Entheogen means “to generate or inspire the divine within” and entheogenic plants and fungi have been used by humans around the world for millennia.  Many are now recognizing their benefits and their potential to enable consciousness-expanding experiences, end addictions, help people heal from anxiety and depression, and more. 

In Pennsylvania, 65% of drug overdose deaths involved opioids in 2018—a total of 2,866 fatalities. Philadelphia suffers from the highest rate in all US cities of a drug overdose in the country, averaging three mortalities per day in 2019. The situation only worsened during the coronavirus pandemic. The majority of these overdoses are due to natural or synthetically derived opioid substances. The City of Philadelphia has called the opioid epidemic the “greatest public health crisis in a century."  Read our resolution to see why our evidence-based proposal to the city could help those struggling with addiction, depression, PTSD, and even recidivism, while also supporting the spiritual access to many who use these tools to connect with nature on their own terms. 

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Decriminalize Nature Philadelphia believes entheogens are sacred tools with a long history of human use with a high propensity to help with healing. They are non-addictive and generally highly safe to consume when risk reduction guidelines are followed. They do not meet the standards the DEA uses to classify "unsafe drugs" and we believe they should no longer be criminalized when used for personal healing and growth. For more information on the safe use of entheogenic plants and fungi, please visit our resources page.