This entry has been published on March 28, 2022 and may be out of date.
Primary contacts: Myc Williams Myc@decrimnaturemi.org 305-304-0466 Julie Barron Julie@decrimnaturemi.org March 28, 2022 For Immediate Release: Michigan Initiative for Community Healing Certified to Begin Signature Gathering Lansing, Michigan — The Michigan Board of State Canvassers (BOSC) certified that the Michigan Initiative for Community Healing could begin collecting the required 340,047 signatures needed by June 1st to qualify for the November ballot. Upon approval from the Board of State Canvassers, official petitions will be printed and distributed through the allied organizations. The measure would decriminalize the possession and cultivation of “Natural plants and mushrooms”, reduce penalties for controlled substances that currently include life sentences and lifetime probation, and create pathways for religious organizations and hospitals to develop psychedelic assisted mental health and ceremonial services. A coalition of Decriminalize Nature National (DN), Decriminalize Nature Michigan (DNMI), People for Healthy Choices Michigan (PFHC), and Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP), is spearheading the effort. “Michigan continues to lead progress in the Midwest and today we mark another powerful step toward justice,” said Myc Williams, Co-Director of Decrim Nature Michigan and board member of Students for Sensible Drug Policy. “As someone who has directly experienced the harms of the criminal justice system, today is a proud day of change and perseverance for myself and for the great state of Michigan!” Students for Sensible Drug Policy is the largest global youth-led network dedicated to ending the War on Drugs. SSDP mobilizes and empowers young people to participate in the political process through its 100+ chapters across the United States. Decriminalize Nature is a grassroots movement that began in Oakland in 2019 and has grown with chapters in over 50 cities in the US, and decriminalized entheogens in 14 cities in the last 2.5 years. People For Healthy Choices (PFHC) is a coalition of Green activists seeking diversity in access to plant medicines in Michigan. PFHC believes herbs of the earth originally used by indigenous people should be available to all people. PFHC were successful in decriminalizing plant medicines in the City of Detroit during the November 3, 2021 election with 61 percent voting in favor. “This is another step to ending mass incarceration and unjust mechanisms of oppression, “ said Moudou Baqui of Decriminalize Nature Detroit and board member of Decriminalize Nature. “As a practitioner of psychedelic assisted therapy, it’s a rare ray of hope for people who have been suffering” said Julie Barron, Co-Director of Decrim Nature Michigan and board member of Decriminalize Nature. “We now call all Michiganders to help us get this incredible language on the November ballot.” https://ssdp.org/blog/for-immediate-release-michigan-initiative-for-community-healing-certified-to-begin-signature-gathering/ “Young people across the country have been calling on our elected officials for safe and sensible drug policies to be implemented for decades,” said Kat Ebert, SSDP Board Member, Michigan resident, and Founder and former President of the Michigan State University chapter. “This is an opportunity for the people of Michigan to make history by coming together to pass policy that’s centered around compassion instead of criminalization.” Anyone interested in being trained to gather signatures can email decrimnaturemi@gmail.com or visit micommunityhealing.org. You can donate to the campaign here: https://donorbox.org/michigan-initiative-for-community-healing 
