In today’s episode Jamie Blazquez is joined by Dr. Larry Norris to discuss mental health, entheogens, and why psychedelic decriminalization is often the first step to legalization. In many ways decriminalization is more effective than legalization! Dr Larry Norris is the co-founder of Decriminalize Nature and ERIE

Here are some of my takeaways from my talk with Dr. Larry Norris:

1. Decriminalization means lobbying at the city level to take away resources from investigating, persecuting, or arresting people taking part in using entheogens.

2. Addictive drugs typically work on the dopamine system, whereas psychedelics generally are linked to the serotonin system. What’s exciting is that there are many studies that show that psychedelics actually help treat addiction and substance use issues!

3. Decriminalize Nature started on the grassroots level in Oakland in 2019. Since then it has grown to 35-40 cities!

4. Between 12 and 13 cities have already passed measures to decriminalize entheogenic plants and fungi since 2019.

5. Psychedelics are powerful agents of changing how we perceive meaning. After a powerful mystical experience, It is often more beneficial to talk to peers in integration circles rather than going to a ‘therapist’ or even talking 1 on 1.

About Dr. Larry Norris

Larry is the co-founder and board member of Decriminalize Nature (DN), a grassroots organization that advocates for the unalienable right to develop one’s own relationship with Nature and aims to support efforts to decriminalize entheogenic plants and fungi (e.g., ayahuasca, iboga, cacti, mushrooms) at the city level. Find out more about Decriminalize Nature at https://www.decriminalizenature.org/ Larry is the co-lead for DN’s national outreach, and supports many cities across the USA and internationally who are seeking to propose similar legislation to their local government. In Oakland, he is also helping to support the Oakland Community Healing Initiative, a pilot program under development to provide a grassroots, community-driven, bottom-up approach to entheogenic healing. Larry is ALSO the co-founder and executive director of Entheogenic Research, Integration, and Education (ERIE), located in Oakland, CA.

LINKS:

►Check out Decriminalize Nature - https://www.decriminalizenature.org/

►Read more about ERIE - https://erievision.org/

►Connect with Decriminalize Nature Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/decriminalizenature

►Email Dr. Larry Norris at info@decriminalizenature.org

►Are Psychedelics Addictive - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcG5zZK4U2Q

►Legalization vs Decriminalization - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuASLEFRmjE

►Recreational vs Medical - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Xn35KUOOVI

►Are Psychedelics Addictive - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcG5zZK4U2Q

►Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/decriminalizing-powerful-psychadelics-with-dr-larry/id1588109967?i=1000559097791

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