges, and harm reduction education.

We believe in nuanced, compassionate, and informed conversations about different sets of substances in terms of their benefits and risks, in contrast to the current legal status of substances which rarely correlates to actual levels of risk. 

Entheogens, for example, are a unique group of plants and fungi in that they:

1. Have a low potential for abuse, are non-addictive, and have been shown to generally be safe with relatively low risk with most risks easily mitigated through education, responsible use, and access to support (see FAQ section related to iboga).

2. Provide access to modes of experiencing that have proven helpful for addressing many issues that can give rise to problematic relationships with other more addictive substances such as alcohol, tobacco, and opiates. 

3. Grow naturally and thus avoid most issues of manufacturing such as adulterants

4. Have been used within traditional cultural contexts for healing and connection; criminalizing them is the exception to the historical norm and creates stigma and legal barriers to authentic spiritual and religious practices.

So far, broader decriminalization bills and initiatives introduced in our state have focused on decriminalization of possession only. Given their history, their safety profile, and their potential for healing, we believe entheogens require a unique approach that includes decriminalization of growing, gifting, and gathering in addition to simple possession. 

Furthermore, decriminalization is the primary pathway that protects equitable access to entheogens and supports people in choosing or creating culturally sensitive contexts that feel safe and supportive. Decriminalization of entheogens keeps them primarily in the hands of communities, so that access is not limited to those with economic privilege. We believe decriminalization of entheogens will benefit many beyond those who already engage with them; removing their criminal status and stigma will increase safety around their use by increasing access to support and education and enable them to become more available as new healing avenues for those who have yet to discover their healing potentials.

We are choosing to proceed from a place of trust (rather than letting fear hold us back from needed change) that the federal government will respect our state’s decision, just as the federal government has so far mostly respected the decision of several states to legalize cannabis. As more and more cities decriminalize these plants and fungi and an explosion of problems does not as a result (and instead we see that many problems are effectively and compassionately addressed), we anticipate that federal agencies will not only respect local decisions, but alter their own policies to match the wishes of their constituents.

We believe in the power of education and open information to help guide people’s free decisions regarding their relationship to nature. We believe in encouraging community based guidelines and practices, so that a local culture of safe and supported use is developed. There are regulatory and legal frameworks already in place that offer increased public safety, for example, laws around driving under the influence, endangerment of children, public disorderly conduct, and inflicting injury to self or others. We do not oppose legal frameworks for regulating entheogens, so long as each individual’s right to make responsible, educated choices regarding how and when they engage with entheogens is preserved through decriminalization. And finally, because the primary safety concerns involve the person using the entheogen, we believe decriminalization empowers any individual who does feel unsafe or is having a challenging experience to reach out and receive help more readily. Much of the harms that have been mistakenly attributed to psychedelics are related to their legal status and the difficulties in accessing information about responsible use.

We do not endorse the under-age use of psychedelic substances, and we believe in the importance of real drug education including comprehensive safety information regarding medicinal plants and fungi for all members of our community including children, should they choose to partake in these as adults. This conforms with how we handle education and use of other substances like alcohol and cannabis in our society.

At present, possession of a scheduled substance by minors can result in felony charges with up to a year of jail time. We have significantly reduced penalties for minors for all entheogen related activities, including possession and transfer. In the latest initiative draft, first time offenders must be offered a pre-charging diversion agreement which cannot include confinement, but may include enrollment in programs such as community service. First time convictions also cannot include confinement. Subsequent convictions may be charged as a misdemeanor where confinement may not exceed 5 days. We believe this approach balances taking a compassionate approach with the realities of where our society currently is with regards to drug policy and criminal justice.

Our initiative does nothing to enable the sale of entheogens. We encourage the grow, gather, and gift approach for individuals to connect and share with their community. 

Our language continues to criminalize public use and transfer of natural psychedelics. This decision balances advancing individual liberties with maintaining public order and addressing broader societal concerns. Measure 110 in Oregon, which decriminalized the possession of small amounts of scheduled substances, faced significant public backlash due to rampant public drug use and the proliferation of open-air drug markets. The reduction in penalties hindered law enforcement's ability to disrupt these markets, which became a prominent issue. 

Ultimately 110 was repealed in February 2024. By keeping public consumption and transfer of psychedelics illegal, we aim to avoid repeating these problems and maintain public trust in new drug policies. Public drug use and visible transactions often provoke strong negative reactions, which could lead to stricter regulations or even repeals of progressive laws. By controlling where and how psychedelics are used and distributed, the initiative aims to safeguard the progress made in normalizing these substances. Additionally, as current regulations for alcohol and cannabis do not permit public consumption or transfer, our policies align with these standards. This consistency helps maintain societal norms and avoids creating a perception of leniency specifically towards psychedelics and promotes a sense of continuity and predictability in drug policy. 

Many people remain skeptical of psychedelics, associating them with counterculture movements and unregulated use. Allowing public consumption and transfer could reinforce these negative perceptions and alienate this segment of the population. By keeping these activities restricted, the bill aims to present a more controlled and responsible approach, which may help in gradually gaining broader acceptance and support for psychedelics. In summary, by restricting public use and transfer, we seek to avoid the pitfalls experienced with Measure 110, align with existing substance regulations, prevent public backlash, and address societal skepticism that still exists within a large segment of the population.

All that said, we are still considering this issue and are split 50/50 on our board whether to only restrict public consumption or transfer in view of the public, or restrict all use and transfer in public places altogether.

See OPB: Oregon’s legal psilocybin clinics draw hundreds — mostly from out of state and HAF: Client Education Guide.

