PT542 – The Illinois CURE Act: Shaping the Future of Psychedelic Policy, with Jean Lacy & Representative La Shawn K. Ford

In this episode, Joe interviews Jean Lacy: Executive Director of the Illinois Psychedelic Society; and La Shawn K. Ford: 17-year member of the Illinois House of Representatives, representing the 8th District. Together, they are working on the CURE (Compassionate Use and Research of Entheogens) Act, which aims to decriminalize plant medicines and bring a state-regulated model for psychedelic use to Illinois. Similar to Oregon's model, but with hopefully a more cohesive ecosystem, it would include service centers, different license types, the removal of psilocybin and psilocin from the controlled substances list, and a percentage of taxes allocated to education of first responders and law enforcement. Guided by the mistakes of cannabis legalization, they're putting a lot of focus on accessibility – not just for consumers, but for people trying to get licenses and open businesses. What does equity and inclusion look like in a psychedelic service model? They discuss:  The need to educate lawmakers about psychedelics and shine a light on the myths and lies of the Drug War  The importance of understanding the process and doing the work when working with lawmakers: When it's done right, democracy can actually happen Why conversations about accessibility and certain provisions need to happen up front, as bills are being written The impact of bipartisan support, and how bipartisan psychedelics are starting to become The overwhelming support for the CURE Act that Rep. Ford has seen, from people of all walks of life and more! If you want to help, please sign their petition and/or make a donation. And if you want to help on a larger scale, get out there and have those conversations: Tell your story, and tell it to lawmakers. Your voice can make a bigger difference than you realize.  For links, head to the show notes page.