Readers Say

Experts and readers weigh in on Question 4.

Legalization of psychedelics in Massachusetts attracted nationwide attention and divided some of the mass electorate into two sides voting measure With November 5th fast approaching.

The primary supporter of the ballot measure, Massachusetts for Mental Health Options (MMHO)Question 4 outlines a comprehensive plan to treat adults over the age of 21 with serious mental health issues “under the supervision and guidance of a trained, licensed professional in regulated therapy centers,” according to their website.

Harvard Medical School instructor and Mass’ director of education and training, Dr. “What is known about psychedelics is that they produce a profound shift in consciousness that is often experienced as a deeply meaningful, significant, or profound event,” said Franklin King. . General Center for Psychedelics Neuroscience.

If voters answer “yes” to question 4, Mass. third state in the country It lags behind Colorado and Oregon in having legislation allowing adult use of psychedelic drugs.

“(Psychedelics) produce very strong, powerful states. “These should not be taken lightly,” said Dr. king “Of course, these can be very difficult experiences for some people. There are so many things that could potentially go wrong; just like a truly positive experience with psychedelics can leave lasting changes.”

Co-founder and spokesperson of Shawmut Strategies Safe Communities CoalitionChris Keohan is among Massachusetts voters confident he’ll vote “no” this fall.

“We do not question the medical benefits of this under the supervision of a doctor. But this is a step too far and reduces the overall safety of Massachusetts residents,” Keohan said. “Not only with the alcohol and drug driving issues, but also the home growth issues of children, pets (and) home insurance in general.”

The coalition’s main concern with the ballot measure lies in the ability to grow psychedelics at home. The measure will allow up to 144 square meters about to be raised. minimum dimensions The area of ​​​​a master bedroom in the state is 120 square meters.

“That’s an astronomical amount of square footage for home growth,” Keohan said. “If home growth wasn’t included I probably wouldn’t be on this voting question on the ‘no’ side. “I think this poses a really significant threat to public safety.”

Some voters favor universal legalization but worry about limiting access.

This also applies to leadership Bay Staters for Natural MedicineA community group dedicated to educating its members on the uses of psychedelic drugs.

“Eight cities and a growing number have already said they want this policy implemented,” said James Davis, executive director and co-founder of Bay Staters for Natural Medicine. “If we simply implement this, this is in some ways the best form of legalization because it means people will get this drug from someone they know and grow it themselves.”

Still, there are varying views on how psychedelic drugs should be regulated in the state.

“We never thought the ballot question would be possible in the state of Massachusetts,” Davis said. “We don’t think we’re there from a public perspective, and that’s why we are. “It’s not about educating slowly, having tough conversations, meeting people who don’t agree with us, trying to push this with 51% of the vote.”

“That’s what we really want as an alternative form of legalization,” he said.

After the approved ballot questions are announced, Boston.com polled readers They ask whether they believe psychedelic medical care for mental health should be legalized in the state. Of the 430 total responses, 74% voted “yes”, 21 voted “no” and 4% chose “I don’t know”.

Based on reader responses, two of the most common topics and concerns around legalization were public safety and mental health.

Here’s a sample of what readers are saying and how they plan to vote on Question 4.

Some responses have been lightly edited for length or clarity.

Yes: Psychedelics benefit mental health

Beyond the majority ‘yes’ vote, readers noted what psychedelic-assisted treatment can do to manage PTSD and other serious mental health diagnoses. Dr. “The patient has quite a bit of work to do, just be open to the experience and not try to avoid the negative things that might come up,” King said.

Dr. “When people hear psychedelic, they forget the word therapy,” King added. “I think of this as getting into the kind of contemporary issues we can probably expect to see more of regarding psychedelics.”

“Post-traumatic stress disorder is an overwhelming, distressing illness that has claimed countless lives through suicide and caused many more lives to be shattered. It disproportionately impacts veterans, first responders, and BIPOC people. Conventional medication and psychotherapy are inadequate to help these people. But studies at Johns Hopkins, Columbia and other universities have shown that short-term treatment with psilocybin provides remarkable and rapid benefits. Nixon-era prejudices cost us 50 years of unnecessary suffering. “It’s time.”

