In a unanimous vote, The Santa Cruz City Council has passed a resolution which will effectively decriminalize possession of plant-related psychedelic substances including mushrooms.

The resolution does not absolve individuals from penalties related to the sale or cultivation of mushrooms, but it does mean city law enforcement is unlikely to investigate or arrest individuals based on possession alone. Following similar measures from Denver and Oakland, Santa Cruz becomes the third U.S. city to take such a step - and the second California city.

In recent years there has been a growing demand to study the effects of psilocybin mushrooms in the potential treatment of depression, anxiety, and PTSD. In 2018 Johns Hopkins University called for the removal of psilocybin from the list of Schedule I substances. Ultimately, this I can only occur if a medicinal product containing a Schedule I substance is approved for therapeutic use as a drug by the FDA.

On a local level, The Hill reports Washington, D.C. may be the next city to decriminalize as a similar proposal is in the early stages.