Newsom vetoes bill decriminalizing hallucinogens in California

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) has vetoed a bill that would have decriminalized hallucinogens, including psychedelic mushrooms.

“California should immediately begin work to set up regulated treatment guidelines – replete with dosing information, therapeutic guidelines, rules to prevent against exploitation during guided treatments, and medical clearance of no underlying psychoses,” Newsom said in a statement released on Saturday. “Unfortunately, this bill would decriminalize possession prior to these guidelines going into place, and I cannot sign it.”

The rejected bill would have eliminated criminal penalties for individuals in possession of natural psychedelics for personal use.

The bill shared similarities to measures that have passed in Colorado and Oregon.

California State Sen. Scott Wiener (D), who represents San Francisco, said the governor's veto was a "setback for the huge number of Californians – including combat veterans and first responders – who are safely using and benefiting from these non-addictive substances and who will now continue to be classified as criminals under California law."