– Mark M., Pittsfield, vote “yes”

“For medical and psychological use only; not for recreational purposes. The data are compelling.”

– Peggy B., Lenox, “yes” vote

“This medicine is so vitally important for those dealing with PTSD or childhood trauma. It allows us to move beyond our fears and find self-care and love within ourselves. Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, a leading psychiatrist in trauma therapy, has researched this topic and is an advocate of this type of treatment. In his being discussed New York Times bestselling book, ‘The Body Keeps the Score.’”

– Matt, Walpole, vote “yes”

“If this natural mushroom is going to help someone heal, it should be made available to them. The more natural medicine there is, the better it is for the body and our planet.”

– John, Woburn, vote “yes”

“Psychedelic mushrooms have been used for thousands of years and there is clearly a reason for their use. “It makes no sense that these mushrooms are still illegal in the absence of other substances that are generally more harmful, such as alcohol.”

– Cannon W., Framingham, vote “yes.”

No: I am concerned about public safety

A common reason why readers say they will vote “no” is due to concerns about the potential negative impacts this access could have. Keohan advises people to “listen to medical professionals.” Listen to psychiatrists.”

“For the mental health uses of the clinic, yes. For recreational use, no. We have seen an increase in drug use since the legalization of marijuana. Our energy should go towards treatment rather than legalization.”

– A Boston.com reader voted “no”

“Psychedelics have not been proven to be drugs alone. What psychedelic research has shown is the potential therapeutic effectiveness of psychedelic-ASSISTANT THERAPY in highly structured/supportive environments. These substances pose real psychological/mental health risks that need to be better understood before expanding their reach in real-world settings. Premature legalization may lead to unintended negative effects on the mental health of the public; Some vulnerable groups (such as high-risk youth) may be the most vulnerable.”

– Boston.com reader, Cambridge, vote “no”

“The risks are known. Benefits are limited. “It can be ‘managed’ at home, which leads to abuse.”

– PB, Brookline, vote “no”

“I am an emergency room nurse. Since marijuana became legal, the number of trauma cases I have seen due to marijuana use has skyrocketed. In some patients I can smell it; others admit to using edibles. Last time, I took the vital organs of a driver who crashed into his car with his truck, breaking both femurs and passing out. Such is human nature and ‘patients’ will cause permanent harm to others by abusing this ‘medicine’. To detect excessive use of alcohol, police may perform a blood or breath test at the scene. “This is not the case with formerly illegal drugs.”

– A Boston.com reader voted “no”

“We wonder if the product would be taxed if we were pursuing this. It seems like the wrong thing to do to encourage things that disrupt normal cognitive functioning.”

– Magee, Dorchester, vote “no”

I’m undecided

“I think what we need to do is legalize them. I don’t think the part of the bill that calls for very expensive licensing for profit ‘health’ (ie: Making Big Profits for Private Companies) centers should be included or allowed in this bill. These beneficial drugs need to be decriminalized and allowed to be used without warning from health centres. We don’t do this with marijuana. In this case, it should not be done. Under this bill, access is restricted for the very wealthy and denied access for those with mental health needs who are not wealthy.”

– Alex and Melrose vote “I don’t know”

“I don’t know enough about them to give a fair opinion, but isn’t describing something as ‘psychedelic’ a distortion of the truth? I’m not sure how changing reality would be helpful to anyone.

– Erin and Nashua, “I don’t know” vote

Boston.com occasionally engages with readers by conducting informal polls and polls. These results should be read as a non-scientific measure of readers’ opinions.

Nia Harmon

Community Collaboration

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Nia Harmon is a community co-op for Boston.com and a journalism student at Emerson College. She is majoring in journalism and minoring in media studies at Emerson College. He is a native of Dallas, Texas.

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