Help us improve in just 2 minutes—share your thoughts in our reader survey.
California Psilocybin Mushroom Legalization Initiative (2024)
| California Psilocybin Mushroom Legalization Initiative | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Election date November 5, 2024 | |
| Topic Drug crime policy | |
| Status Not on the ballot | |
| Type State statute | Origin Citizens |
The California Psilocybin Mushroom Legalization Initiative (#23-0004) was not on the ballot in California as an initiated state statute on November 5, 2024.
The initiatives would have legalized and regulated the cultivation, processing, and distribution of psilocybin mushrooms for medical, therapeutic, religious, or recreational use.[1][2]
Text of measure
Ballot title
The ballot title was as follows:[3]
| “ | Decriminalizes psilocybin mushrooms. Initiative statute.[4] | ” |
Petition summary
The summary provided for inclusion on signature petition sheets was as follows:[3]
| “ | For individuals 21 and over, decriminalizes under state law the cultivation, manufacture, processing, distribution, transportation, possession, storage, sale, and personal use of psilocybin mushrooms, the hallucinogenic chemical compounds contained in them, and edible products and extracts derived from them. Allows “qualified healthcare practitioners” to use psilocybin mushrooms for research, treatment, and therapy. Requires state to implement qualification requirements and protocols for psilocybin-assisted therapy created by an unspecified “independent professional certifying body.” Authorizes sealing of criminal records for prior psilocybin-related offenses if sentence is completed.[4] | ” |
Fiscal impact
The fiscal impact statement was as follows:[3]
| “ | Net reduction in costs, not likely to exceed a few million dollars annually, to state and local governments related to enforcing psilocybin-related offenses, handling the related criminal cases and sealing of records in the court system, and incarcerating and supervising people convicted of psilocybin-related offenses. Annual state costs to regulate psilocybin businesses and treatment providers, ranging from minimal to tens of millions of dollars. These costs could eventually be partially or fully offset by regulatory fee revenue.[4] | ” |
Full text
The full text of the initiative can be read here.
Path to the ballot
The state process
In California, the number of signatures required for an initiated state statute is equal to 5 percent of the votes cast in the preceding gubernatorial election. Petitions are allowed to circulate for 180 days from the date the attorney general prepares the petition language. Signatures need to be certified at least 131 days before the general election. As the verification process can take multiple months, the secretary of state provides suggested deadlines for ballot initiatives.
The requirements to get initiated state statutes certified for the 2024 ballot:
- Signatures: 546,651 were required.
- Deadline: The deadline for signature verification was 131 days before the general election, which was around June 27, 2024. However, the process of verifying signatures can take multiple months and proponents are recommended to file signatures at least two months before the verification deadline.
Signatures are first filed with local election officials, who determine the total number of signatures submitted. If the total number is equal to at least 100 percent of the required signatures, then local election officials perform a random check of signatures submitted in their counties. If the random sample estimates that more than 110 percent of the required number of signatures are valid, the initiative is eligible for the ballot. If the random sample estimates that between 95 and 110 percent of the required number of signatures are valid, a full check of signatures is done to determine the total number of valid signatures. If less than 95 percent are estimated to be valid, the initiative does not make the ballot.
Details about this initiative
- The initiative was filed on May 10, 2023, by Ryan Munevar.[2]
- The initiative was cleared for circulation on July 17, 2023.[2]
- Proponents of the initiative did not submit the required number of sigantures by the circulation deadline of January 10, 2024.[2]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ California Attorney General's Office, "Full text," accessed May 12, 2023
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 California Secretary of State's Office, "List of petitions," accessed May 12, 2023
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 California Secretary of State, "Initiatives and Referenda Cleared for Circulation," accessed October 20, 2021
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
 |
State of California Sacramento (capital) |
|---|---|
| Elections |
What's on my ballot? | Elections in 2025 | How to vote | How to run for office | Ballot measures |
| Government |
Who represents me? | U.S. President | U.S. Congress | Federal courts | State executives | State legislature | State and local courts | Counties | Cities | School districts | Public policy |