We recognize that those who are putting in time and energy to create safe structures for entheogenic use deserve compensation for their work. In addition, we know that nonprofits and cooperatives promote social welfare and resilience in local communities. In holding these two truths together, we have decided to allow for paid support services while limiting the types of corporations that may work with natural psychedelics to nonprofits and cooperatives. We believe this will help create a mission-driven, community-based natural psychedelic ecosystem in Washington. As it is written, the Natural Psychedelics and Supportive Services Act would also permit  sole-proprietorships to be compensated for supportive services.. We encourage all who engage in such professions to find a respectful balance between making a sustainable living and making their offerings accessible. 

Our team plans to consider expanding the types of corporations that can provide supportive services to include corporate structures such as B Corporations and Washington Social Purpose Corporations (SPCs),when we carry out our ballot measure campaign in 2026. If you have feedback for us around this, please reach out!

This varies with each person’s needs and experience. For an experienced person, it might be finding a safe and supportive place in nature, setting up a place to rest as well as clear boundaries for exploration of the area, having a supportive and trusted sitter acting as peer support, and ensuring all your basic needs are met. For a person new to this work or working with a new entheogen, it might look like partaking in a ceremony with an experienced facilitator who has been recommended by a trusted community member and with whom you’ve had conversations and feel like it would be a supportive environment. It also might include working with the support of a trusted mental health professional or an experienced guide and/or having community support around the preparation and integration process. We encourage approaching all entheogenic experiences with care, reverence, and intention. 

 Here are a few guidelines to start with:

1. Choose the right medicine for you. Do your research, ask people you trust about their experiences, and understand the potential risks. 

2. Choose the right dosage. If you are uncertain how much you should take or it is your first time, start with a small or sub-perceptual dose.

3. Choose the right environment. Find a setting that is comfortable for you, one that will help enable you to go deeper into your journey with focus and clarity. 

4. Find a trusted sitter. This is strongly recommended if you are inexperienced with these substances. There are mental health professionals who can help assist with preparation, journeying, and integration. Lay out pre-established agreements between the two of you. 

5. Be open to lifestyle changes. These experiences may shift your perception regarding thought-habits, behavioral patterns, or relationship dynamics. It is recommended you approach these experiences with an open mind toward exploring changes and opportunities that may become apparent from working with the medicine (eg diet, exercise, styles of communication, memory patterns, narrative transformations, etc). We also recommend waiting to make any significant life decisions until a few weeks after an entheogenic experience so that you have time to thoroughly think and feel them through.

The plants and fungi comprising entheogens have a low risk profile. They are non-addictive and the majority have no known lethal dose, although a few are contraindicated for people with heart conditions or those taking certain medications. No entheogens have any evidence of lasting toxicity within the body (unlike alcohol and many pharmaceutical drugs). Psychologically, there is a risk of triggering or exacerbating pre-existing psychological disorders or (very rarely) temporary psychosis.

While the risks involving entheogens are far less than alcohol and many over-the-counter medicines, much less prescribed and controlled pharmaceuticals, we want to help mitigate them through education and various means of support within our community. Some examples of this include 1) screening processes and education about who should avoid these substances 2) education about what it means to have a prepared and supportive set and setting and 3) the following guidelines originating from Decriminalize Nature Oakland:

1. Entheogens are not for everyone. Knowledgeable clinicians caution that some people should not take entheogenic plants or fungi, including people with a personal or family history of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, those with personality disorder or suicidal ideation, or who are taking certain medications.

2. If someone has a serious condition like major depression or PTSD, they would do well to get serious, professional help before using an entheogen and to ask that caregiver’s advice. (Some counselors and therapists are glad to work with a client before and after an entheogenic journey). 

3. Unless you have expert guidance, it’s best to start with small amounts, using more only after you become familiar with the material and the terrain.

4. Don’t go solo (with nontrivial doses). Have at least one trusted support person (such as a sitter, guide, or facilitator) be with you, sober during the entire journey, and commit in advance to honor that person’s instructions if he or she tells you to not do something. Entheogens can amplify the whole range of human emotions, including anxiety which can sometimes lead to panic. Having a sitter gives you a certain comfort and mental freedom, and helps keep things safe.

5. Reverence reduces risks and can help lead to positive outcomes. In cultures that have long used entheogenic substances beneficially, that use is approached with great respect, not haphazardly, and for life-enhancing purpose

We also believe the health and safety risks of engaging with entheogenic plants and fungi stem more from the effects of them being criminalized than from using entheogens themselves. Decriminalization allows for education, creation of safe and supportive spaces, trusted local resources, and comfort asking for help without legal consequences to be put in place and equitably accessed.

We encourage people to research local flora and fauna to discover how to ethically source local and sustainable plants, especially being sure to have a robust replanting practice for any plants wild-harvested. Many plants that do not naturally grow in Washington can be grown inside. We encourage people to work most often with those plants that can be cultivated locally, and if receiving plants from another part of the planet, we encourage people to find ways to help support their sustainable cultivation and collection in the place they are from. We also support bringing awareness to threatened and endangered entheogenic plants. 

The most reliable and affordable approach to accessing entheogens is through personal cultivation, which is why we are fighting for full decriminalization, which includes possession, cultivation, and sharing. If you are fortunate enough to live in an area where entheogens grow natively you can acquire them through sustainable foraging practices with the assistance of a knowledgeable guide. You may have access to a mycological or herbalist society in your local community or state which can help with learning property identification and cultivation practices. 

For former members of the military there are several organizations that offer grants to access therapy with plant medicines (e.g. Heart Hearts Project, Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions).

If you are very low income and seeking psychedelic assisted therapy, you could request a deferred payment plan or look into participating in a study on the effects of entheogens provided you qualify. 

Approaches to working with entheogens can look quite different based on diverse community needs and cultural backgrounds. We recommend exploring the needs of your community through the counsel of your community leaders (social workers, community elders, spiritual leaders, local business owners, labor representatives, etc).