The radical Left has been pushing to normalize drug use for years.
Florida’s governor is putting his foot down.
And Ron DeSantis just disappointed Robert Kennedy Jr with this controversial decision.
Florida targets “mushroom loophole” in sweeping agriculture bill
Governor Ron DeSantis is expected to sign legislation that includes a ban on psychedelic mushroom spores, closing a legal loophole that drug advocates have exploited.
The provision is tucked inside the larger “Florida Farm Bill” (SB 700), sponsored by Republican Keith Truenow, and will make trafficking in psychedelic mushroom spores a first-degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine.
While psilocybin mushrooms are already illegal in Florida and federally, the spores themselves don’t contain the psychedelic compound psilocybin and have remained legal to possess and sell.
The bill’s House analysis explains the problem.
“Certain mushroom spores and mycelium, which is a type of fungi, can be propagated and grown into mushrooms that have psilocybin properties. But the spores do not contain any psilocybin properties themselves and therefore could be considered legal under current law,” it reads.
DeSantis signaled his support for the measure last week, indicating he plans to sign the comprehensive agricultural bill soon.
Pushback from psychedelic advocates
The move comes as the political Left continues its push to normalize psychedelics and other formerly taboo substances for “mental health treatment.”
Peter Sessa, an organizer for Cannadelic Miami, a cannabis and psychedelics expo, criticized the bill, calling it an attack on “the future of mental health.”
Carlos Hermida, who owns Chillum Mushrooms and Hemp Dispensary with locations in Tampa and St. Petersburg, also complained about the legislation, asking rhetorically, “Is manure now illegal in Florida? Is rotting manure now illegal. Is that what’s going on?”
But these advocates overlook the risks associated with psychedelic drugs, especially as more cities and states have moved to decriminalize them.
Democrat efforts to promote psychedelics previously failed
This isn’t the first time psychedelics have been debated in Florida.
Former Miami Beach Democrat Mike Grieco attempted to introduce legislation years ago directing Florida’s Department of Health to study the therapeutic uses of psilocybin and other psychedelics like MDMA (ecstasy) and ketamine.
That legislation failed to gain traction in Florida’s conservative legislature.
“Despite my legislation from a few years ago not gaining traction, we have seen throughout the country and internationally expanded acceptance of psilocybin and other psychedelics in the mental health and the therapeutic space,” Grieco told the Florida Phoenix.
Grieco’s bill would have evaluated these substances for treating conditions including depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other disorders.
Robert Kennedy Jr also supports the use of psychedelic plant medicine for PTSD and other mental issues.
“Kennedy, who the president-elect picked earlier this month, has repeatedly expressed distrust for pharmaceuticals, and criticized the FDA for its ‘aggressive suppression of psychedelics,’” the Guardian reported. “On his podcast, he called the US ‘the sickest country in the world’, blaming its healthcare system for devoting billions to ‘the pills and the potions and the powders rather than on actually getting people healthy, building their immune systems’”.
Florida joins other conservative states in tightening regulations
Once DeSantis signs the bill, Florida will join states like Georgia and Idaho in tightening regulations on psychedelic mushroom spores, pushing back against the trend of liberalization seen in places like Oregon and Colorado, which have decriminalized psilocybin and legalized its supervised use.
Cities including Berkeley, Seattle, and Detroit have also decriminalized the psychedelic mushrooms, creating a patchwork of laws across the country.
The eight-line provision banning spores is part of the larger 111-page agricultural bill, which also includes a controversial ban on adding “any additive” like fluoride to public water systems.
The comprehensive approach allows Florida to address multiple concerns in a single piece of legislation while closing a loophole that has allowed the psychedelic industry to operate in a gray area.
Governor DeSantis continues to stand firm for maintaining Florida’s commitment to traditional values and public safety.
