21.207 Corrected Pg. 3of Massachusetts law or Schedules I-V of 21 U.S.C. § 812 of the Controlled
Substances Act shall be amongst the lowest law enforcement
priority for the City of Northampton; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution does not authorize or enable any of the following
activities: commercial sale of entheogenic plants and fungi, possessing or
distributing these materials on school grounds, driving under the influence of
these materials; or public Disturbance; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Northampton City Council calls upon the city’s officials to
work in support of decriminalizing entheogenic plants and approaching all
controlled substances first and primarily through the lens of public health and
restorative racial justice initiatives when representing the city in
conversations with state and federal agencies as well as state and federal
lawmakers; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council calls upon the Hampshire County District
Attorney to cease prosecution of persons involved in the use, possession, or
distribution of entheogenic plants and the use or possession without the
intent to distribute of any controlled substance; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council expresses support for HD 3439 An Act Relative
to Harm Reduction and Racial Justice, which would replace criminal penalties
for controlled substance possession with the choice of a $50 civil fine or a
health and wellness screening to refer the person with economic and health
services; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council expresses support for HD 3829 An Act
Establishing Task Force to Study Equitable Access to Entheogenic Plants,
which will convene 21 experts in science, drug policy, economic and racial
justice, and state government to recommend legislation to legalize
entheogenic plants as well as expunge records and create equity initiatives for
victims of the entire war on drugs. This task force requires the study to be
done through the lens of racial justice, sustainability, and consideration for
BIPOC, veterans, and people with disabilities; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Administrative Assistant to the City Council shall send a copy
of this Resolution to Representative Lindsay Sabadosa and Senator Jo
Comerford, Governor Charles Baker, Attorney General Maura Healey,
Northwestern District Attorney David E. Sullivan, Northampton Police Chief
Jody Kasper, Secretary of Veterans’ Services Cheryl Lussier Poppe and the
Board of Registration of Allied Mental Health and Human Services Professions.