Opinion
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
4 — Friday, February 7, 2020

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DECRIMINALIZE NATURE ANN ARBOR | OP-ED

Ann Arbor, destigmatize psychedelics

R 

ecently, MLive published 
a brief article covering 
Decriminalize 
Nature 
Ann Arbor (DNA2) and our 
movement 
to 
destigmatize 
and decriminalize an array of 
psychedelic plants and fungi which 
have been shown, by a quickly 
accumulating mass of clinical and 
scientific evidence, to be invaluable 
tools in a variety of therapeutic 
settings. Not coincidentally, many 
of these same plants and fungi are 
considered sacred by indigenous 
cultures across the world, and 
play key roles in their spiritual and 
ceremonial life.
The impetus for this MLive 
article was the recent release of our 
resolution to the City Council of 
Ann Arbor. It is a carefully worded 
and 
thoroughly 
researched 
proposal for legislation which will 
end the harmful, unnecessary 
prohibition of these uniquely 
beneficial 
substances, 
known 
collectively 
as 
“entheogens.” 
The article attempts to gauge the 
initial responses of a handful of 
councilmembers to this proposed 
legislation. 
The 
results 
are 
disappointing.
The MLive piece includes a 
statement from Councilmember 
Jane Lumm, I-Ward 2, who 
dismisses 
the 
Decriminalize 
Nature movement as “folks who 
want to bring back the good-old 
hippie days,” before making a 
reference to Jefferson Airplane’s 
“White Rabbit,” for some reason. 
Lumm’s statement is reductive 
and in bad faith. Apparently, she 
didn’t actually read our resolution, 
and she chose to completely ignore 
the resolution’s 60-plus medical, 
scientific and scholarly citations 
which 
support 
our 
position. 
Instead she chose to recite lyrics 
from a worn-out staple of classic 
rock radio. With all due respect 
to Councilmember Lumm, she 
seems to be the one looking 
backward, perhaps to a sterile, 
idealized 1950s that never existed 
in the first place. DNA2 has its eye 
on the future. We are not looking 
backward, to the “good-old hippie 
days” of the 1960s. We are looking 
ahead to the 2020s, the decade 
when 
psychedelic 
medicine 
and entheogenic spirituality go 
mainstream.
Another 
councilmember 
interviewed by MLive is Jack 
Eaton, D-Ward 4, who seems more 
sympathetic to our cause, but who 
still resorts to unjustified alarmism 
and a misleading conception of the 
60s and its legacy. “I’m aware of 
a lot of the research that’s been 
done, but I don’t have a really good 
grasp of how we could deregulate 
this and not end up right back 
in the late 60s,” Eaton said. If 
we understand Councilmember 
Eaton correctly, “the late 60s” 
is meant as shorthand for the 

excesses and public health issues 
that did, admittedly, appear during 
the hippie-era drug culture. But 
this picture ignores the “harm 
reduction” practices and policies 
that have emerged in the decades 
since, as a counter to these risks.
Harm reduction is an emphasis 
for DNA2 and its members, 
as it is for most currently 
active 
psychedelic 
groups 
and 
organizations 
including 
Michigan DanceSafe and the 
Michigan 
Psychedelic 
Society. 
This picture also sidesteps the 
growing realization that most 
of the potential for harm with 
entheogens — or any controlled 
substances, for that matter — stems 
from the fact that they are illegal. 
Prohibition does little to deter 
drug use; it simply drives it into 
the shadows and thus increases 
the potential for misuse and abuse. 
Deregulation is the first step 
toward a healthier relationship 
with these substances. It will 
allow everyone to use entheogens 
openly and safely, with education 
and clarity.
In the MLive article, Eaton 
goes on to say, “I think that it 
really has to start with the federal 
government taking it off from 
the Schedule I list of drugs.” This 
insistence that entheogens must 
be removed from Schedule I of the 
Controlled Substances Act before 
they can be made available for 
medical, spiritual and recreational 
use is a tactic of delay and 
deflection. After all, marijuana 
is still classified by the federal 
government as a Schedule I drug, 
and yet here we are: Michigan 
residents are free to enjoy the 
medical 
and 
psychological 
benefits of legal cannabis, and the 
world is still turning.
To return briefly to the topic of 
the 60s and its legacy, it’s worth 
noting that both Lumm and Eaton 
ignore the positive aspects of that 
legacy. They give us a caricature 
of 
hippie 
hedonism, 
while 
omitting the crucial influence 
of hippie counterculture on the 
progressive politics and social 
justice movements of our own 
era. Perhaps the most enduring 
legacy of 60s counterculture was 
its central role in the emerging 
environmental 
movement. 
There’s a recurring, undeniable 
relationship between psychedelic 
experience and environmental 
awareness, between entheogens 
and 
the 
realization 
of 
a 
fundamental continuity between 
humanity and nature, as well 
as 
the 
recognition 
that 
the 
complexity of the natural world 
is fragile and cannot be taken 
for granted. During this most 
uncertain of times, when every 
day confronts us with the signs of 
impending global environmental 
catastrophe, such environmental 

