Ramirez 1

Ben Ramirez

Blk 1

Mrs. Storer

25 November 2019

Free the ‘Shrooms

According to the Alcohol and Drug Foundation, psilocybin mushrooms are a class of

mushrooms that contain the compound psilocybin, which elicits psychoactive effects within the

body (Alcohol and Drug Foundation). Psilocybin mushrooms produce psychological effects on

the user and are classified as a schedule 1 substance, meaning that they are deemed high risk of

being abused and have potentially fatal side effects (DEA). However, the mushrooms cannot be

summarized by their potential side effects. There are many fruits to reap through their

legalization. Psilocybin mushrooms should be legalized because they have beneficial effects that

can be used to boost public health; it is much cheaper for the government to control them rather

than to ban their possession and sale; it is much safer for the community if they are controlled.

The first point is that Psilocybin mushrooms have beneficial side effects that can be used

to boost the public health. According to the New York Times and Kaiser Health News, there are

several medical uses for psilocybin mushrooms. They are antidepressants which help to combat

mental illness or other afflictions. They have great potential as painkillers or for other medicinal

uses (Holson, Begley). They can be used in many hospitals or other places of care. While it is

true that the effects produced by the mushrooms can be intense for certain individuals, these

effects could be extremely helpful to those in great pain. To those undergoing surgery or other

treatments for extreme illness such as cancer, they can be used to great benefit. While psilocybin
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mushrooms have the potential to be used in place of opioids as painkillers, they are non-addictive

as compared to the opioids currently used. So therefore, a non-addictive painkiller administered

through the care of a hospital could be a far safer option over opioids. According to researchers

from John Hopkins University, who have been researching the medical applications of the

substance, they believe that there are many applications for the mushrooms. They have

recommended it as treatment for “cancer related anxiety/depression, post-traumatic stress

disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, nicotine addiction, and inflammatory disease (John

Hopkins Medicine). These results and recommendations from the John Hopkins are immensely

valuable to the public’s health. For example, consider the application of treating nicotine

addiction. According to the Center for Disease Control, around 7 million people die each year

from smoking related illness (CDC). This statistic does not include the many more who still

suffer from smoking related illness, which is claimed to thirty times more people than the 7

million (CDC). The indispensable value of helping to treat this vast group of people cannot be

overlooked. As just one of Psilocybin’s many medical applications, this use alone is sufficient

reason to legalize the substance for use. If there is a means to save life, should that method not be

used?

The second point is that the controlled output of psilocybin mushrooms is much cheaper

for the federal government over the banned sale and possession of psilocybin mushrooms.

According to American Progress, the federal government had spent approximately $9.2 million

on the incarceration of drug-related crime in 2015 (Pearl). Overall, a large sum of taxpayer

money is poured into trying to ban the use of all drugs, a mission which is not executed well. If

this money is simply being used to produce minimal results in the war on drugs, would it not

make more sense to try a different method? By legalizing, funding would be preserved from
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enforcement and gained through tax revenue. Similarly to the sale of marijuana, money is made

by taxation on the sale of the substance, “Based on taxes collected since Jan. 1, the state is

expected to bring in $471 million in revenue this fiscal year” (McGreevy). For example, it was

predicted that the legalization of marijuana would save $13 billion in this way (Pearl). It is much

more profitable and advisable to legalize mushrooms due to the economic benefits provided. If

money can be saved to control the output, producing better results, should it not be used for that?

The government would be saving money and producing money through legalization. Who would

say no to earning more money? Additionally, this money can then be used to help fund the

control of the substance and further its research. Legalizing the substance should be common

sense to anyone who recognizes its benefits.

The legalization of psilocybin mushrooms provides a safer environment for the

community. The legalization does this by controlling the environment where the substance is

used, controls the dosage given to users, and properly identifies the mushroom. The first

argument against the legalization of Psilocybin mushrooms is that they are dangerous to the users

and to those around them. However, the list of substances causing danger to those around the

users includes more than just psilocybin mushrooms, for example, alcohol. Alcohol is dangerous

to those who abuse it and those around the abusers. According to the World Health Organization,

55% of the cases of physical violence between intimate partners are related to the abuse of

alcohol in the United States (WHO). If the substance was legalized, then it could be administered

in controlled environments like hospitals where such cases of violence could be limited.

