September is officially Entheogenic Plants and Fungi Awareness Month, thanks to a resolution introduced by Ann Arbor city councilmember Jeff Hayner (D) with support from Decriminalize Nature Ann Arbor (DNA2). The resolution passed in a unanimous vote earlier this week, Marijuana Moment reports.
The resolution cites research, some of which stems back to the 1960s, that has found the use of entheogenic plants and fungi to be beneficial and therapeutic when it comes to improving one's health, mental wellness, and spiritual growth.
“Practices with entheogenic plants/fungi have been considered sacred to human cultures and human relationships with nature for thousands of years,” the resolution text reads.
The resolution also addresses the Food and Drug Administration's recent Breakthrough Therapy Designation for psilocybin which, along with other naturally occurring psychedelic plants, have been found to treat major depressive disorders like treatment resistant depression, end-of-life anxiety, cluster headaches, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
To honor Entheogenic Plants and Fungi Awareness Month, the city of Ann Arbor will host Entheo Fest each year, starting Sep. 19. The event will celebrate sacred plants and fungi, as well as inform the community of their benefits. The three-hour festival will be held at the Diag on the University of Michigan's campus and will feature speakers, educational vendors, and live music.
“We’re going to have Entheo Fest here in Ann Arbor and I think it’s kind of exciting that we’re exploring these new boundaries, that we’re looking at alternatives to mental health solutions, improvements to mental health solutions, and so on,” Hayner said Monday.
Ann Arbor is one of six cities across the U.S. to decriminalize possession and cultivation of naturally occurring psychedelics. However, Oregon is the only state to decriminalize and legalize ;psilocybin for therapeutic use.
To read the full resolution, visit a2gov.com.
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