awareness is a moral imperative 
and a necessity for our survival 
as a species. To deny our citizens 
access to entheogenic substances 
which facilitate such awareness 
is an unethical act, one which 
subsequent generations will not 
judge kindly. 
Again, we’re not here to litigate 
(and re-litigate, over and over 
again) the legacy of the 60s. We’re 
not here to talk about the past. 
That’s a distraction. We’re here 
to discuss our shared present 
and our potential for a brighter 
future. The decriminalization 
of entheogenic plants and fungi 
is a matter of utmost, existential 
urgency, and should be a priority 
for the Ann Arbor City Council. 
It’s 
absurd 
that 
obviously 
destructive drugs such as alcohol 
and tobacco remain legal, while 
these natural substances with 
relatively 
little 
destructive 
potential are illegal. The 2017 
Global Drug Survey concluded 
that the psilocybin in “magic 
mushrooms” is the safest, least 
toxic recreational drug currently 
in use.
Some 
members 
of 
City 
Council may continue to resist 
and delay, but our momentum 
will carry decriminalization 
forward. 
The 
clinical 
and 
scientific 
evidence 
for 
the 
many benefits of entheogens is 
weighty and ever-accumulating, 
and this is being recognized 
by cities and states across 
the country. In May 2019, 
the citizens of Denver, Colo., 
voted to decriminalize magic 
mushrooms. In June 2019, the 
City Council of Oakland, Calif., 
voted, unanimously, in favor 
of the decriminalization of 
entheogenic plants and fungi. In 
October, Chicago’s Committee 
on Health and Human Relations 
voted unanimously in favor of a 
similar resolution, which is now 
pending before its City Council. 
Last week, the Santa Cruz, Calif., 
City Council followed suit, also 
by unanimous vote. And on Feb. 
6, the District of Columbia took 
its first steps toward making 
decriminalization 
a 
ballot 
measure in November.
Ann Arbor has a history and 
a reputation as one of the most 
forward-thinking cities in the 
Midwest, if not the country. 
Will 
its 
current 
leadership 
honor 
that 
reputation, 
or 
tarnish it by attempting to delay 
the inevitable? The members 
of Decriminalize Nature Ann 
Arbor are looking toward a 
brighter, healthier, saner future, 
and we urge City Council to join 
us in doing the same.

EASHETA SHAH | COLUMN

My culture is not your Whole Foods

FROM THE DAILY

Don’t panic over coronavirus outbreak
A

s of Thursday morning, the New York Times reported that there are 12 cases 

of the coronavirus in the United States, including six cases in California and 

two in Chicago. The announcement came after the first confirmed U.S. case 

arose in Washington State over two weeks ago. While the illness has barely made its way 

to the U.S., the lack of understanding surrounding the Wuhan coronavirus’s contagion 

and cure has placed the issue at the forefront of American consciousness. This attention, 

compounded with a 24-hour news cycle, has captured the West’s attention for days on 

end. While media coverage can often over-dramatize public health crises like this one, 

The Michigan Daily Editorial Board believes this attention remains especially imperative 

given China’s opaque nature in discussing the thousands of cases within their country.

A report from the Washington 
Post recently said the Chinese 
government has quarantined 
over 35 million people. The 
same article referenced several 
public health experts worried 
that these drastic measures 
will serve to undercut the trust 
between the Chinese population 
and its public health officials, 
a move that could prevent 
those infected from receiving 
the 
correct 
education 
and 
treatment. While the American 
media may be overreacting 
to the few confirmed cases 
within U.S. borders, their over-
coverage may prove important 
in 
accumulating 
the 
most 
accurate information possible 
if the Chinese government 
continues to operate with a lack 
of transparency. 
While 
accurate 
coverage 
is important, University of 
Michigan students and the Ann 
Arbor community alike should 
keep in mind the warnings of 
public health officials to avoid 
any apocalyptic predictions and 
hysteria, as “Americans should 
not worry for their own safety.” 
In typical fashion, social media 
has had a significant response, 
with a plethora of memes about 
the virus populating Facebook 
and Twitter feeds. While humor 
can be a coping mechanism, 
this 
memetic 
social 
media 
reaction could contribute to 
misinformation 
and 
undue 
panic. 
More 
locally, 
the 
University has responded to the 
outbreak in an official capacity, 
issuing a travel restriction on 
the entire country of China 
and cautioning U-M affiliates 
to 
avoid 
all 
non-essential 
travel to the area. While these 
diligent responses are meant 
to protect the U-M community, 
it is important to maintain the 
line between “urging vigilance 
without inciting panic.” As a 
diverse and global institution, 
we must avoid any rhetoric or 
practices that forcefully divide 
Asian-American 
students 
or 
any other members of the U-M 
community. While the disease 