Additionally, it is stated that psilocybin mushrooms can have serious detriments to one’s health

if they are taken in improper amounts or through improper means. However, this is the case for

any substance taken in great amounts, even regular foods. Take for example, fast foods.
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According to the European Society of Cardio, overconsumption of fast food is directly linked to

increase heart disease and heart attacks (ESC). Any substance if abused is dangerous. Simply

because mushrooms are dangerous in high quantities does not mean they should be illegal. Many

substances besides mushrooms are dangerous in this fashion. By controlling the output of the

substance, the dosage of the mushrooms can be controlled and would therefore be less of a threat

to public health. It is true that these mushrooms can cause serious psychological damage to its

users; however, this makes its legalization all the more necessary in that safe dosages can be

properly administered. Additionally, a problem arises in that the mushrooms are often

misidentified, and different mushrooms are ingested leading to potentially fatal effects.

According to Alcohol and Drug Foundation, the mushrooms have an appearance very similar to

other mushrooms, but they also have low toxicity in comparison with other mushrooms (ADF).

Due to the appearance of the mushrooms being common, it means that it is a common

occurrence for the mushrooms to be misidentified with more dangerous mushrooms. However,

this problem can be remedied by controlling the output of the substance. With reliable sources of

the substance such as hospitals, cases of misidentification would become rarer. The legalization

will provide a safe environment for the users of the mushrooms by giving safe, proper dosages,

and responsible identification of the mushrooms. For these reasons, the legalization of psilocybin

mushrooms would be safer for the communal health and should therefore be legalized.

Psilocybin mushrooms should be legalized for their life-saving applications in hospitals.

They should be legalized to save taxpayer money in the government to be used more effectively

for the community’s overall benefit. They should be legalized to help protect the community by

their control. After all the talk about legalizing one substance, it forces one to consider whether

there are other substances that should possibly be criminalized, such as alcohol which was
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mentioned earlier. After all, alcohol leads to many deaths each year through drunk driving.

However, now you should consider this. Is it a human to right to be able to do what you want

with your body, regarding the use of drugs?

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Laura. “Psychedelic Mushrooms Are Closer to Medicinal Use (It's Not Just Your

Imagination).” The New York Times, The New York Times, 3 Oct. 2018,

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/03/science/magic-mushrooms-psilocybin-scheduleiv.html.

“Health Benefits Of Tiny Amounts Of Ingredient In 'Magic Mushrooms' Piques Scientists'

Interest.” Kaiser Health News, 23 Aug. 2018, https://khn.org/morning-breakout/health-benefits-

of-tiny-amounts-of-ingredient-in-magic-mushrooms-piques-scientists-interest/.

Sun, Baltimore. “Johns Hopkins Opening a New Psychedelic Research Center, Studying Use of

'Magic Mushrooms' and More.” Baltimoresun.com, 4 Sept. 2019,

https://www.baltimoresun.com/health/bs-hs-hopkins-psychedelic-research-center-20190904-

7ufx4b65zrfjpgetqwczr6eezy-story.html.

Pearl, Betsy. “Ending the War on Drugs: By the Numbers.” Center for American Progress,

https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/criminal-justice/reports/2018/06/27/452819/ending-

war-drugs-numbers/.

“One Year of Legal Pot Sales and California Doesn't Have the Bustling Industry It Expected.

Here's Why.” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Dec. 2018,

https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-ca-marijuana-year-anniversary-review-20181227-

story.html.

03/21/2017. “Tapping into Psilocybin's Potential.” Tapping into Psilocybin's Potential, 21 Mar.

2017, https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/articles/tapping-into-psilocybins-potential.

“Fast Facts.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention, 6 Feb. 2019,

https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/fast_facts/index.htm.
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“Intimate Partner Violence and Alcohol” World Health Organization World Health Organization

2006

https://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/violence/world_report/factsheets/fs_intimate.pd

“Are Psilocybin Mushrooms Illegal?” Drug Policy Alliance, http://www.drugpolicy.org/drug-

facts/are-psilocybin-mushrooms-illegal.

“Psilocybin.” Psilocybin - Alcohol and Drug Foundation, https://adf.org.au/drug-

facts/psilocybin/.

“Fast Food Availability Linked with More Heart Attacks.” European Society of Cardiology,

https://www.escardio.org/The-ESC/Press-Office/Press-releases/Fast-Food-availability-linked-

with-more-heart-attacks.

“Psilocybin/Psilocyn” Center For Substance Abuse Research Center For Substance Abuse

Research http://www.cesar.umd.edu/cesar/drugs/psilocybin.pdf

“Drug Scheduling.” DEA, https://www.dea.gov/drug-scheduling.