Politics
Maine Lawmakers Reverse Course On Psilocybin Legalization Bill, Rejecting Measure In Final Enactment Votes
Maine lawmakers have reversed course and rejected a bill to legalize possession of up to one ounce of psilocybin by people 21 and older.
Just a week after the measure from Rep. Grayson Lookner (D) advanced through both chambers of the legislature for initial approval, the House ultimately decided against enacting the proposal by a vote of 72-74 on Monday and the Senate concurred with a tied 16-16 vote on Tuesday.
The bill, LD 1034, would not have authorized or regulated production, distribution or commercial sales of the psychedelic substance.
Earlier this session, a committee had moved to significantly amend the proposal to instead simply require the creation of a “Commission to Study Pathways for Creating a Psilocybin Services Program,” but the legislation was first approved by both chambers in its initial, as-introduced form before the enactment votes.
Ahead of last week’s House vote, Lookner called the bill “a matter of compassion, common sense and justice.”
“We have before us an opportunity to alleviate profound suffering, particularly among our veterans who have borne the invisible wounds of war, while correcting an unjust and irrational law that persists only because of outdated stigma,” he said.
“This bill would simply decriminalize possession of psilocybin for adults 21 years of age and older. It does not legalize sales. It does not create recreational markets,” the sponsor added. “It simply says that if an adult chooses to possess this substance for personal use, they should not face arrest, jail time nor criminal record.”
On Tuesday, Sen. Scott Cyrway (R) said on the Senate floor that “as a career law enforcement officer, I know the dangers associated with these drugs.”
“I shudder to think of what will happen if we pass this bill, which decriminalizes drugs without a well-thought-out public safety policy,” he said. “Despite the title claiming to legalize a therapeutic amount, the bill is not about medicinal drug use.”
“Why would we want anyone, regardless of where they are, to acquire a substance that can blur the lines between the real and fake and alter one’s brain?” the senator asked.
There was no discussion on the House floor when that body rejected the measure a day earlier.
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The proposal as originally filed had support from advocacy groups such as ACLU of Maine and the Reason Foundation, which both submitted testimony in favor of LD 1034 at an initial hearing.
The advancement of the measure follows a separate effort in Maine last year to legalize psilocybin and allow adults to access the psychedelic at state-licensed facilities. But lawmakers watered down that bill—amending it to create a commission to further explore the reform instead—and it ultimately did not pass.
Meanwhile, Maine lawmakers in February voted to investigate possible conflicts of interest by a top marijuana official.
And last year, a law took effect allowing people to apply to have records of now-legal marijuana crimes sealed.
