Tacoma City Council lowers enforcement priority for psilocybin, similar substances

Tacoma has joined a number of Washington cities and at least one county in a growing movement to make enforcing activities related to the use of psychoactive substances, such as psilocybin mushrooms, a lower priority for law enforcement.

On Tuesday, the Tacoma City Council unanimously passed a resolution to lower enforcement priorities for entheogen-related activities. Entheogen has become the preferred term for chemicals that are psychoactive drugs. These have impacts on people’s consciousness, according to Science Direct. 

While cities can’t decriminalize the substances, since that’s a state law, local lawmakers believe this policy shows their support of decriminalization.

Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards voiced her support to decriminalize these substances during the meeting. 

“ I look forward to making sure that not only does Tacoma do this, but that Washington state does this for all of those of you who live in Tacoma, but for everyone who lives in this state,” Woodards said. 

This comes as the state Legislature is considering a bill that would allow adults 21 or older a “regulated, safe means of accessing psychedelic substances,” overseen by the Washington State  Department of Health. That bill is scheduled for a public hearing on Feb. 6.

“By passing this resolution, we provide an opportunity to lend our voice to decriminalizing it at a state level,” said Tacoma City Council member Joe Bushnell, who brought the city resolution forward.

In the resolution, accessible in the council agenda on the city website, the city describes the term “entheogen” as “any living, fresh, dried, or processed plant or fungal material, including teas or powders, that may contain currently scheduled or analog psychoactive components, such as psilocybin mushrooms, ayahuasca tea, mescaline, and iboga.” 

These substances have sacred, traditional uses and have been shown to have healing capabilities. During Tuesday’s council meeting, Bushnell, who is also a Marine Corps veteran, spoke about his support of pursuing further access to tools to help people cope and thrive with mental health conditions.

“This resolution is a testament to our commitment to exploring innovative and compassionate approaches to mental health,” Bushnell said. “As a veteran who lives with (post-traumatic stress disorder,) I’m acutely aware of the challenges faced by those struggling with mental health conditions.” 

Numerous community members offered public comments during the meeting about how using entheogens have been life-changing for them.

One, Matt Metzger, a retired Marine Corps combat veteran, spoke about how he struggled using traditional pharmaceuticals to treat mental health conditions as he coped with trauma from his service. 

He met another veteran who had similar trauma to his, who found relief with psilocybin mushrooms. Metzger said he began using them after retiring, and that he worked with his Veterans Affairs doctor to wean off of traditional pharmaceuticals within four months. 

“This medicine changed my life profoundly, allowing me to connect with my family and live fully again,” Metzger said. 

Metzger said he now helps others as a psychedelic wellness coach and consultant, focusing on harm reduction and safe, informed and responsible use. 

“All humans deserve to live, not merely survive. Decriminalizing plant medicine will allow many more to find the relief and healing that I did,” Metzger told the council.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has designated psilocybin therapy as a breakthrough treatment for persistent depression. 

The city resolution does not authorize or enable commercial manufacturing or sales of entheogenic plants or fungi. 

According to Bushnell, Tacoma police said  in the last decade, they don’t recall any prosecutions or calls for entheogen enforcement. 

At the end of the public comment period during Tuesday’s meeting, community member Taylor Roberts read a poem expressing his support of the resolution to the council. It read, in part: 

“On a personal level, it has helped me reconnect with the divine. /  Fear not, my fellow citizens. / Even if the answer is no, they are but burying a seed which will again grow. /  Let’s choose courage and broaden our scopes. / Here’s to a unanimous yes being how you’ll cast your votes.”

Listen to the whole poem below. 

(Runtime 1:28)

The City Council passed the resolution unanimously.