The Oakland City Council is considering a resolution to decriminalize natural psychedelics, including mushrooms. The resolution's sponsors point to studies suggesting that psilocybin, the active agent in so-called magic mushrooms, can ease addiction, depression and other conditions. If approved, Oakland would become the second U.S. city to decriminalize psychedelic mushrooms; Denver voters narrowly passed a similar initiative earlier this month. The Oakland resolution is expected to come to a full council vote in June. What do you think? Should natural psychedelics be decriminalized? Why or why not?

Guests:

Carlos Plazola, chair, Decriminalize Nature, which is sponsoring the Oakland resolution

Brian Anderson, mental health research fellow, San Francisco VA Medical Center; staff psychiatrist, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital