Judge Rules Recreational Marijuana Measure Unconstitutional in South Dakota

Joe Sneve, writing for the Sioux Falls Argus Leader:

A Hughes County judge has ruled that a voter-approved amendment to the South Dakota Constitution ending marijuana prohibition in the state shouldn't go forward.

Circuit Court Judge Christina Klinger ruled Monday that Constitutional Amendment A violates the state Constitution on two grounds: It violates the single subject rule, meaning it encompassed more than one topic, and it conflicts with language in the Constitution that provides for its modification.

Attorneys for the plaintiffs in the case, South Dakota Highway Patrol Superintendent Rick Miller and Pennington County Sheriff Kevin Thom argued last month that because Amendment A added an entirely new section to the state Constitution instead of modifying an existing one, it should be considered a revision, not an amendment.

Revisions to the constitution require a convention of state delegates before being placed on the ballot and cannot be done through the petition process, like initiated measures and amendments.

"The failure to submit Amendment A through the proper constitutional process voids the amendment and it has no effect," Klinger said.

What a disappointing blow to South Dakota’s cannabis activists. However, the fight’s not over yet. They’re planning to appeal the case to the state’s Supreme Court, which could overturn the Circuit Court’s decision.

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The Plant Spirit Summit

An intriguing free online event called the Plant Spirit Summit is scheduled to take place later this month from February 22-26 and I thought my readers might be interested to learn more about it. This five-day conference will feature more than 40 Western and indigenous experts on plant medicine and psychedelics, focusing on a variety of related topics, such as:

• Ancestral Plant Spirit Healing Traditions (Ayahuasca, Iboga, Peyote, San Pedro, Magic Mushrooms, Kambô, and Bufo)

• The Past, Present and Future of Psychedelic Medicine

• The Art and Science of Microdosing Transformation

• Psychedelics and Leadership Innovation

There is a solid lineup of speakers, including:

• Ninawa Pai da Mata – spiritual leader of the Huni Kuin community of Novo Futuro, on the indigenous cultural renaissance catalyzed by the globalization of ayahuasca and their tribe’s decision to collaborate with outsiders.

• Wade Davis – celebrated author, anthropologist, ethnobotanist, and filmmaker, who will talk about the impact of the psychedelic renaissance on contemporary culture, as well as about the drug war’s destruction of Colombia and what he considers to be the ultimate sacred medicine of South America (hint: it’s not ayahuasca).

• Jazmin Pirozek – integrative healer of the Kinosao Sipi Nation, who will share how Amazonian plant medicine of the South is healing the trauma of colonization in indigenous communities of the Canadian North.

• Bruce Parry – filmmaker and explorer, on the delicate nature of living with remote peoples, egalitarian tribal cultures and his visionary experiences with iboga, ayahuasca, Bufo and ebene (yopo), revealing the surprising reaction that overcame him.

• Françoise Bourzat – consciousness guide and author, who will share what happens when you integrate indigenous sacred mushroom ceremonies and Western psychology.

• Cecilio Soria Gonzales – Shipibo indigenous rights activist, on how the Comando Matico initiative is distributing plant medicine through indigenous communities to treat and prevent COVID-19.

• Shelby Hartman – cofounder of DoubleBlind Magazine, on the medicalization of psychedelics and whether these emergent drugs are all they are hyped up to be.

• Jeremy Narby – legendary anthropologist and author of The Cosmic Serpent, with advice on how Western ceremony facilitators from the Global North can stop engaging in spiritual extraction of indigenous cultural wisdom, and give back in a meaningful way.

You’ll also hear from Daniel Shankin of the Psilocybin Summit, Carmen Jackman of Students for Sensible Drug Policy, Tricia Eastman and Joseph Peter Barsuglia of Psychedelic Journeys, iboga provider and integration coach Elizabeth Bast, visionary artist Chor Boogie, Kyle Buller of the podcast Psychedelics Today, and more.

The Plant Spirit Summit is being produced by Lorna Liana and her psychedelic publication EntheoNation. Lorna discovered her purpose while drinking visionary plant medicines with indigenous shamans in the heart of the Brazilian Amazon. She was given a mission: “To leverage emerging technologies to preserve indigenous traditions, so that ancient wisdom can benefit the modern world, and technology can empower indigenous people.”

In pursuit of this mission, Lorna became a new media strategist to sustainable brands, social ventures and visionary entrepreneurs, helping them attract their tribe and ignite a movement around their mission-driven businesses. Through podcasting, video blogging, and social media, she shares the stories of both indigenous people and the world’s foremost experts in psychedelic science, modern shamanism, and consciousness research to inspire each and every one of us to explore the depths of our minds, spirits, planet… and evolve.

EntheoNation is a leading psychedelic media publisher that produces content about plant medicines, psychedelics, shamanism, indigenous cultures and reciprocity, transformative technologies, conscious relationships, and much more. The site features podcast episodes, articles, ebooks, and guides about how you can work with these powerful tools for healing and spiritual growth, and it explores these topics through the multifaceted framework of science, culture, and spirituality.

There is no charge to attend the Plant Spirit Summit, and all sessions will be free to the public for 48 hours. You can grab your complimentary seat by navigating to PlantSpiritSummit.com. I reckon I’ll be pretty busy working on my February monthly recap content around that time but I’ve already registered myself, so maybe I’ll see you there!

Virginia's Senate and House Vote to Legalize Cannabis

WRIC:

State lawmakers voted to legalize marijuana Friday, deciding legal sales will start in 2024 but not yet settling on key details as the push to make Virginia the first Southern state to authorize recreational use continues.

Virginia’s legalization bill is one step away from becoming a law, and Governor Ralph Northam is expected to sign it, which would make the state the first in the South to legalize weed. That’d be a big deal.

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New Jersey Governor Signs Psilocybin Bill to Immediately Reduce Penalties for Possession

Ben Adlin, writing for Marijuana Moment:

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) signed a psilocybin reform bill into law on Thursday, immediately reclassifying possession of up to an ounce of psychedelic-containing mushrooms as a disorderly persons offense.

The new classification means individuals caught with small amounts of psilocybin are now subject to a maximum $1,000 fine, up to six months in jail or both. Previously the offense was a third-degree crime and carried a penalty of between three to five years behind bars and fines of up to $15,000.

The change puts mushroom possession on par with simple assault, harassment, shoplifting or resisting arrest in New Jersey.

Looks like November's amendment to decriminalize psilocybin mushrooms in New Jersey was successful after all, although it did end up getting spun off into its own separate bill instead of being crammed in with the state’s cannabis decriminalization legislation.

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Washington Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Decriminalize All Drugs

Ben Adlin, writing for Marijuana Moment:

Washington State lawmakers on Thursday introduced landmark legislation to decriminalize possessing small amounts of all drugs and expand treatment services for people with substance use disorders, part of a growing trend of U.S. states backing away from a crime-control model of drug enforcement and instead treating the issue as a public health matter.

“Substance disorder is among the only health conditions for which a person can be arrested for displaying symptoms,” says the new Washington bill, HB 1499, sponsored by Reps. Lauren Harris (D) and Kirsten Harris-Talley (D). “Treating substance disorder like a crime through arrests and incarceration further disrupts and destabilizes the lives of these individuals.”

The proposal would eliminate criminal penalties for possession of so-called “personal use amounts” of controlled substances and direct the Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) to craft a plan under which “continual, rapid and widespread access to a comprehensive continuum of care must be provided to all persons with substance use disorder.”

Speaking of progressive policies, Washington is working on decriminalizing all drugs just like it’s southern neighbor.

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