Illinois’ First Psychedelics Bill: How Advocates Are Breaking the Taboo

Psychedelics reform is sweeping the country, and if advocates in Illinois are successful, the Prairie State may one day join Oregon in adopting framework to support use of entheogenic medicine.

“We’re proposing a broader decriminalization framework for a wide range of psychedelics,” Jean Lacy of the Illinois Psychedelic Society tells Psychedelic Spotlight of the legislation she’s helping state Rep. La Shawn Ford, a Chicago Democrat, shape before he introduces the bill next year.

In its current form, the Illinois Compassionate Use of Natural Plants and Fungi Act (ICUNPFA) intends “to decriminalize the possession, use, cultivation, production, creation, analysis, giving away, and delivery of natural plants and fungi,” including psilocybin, psilocin, ibogaine, mescaline (except from peyote), and dimethyltryptamine (DMT). However, Ford has publicly acknowledged the bill could go through many changes before he introduces it in the legislature.

ICUNPFA would also establish an Illinois Psilocybin Advisory Board to advise the Department of Public Health regarding the provision of psilocybin and psilocybin services, as well as establish licensing categories for psilocybin service centers, facilitators, manufacturers, and testing facilities.

“We’re also providing a framework for psychedelics to be used in a supervised setting, and to be purchased from a service center and taken off site. We’re very aware people are using these substances regardless, so that translates to regulating a safe product for people to consume,” explains Lacy.

The Illinois native, yoga therapist, and mushroom cultivator helped build a ketamine infusion center in Chicago before founding the state’s first psychedelic society in 2020. She’s joined in this psychedelics reform effort by Vilmarie Narloch, PsyD, a clinical psychologist who co-founded Sana Healing Collective, a nonprofit offering psychedelic preparation and integration services.

“[This bill] has an eye on equity and accessibility, while ensuring the right voices are included in the development of the services program,” Narloch tells Psychedelic Spotlight.

Vilmarie Narloch (L), Jean Lacy (R)

“We’re also adjusting [the legislature] to make it accessible to the regular Illinoisan to own a service center or be a licensed service provider, rather than only corporate entities being the ones to nab those licenses,” Narloch elaborates. “We’re not able to go for decriminalization [of all drugs] with this bill, not for lack of trying. But we have written that this [Psilocybin Advisory Board] could review other drugs and make recommendations about rescheduling or decriminalizing. As a harm reductionist myself, I want to ensure that people who use other, more stigmatized drugs can hopefully earn some protection.” 

A devastating issue with the War on Drugs is that Black, Indigenous, and people of color are disproportionately affected by drug laws. When asked how this bill will…