Some House legislators took a pause from amending amendments Thursday afternoon to hear from several Vermonters about their personal experience of the healing power of magic mushrooms.
For Rory VanTuinen of Waterbury, it only took one experience with psilocybin, the psychoactive chemical found in around 200 species of fungi, to start kicking heroin after a decade of using.
“This psilocybin experience really opened up this new foundation of belief in the potential of myself,” VanTuinen told lawmakers on the House Judiciary Committee. “From there, I had all this newfound energy.”
For Melinda Moulton, a prominent Burlington property developer and Huntington resident, a mushroom trip in college helped her overcome an eating disorder brought on after the sudden death of her mother years earlier.
Stowe-based psychologist Rick Barnett gave credit to psilocybin for his own recovery from substance abuse. There is growing scientific evidence that the chemical can be helpful in treating a wide range of illnesses and conditions, he said.
“We’re talking about pain and bipolar (disorder). We’re talking about addiction. We’re talking about migraines. We’re talking about what it is to be a human being,” Barnett said.
The testimony came in the context of two companion bills, H.371 and S.114, on the wall in committee since March. Both would decriminalize possession of psilocybin and create a Psychedelic Therapy Advisory Working Group to recommend how to establish a program that would allow health care providers to offer the hallucinogen in a therapeutic setting.
Magic mushrooms are decriminalized in some fashion in Oregon, Colorado and Connecticut, as well as in countries such as Portugal and the Netherlands, witnesses said.
Some people do experience bad psychological experiences while under the influence, Barnett and other expert witnesses said. However, the mushrooms themselves are not toxic, and long lasting negative impacts are very rare, they said.
There are active U.S. clinical trials involving psilocybin as a treatment for major depressive disorder, opioid addiction, post-traumatic stress and eating disorders. Advocates believe it is likely the drug will be available in pill form within the next three years, and they say decriminalization will make treatment more widely available and likely less expensive.
“The Earth has given us medicines in these plants and fungi that can help heal us, not only heal us but raise our consciousness and raise our connectivity,” said Rep. Brian Cina, P/D-Burlington, a bill co-sponsor. It was time “for the government to get out of the way of people and their birthright to plant and fungal medicines,” he said.
Chair Martin LaLonde, D-South Burlington, said there was no time for the bill to see floor action next week, but he wants the committee to take it up next January.
— Kristen Fountain
IN THE KNOW
Vermont House leaders plan to pursue impeachment of Franklin County’s sheriff and state’s attorney, they announced at a press conference Thursday afternoon.
The announcement came days after allegations came to light that Franklin County State’s Attorney John Lavoie repeatedly harassed and discriminated against his employees, and cultivated a hostile work environment. The longtime prosecutor and first-term Democrat has repeatedly refused to resign despite calls from politicians and his colleagues — even after the state Department of State’s Attorneys and Sheriffs made the extraordinary move of initiating a public pressure campaign.
Franklin County Sheriff John Grismore, too, has defied repeated calls to resign after being charged with assault for kicking a shackled man in custody in August.
At a Statehouse press conference Thursday afternoon, House Speaker Jill Krowinski, D-Burlington, stood before a hallway packed with reporters and onlookers and announced that the House is taking the first in a seven-step process to pursue impeachment of both Lavoie and Grismore.
— Sarah Mearhoff
Vermont’s Democratic state Legislature has twice sent a paid family and medical leave bill to Republican Gov. Phil Scott just to see it vetoed. This year, despite being buttressed by a historic supermajority in the House, Democrats say they will not even get the measure to his desk.
Vermont House Speaker Jill Krowinski, D-Burlington, is admitting defeat for now. Senate leaders have made clear since before the session began that they believe an overhaul of the state’s child care system, not a paid leave program, should take precedence.
— Lola Duffort
About two dozen people gathered in front of the Statehouse on Thursday to demand better health care for incarcerated people in Vermont.
The rally, led by organizers with Vermont Just Justice, a nonprofit and blog advocating for criminal justice reform, was spurred by the death of David Mitchell, 46, who died April 17 at Southern State Correctional Facility in Springfield after complaining he couldn’t breathe.
“We hear all politicians say, ‘We have to look out for the most vulnerable,’” Will Hunter, an advocate who provides housing for recently incarcerated people, said to the crowd. “I think it’s safe to say, somebody with an oxygen tank, in a prison, who’s had his liberty taken away, is pretty far up on the list of the most vulnerable, and we didn’t do a very good job taking care of David Mitchell.”
— Ethan Weinstein
ON THE FIFTH FLOOR
As he promised last week, Gov. Phil Scott has vetoed S.5, a bill that would create a clean heat standard.
“When we pass laws, we must clearly communicate both the burdens and the benefits to Vermonters. From my perspective, S.5 conflicts with these principles, and I cannot support it,” Scott wrote in a letter to lawmakers on Thursday.
Leaders of the Vermont House and Senate still hope to pass the bill, which they have titled the Affordable Heat Act, and are organizing override votes.
— Emma Cotton
WHAT WE’RE READING
Defrauded Jay Peak investors in line for payments to cover about 22% of their losses (VTDigger)
Officials in and out of Statehouse as talks on new juvenile facility continue (Community News Service)
Afghan refugee recovers from toll of war in the Upper Valley (Valley News)
They’re back! Spring tick season is ramping up (Vermont Public)