California Advocates Consider 2026 Ballot Measure for Psychedelics Reform

Following the recent failure of a state bid to legalize psychedelic treatment centers, California advocates are considering a state ballot measure to address psychedelics reform in 2026, according to a report by KQED.

State Senator Scott Weiner (D), who authored the recently failed proposal, expects the issue to appear on the 2026 ballot if state lawmakers do not take action beforehand.

“We are not giving up, whether that means introducing a new bill or ballot measure, this issue is not going away. We know these substances are helping people turn their lives around,” Weiner told KQED.

Last year, Governor Gavin Newsom (D) vetoed a proposal to decriminalize certain psychedelic substances, including mescaline, DMT, psilocybin, and psilocin. At the time, Newsom requested that lawmakers present him with a bill focusing on the therapeutic applications of these substances.

Advocates have not yet determined whether the future ballot proposal will address only the therapeutic use of substances like magic mushrooms or if it will call for broader decriminalization of psychedelics.

Multiple studies have shown that psychedelic substances like MDMA and psilocybin, the primary psychedelic ingredient in magic mushrooms, show promise in treating mental health conditions resistant to other treatments.

Oregon became the first state to legalize therapeutic psychedelics in 2020, though the program has experienced mixed success. Advocates in California hope to build on this initiative and demonstrate the potential benefits of psychedelics for mental health treatment.