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Decriminalize Nature Philadelphia is an 501(c)4 grassroots lobbying and political advocacy organization based in Philadelphia and registered with the IRS and State of Pennsylvania.  We formed in 2020 and incorporated as a (c)4 in 2023.  Our mission objective is to pass a resolution that would decriminalize natural entheogens/psychedelics here.

Our campaign draws inspiration from the decriminalization of natural psychedelics in 25 cities, including major cities such as Denver, Oakland, Detroit, Washington DC, Seattle, San Francisco, Minneapolis, et al., as well as the state of Colorado; aiming to persuade local policymakers to prioritize public health, risk reduction, and responsible exploration of consciousness and spirituality through education over punitive measures for individuals who use these sacred plants and fungi.

Natural entheogens/psychedelics have been integral to the spiritual/religious practices of cultures around the world for millennia, from the ancient Indians and Greeks to cultures throughout what is now known as the Americas.  They are generally safe when proper risk reduction guidelines are adhered to, including understanding of dosage, as with any other medicine.

Leadership

Executive Director & Board President

Thomas Buonomo is an independent consultant focused on strategic communications and the peace-building potential of entheogens/psychedelics, from the community to the international level.  He began organizing with the Decriminalize Nature Philadelphia campaign in late 2020 after much research into the potential of these natural medicines to treat people suffering from post-traumatic stress, anxiety, depression, and other psychosomatic ailments.  After two years, he helped establish the chapter as a registered 501(c)4 lobbying organization and served on the board as Treasurer for his first one-year term.

Thomas has worked in a range of capacities over the last 18 years, from the military to grassroots organizing in support of US foreign policy reform, veterans, human rights, and environmental issues; to energy security policy lobbying and advocacy to energy market and country/geopolitical risk analysis; to conflict analysis, prevention, and resolution.  

He has experienced firsthand the benefits of these medicines in his struggles with depression and they have profoundly influenced his spiritual explorations and growth. In addition to his own experiences, he has read more than 50 books on the subject, in addition to numerous scientific reports, essays, articles, etc. by psychiatrists, psychologists, neuroscientists, anthropologists, ethnopharmacologists, philosophers; Indigenous, Western, and Eastern spiritual leaders; et al. as part of his years-long integration process and path of psychological, philosophical, and spiritual inquiry.  
 


Financial Transparency: 2023 Pennsylvania Public Disclosure Form
                           IRS Form 990-N 

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Governance Transparency: Bylaws

Campaign Progress, Strategy, Tactics, and Budget: Donor Appeal


 

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