Psychedelic Vote

What can I do? Will it matter?

If you're like most folks, you've probably never interacted with your legislators—or perhaps you've left a few messages or signed a petition or two. If anything, you probably reached out to elected officials who represent you federally. But you also have another set of representatives who work for you in your state legislature!

State legislatures work a bit differently than Congress. They are much smaller, and as such, they’re generally more responsive to input. In many cases, they are also less gridlocked than Congress, and can get quite a bit done in a year. That's one of the reasons we're specifically targeting them with this project.

The best place to start is by exploring the legislation in your state. Hopefully there's a bill or two worth supporting. The legislation is typically not hundreds of pages long, but still may contain some “legalese.” Don’t be discouraged! It’s worth trying to read through.

If you click the "Find Your Legislators" button, you'll be taken to Open States, a free resource to help you connect with your elected officials. Just type in your address and it'll give you the details you need to get in touch with your representatives. Calls work best, but if they have an email address listed, you can try that too.

Another great way to get involved is to share this site with friends in states where there's interesting legislation. If legislators keep hearing personal stories of people being helped by psychedelic medicine, it can and will make a difference in the world.

What do the different bill statuses mean?

After bills are introduced, they typically must first be approved by a committee, after which they can be put up for a vote. Generally speaking, to become law, the bill must pass both houses and be signed by the governor.

• Introduced - Not much has happened, but now is a great time to ask your legislator to co-sponsor the bill if they aren't already.
• Passed Committee - A good first sign: the bill has made it out of a committee comprised of a small subset of legislators.
• Passed Lower House/Senate - A great sign: the bill has passed one of the two chambers.
• Passed Both Chambers - The bill has cleared most hurdles, and it is likely going to become law!
• Signed Into Law - The bill has become law!

Why does the law matter?

While lots of people are willing to take the risk of violating unjust laws, many more are not in a position where they feel able to do so. A federal felony charge is no joke, and we believe that access to psychedelics should not need to involve risking one’s freedom, livelihood, or safety.

In addition, a Schedule I classification makes it extremely difficult for research institutions to perform necessary studies on psychedelics. Changing these laws will increase equitable access as well as spur groundbreaking new research.

Why state legislatures?

This change, like other reform movements, is starting in the states. There isn't yet any significant federal legislation that addresses this topic.

The last federal bill to even mention psilocybin was 50 years ago, see for yourself on GovTrack.us.

We are monitoring however and when there are federal bills you'll see them here too!

Why doesn’t my state have any legislation?

It is possible that none has been introduced yet, or that we haven’t yet had the chance to review it. We review incoming legislation from all states on an ongoing basis, and aim to have it here within 48 hours of introduction where possible.

Of course, there’s always a chance we missed some. If you think that’s the case, contact us.

I'm not in the US, what about my country?

Unfortunately, we aren’t able to track legislation in other countries. If you're aware of any similar international resources, or want to discuss adding your country here get in touch.

What about my city?

We aren't able to track legislation in cities right now. If you're aware of an interesting piece of city legislation, though, let us know.

If you're just curious about the current status in various cities, that is likely reflected on this Wikipedia article.

What about ballot initiatives?

We aren't currently able to automatically track ballot initiatives, but if you're aware of one, please contact us and we'll find a way to highlight it!

Does this legislation mean that Psilocybin, MDMA, etc. is legal in my state?

Until the legislation is listed as signed by the governor, it is just a proposal. Every year thousands of pieces of legislation are proposed, but few are even considered or passed. Part of the purpose of this site is to encourage individuals to reach out to their legislatures to demand better laws around psychedelics.

Where can I find psychedelics in my state?

We are unable to help source or provide any assistance in finding psychedelics in your state. We do not reply to messages asking about obtaining psychedelics.

Who else is out there doing this kind of work?

Some of our favorites:

• Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) a research organization that advocates for the therapeutic use of psychedelics.

• Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research: home of some of the most important psychedelic studies.

• Psychedelic Medicine Coalition: an advocacy organization responsible for the successful Washington, D.C. “Decriminalize Nature” ballot initiative.

• Psychedelic Support: a resource to help people find psychedelic-assisted therapy, clinical trials, and more.

How can I help with this site?

Use and share the site!

Right now this site only costs a few dollars a month to host, so we aren’t taking donations. If you’d like to donate, please give to MAPS.

If you have ideas for this site, features you’d like to see, etc. feel free to contact us.

How does this site work? Can I run my own?

This site is powered by custom software called “Bills Everywhere” that helps search state legislation and encourage public input. If you’d like to run a similar site, contact us and we’ll put you in touch.

We also couldn’t do this without everyone that helped build Open States, a free resource on state legislation.

Who runs this site? Why?

We’re just a few people with an interest in the law who felt that this was one way to give back to the community via areas of our expertise. We feel strongly that greater access to psychedelics in safe, therapeutic settings could change the world for the better. If you’d like to know more, feel free to contact us.