Heal Soul! Victories for Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy and Drug Policy Reform

We’re celebrating the successful passage of two ballot initiatives that Dr. Bronner’s funded as part of our Heal Soul campaign, which supports public education efforts, advocacy organizations, and political campaigns around the country working to mainstream psychedelic-assisted therapy and medicines to treat depression, PTSD, addiction, and end-of-life anxiety.

Both the Oregon Psilocybin Therapy Initiative Yes on 109 in Oregon, Decriminalize Nature DC Initiative 81 in Washington, DC, reported victories on November 3, 2020. These victories represent a pivotal shift among the American public in support of psychedelic-assisted therapy, and the need to decrease law enforcement prioritization of arrests for entheogenic plants.

Dr. Bronner’s also celebrates the passage of Measure 110 in Oregon that implements a “treatment not jail” approach to drug addiction, to which we donated $1 million. And we’re pleased to see the end of cannabis prohibition in Montana and South Dakota, and passage of a medical cannabis measure in Mississippi. Dr. Bronner’s donated over $1 million to these campaigns, to make the case that this is a bipartisan issue and it is time to end prohibition at the federal level.

“The Oregon Psilocybin Therapy Initiative creates a well-regulated program for psilocybin-assisted therapy for mental health and personal growth. This sets a nationwide precedent for how we should integrate the life-saving potential of psychedelics,” said David Bronner, CEO of Dr. Bronner’s. “And in Washington DC, where people of color are disproportionately arrested for drug possession, the Decriminalize Nature campaign makes personal cultivation and use of entheogenic plants for healing, the lowest priority for law enforcement.”

The company has donated over $5 million this year to support these and other efforts on behalf of psychedelic medicine, and created a special limited edition “Heal Soul!” label on its 32oz. Castile Liquid Soaps now available nationwide. The label aims to educate the public about these life-saving therapies and medicines, and the advocacy organizations and ballot initiatives that are advancing this work.

Here is a ballot by ballot update on the measures that Dr. Bronner’s supported in this election:

Oregon Measure 109 – Psilocybin Therapy Measure passes with 56% of the vote and legalizes regulated access to psilocybin therapy administered by trained state-licensed facilitators in a therapeutic setting.

Oregon Measure 110 – Drug Abuse Treatment Recovery Act passes with 59% of the vote and ends the criminalization of low-level drug possession, redirecting resources into addiction treatment and recovery services (vs. jail time).

DC Measure 81 – Decriminalize Nature DC passes with 76% of the vote and makes the enforcement of laws against natural plant medicines (entheogens) among the lowest law enforcement priorities.

Colorado Measure 118 – Colorado Families First passes with 57% of the vote and paves the way for an affordable paid family and medical leave program that will provide up-to 12 weeks of paid leave.

Mississippi Measure 65 – Medical Marijuana 2020 passes with 74% of the vote and makes medical marijuana available to Mississippians with debilitating medical conditions, including cancer, epilepsy, and ALS.

Montana Measure 118 – New Approach Montana passes with 58% of the vote and legalizes adult use marijuana and directs marijuana sales tax revenue to critical state environmental and economic conservation measures.

New Jersey Question 1 – Recreational marijuana passes in New Jersey with 67% of the vote.

South Dakota Amendment A & Measure 26 – South Dakotans for Better Marijuana Laws pass with 54% and 70% of the vote, reform marijuana laws, and create both a medical marijuana system and an adult-use system.

California Proposition 17 — Restoring voting rights to former felons on parole passes with 59% of the vote.

California Proposition 20 – Which if passed, would have gone back on meaningful criminal justice reforms, was rejected by 62% of voters.

 

Author Profile

Dr. Bronner's

Dr. Bronner’s is a family business committed to honoring the vision of our founder Dr. E.H. Bronner by making socially and environmentally responsible products of the highest quality, and by dedicating our profits to helping make a better world. “All-One!”

See all stories by Dr. Bronner's