Massachusetts voters made the decision not to legalize psychedelics on Tuesday.
On the Massachusetts ballot as Question 457% voted against the measure as of Wednesday morning, with about 90% of the votes counted.
The law would have allowed the following:
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Adults 21 years of age and older who possess, grow and use “certain natural psychedelic substances under certain circumstances”
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Adults 21 years of age and older to purchase psychedelic substances at an approved location
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Licensing and regulation of facilities offering supervised use of psychedelic substances
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Creation of a Commission on Natural Psychedelics and Advisory Board on Natural Psychedelics
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Give cities and towns the ability to reasonably limit the time, place and manner of operation of licensed establishments selling psychedelic substances (facilities cannot be banned)
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Revenues from the sale of psychedelic substances at licensed establishments shall be subject to state sales tax, in addition to 15% excise duty
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City or town may levy a separate tax of up to 2%
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Restraint based on denial of medical care and public assistance, discipline by a professional licensing board, or adverse decisions in child custody cases for adults 21 and older who use psychedelics legally
The law would not have affected existing operating under the influence laws in Massachusetts or the ability of employers to enforce workplace policies restricting the consumption of psychedelics.
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State and local governments could have continued to restrict psychedelics in public buildings and in schools.
Adults 21 and over would have been allowed to possess up to one gram of psilocybin, one gram of psilocyn, one gram of dimethyltryptamine, 18 grams of mescaline and and 30 grams of ibogaine. Adults 21 and older would also have been allowed to grow psychedelic substances in a 12-foot by 12-foot area in their homes.
According to the law, property owners would have been allowed to prohibit the use, display, cultivation, processing or sale of psychedelics on their premises.
What psychedelics would have been legal?
Allowed “natural psychedelics” would have included two found in mushrooms (psilocybin and psilocyn) and three found in plants (dimethyltryptamine, mescaline and ibogaine).
Colorado and Oregon are the only three states where psychedelics are legal.
Massachusetts legalized medical marijuana in 2012 and recreational marijuana in 2016.
Greta Cross is a national trends reporter at USA TODAY. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretalcross. Story idea? Email her at gcross@gannett.com.
This article was originally published on USA TODAY: Massachusetts voters did not approve the legalization of psychedelics