may not seem like an immediate 
threat to the U.S., we should 
keep in mind the many real 
lives being impacted by the 
outbreak, making an effort to 
be attentive to our community 
rather than alienating.
This certainly is not the 
first time we have seen such 
widespread hysteria over a 
novel disease. In 2003, Severe 
Acute 
Respiratory 
System 
(SARS), another member of 
the coronavirus family, caused 
similar panic when 29 of the 
8,098 reported cases occurred 
in the U.S. — yet none of these 
patients died. Similarly, panics 
over Bird flu, Ebola virus and 
Zika virus have all garnered 
significant 
media 
coverage 
and societal alarm. In each 

instance, reported cases in the 
U.S. composed a small minority 
of worldwide infections and 
deaths. The coverage of Wuhan 
coronavirus 
seems 
to 
be 
following this trend. It seems 
panic is often generated over 
the most new and noteworthy 
diseases — not necessarily the 
most dangerous ones. 
On the other hand, the 
common flu kills an average 
of 35,000 people each year, 
hospitalizing about 200,000. 
In 2018, the flu took its highest 
toll in 40 years, causing 80,000 
American 
deaths. 
These 
numbers serve as a reminder 
that we should always be 
diligent 
about 
protecting 
our 
health 
against 
both 
newsworthy 
and 
seemingly 
mundane 
illnesses. 
The 
defenses are relatively simple: 

disinfect 
porous 
surfaces, 
avoid touching your face and 
wash your hands frequently. 
Additionally, 
everyone 
who 
is able should be proactive in 
receiving the flu vaccine every 
year. U-M offers flu shots at 
walk-in clinics for students, 
faculty and staff throughout 
the fall and early winter, or 
through appointment at UHS.
Finally, it’s important to keep 
in mind that the greatest threats 
to human health in America 
are much less newsworthy 
than the Wuhan coronavirus 
or other infectious diseases. 
Chronic 
illnesses 
have 
a 
significant impact in the U.S., 
with heart disease and cancer 
being the leading causes of 
death by a significant margin. 
Unfortunately, 
the 
defenses 
to these health issues aren’t 
as simple as good hygiene. A 
more structural reform will 
be necessary to tackle these 
causes of death, one involving 
health 
policy, 
nutrition, 
insurance markets and more. 
Every 
time 
a 
hot-button 
disease makes headlines, it’s 
important to keep in mind the 
less glamorous reality of health 
in the U.S., and what we should 
be doing to improve it.
Regardless 
of 
novelty, 
everyone 
should 
always 
take public health seriously. 
Good hygiene, proper hand-
washing and updated flu 
shots may feel like small 
acts on the individual level, 
but when taken in context 
of 
a 
larger 
population, 
these 
simple 
habits 
are 
exceptionally 
powerful 
in 
keeping everyone healthy — 
especially those with pre-
existing 
conditions 
that 
place them at higher risk for 
health complications due to 
illness. We as the Michigan 
Daily Editorial Board urge 
the U-M community to stay 
informed 
for 
updates 
on 
the coronavirus and use the 
illness as an opportunity to 
check in with our regular 
public health habits.

M 

y 
parents 
are 
immigrants, so in our 
household, food is the 
center of everything. That means 
you don’t refuse food even if you 
just ate. While I’m not the biggest 
foodie, my parents would take food 
preparation very seriously, so I grew 
to love cooking over the years. I was 
never a natural, but my mom insisted 
that I learn all the traditional family 
recipes. What I once thought of as a 
tedious chore became the foundation 
for an appreciation of my culture and 
the art of food preparation. Grocery 
shopping is the most important 
task for the Shah family’s process. 
It includes two kinds of trips: the 
routine run to our local grocery store 
with my mom, or a more special 
trip to my city’s farmer’s market 
with my grandpa. While the former 
is a speedy encounter, Saturday 
farmer’s markets were a religious 
experience. My grandpa would say 
hello to his favorite local business 
owners, and we’d pick out beautiful, 
fresh produce. Hours later, we’d head 
home, content with our selection. 
The occasional trip to Whole 
Foods, however, was a completely 
different 
experience. 
While 
I 
reluctantly forgive the overpriced 
produce, I can’t help but scoff at the 
shelves stacked with lentil soup that 
pale in comparison to my mom’s 
recipe. Here, my grandpa would 
have no one to talk to. Instead, I see 
a man debating between the free-
range and grass-fed chicken eggs. I 
see a kid pick up a box of 100 percent 
fruit strips with no added flavors or 
sugars. Although I support the raw 
foods lifestyle, I always thought some 
of it was a little extreme. But who am 
I to comment on another individual’s 

grocery shopping predilections? And 
by any means, I had some intense 
restocking to accomplish according 
to my highly organized list.
A part of me recognized the 
facade of Whole Foods, but it was 
one of those things I seemed to be 
better off unbothered with. But 
when I had finished reading the 
section of Michael Pollan’s “The 
Omnivore’s 
Dilemma” 
on 
Big 
Organic for my Food, Energy, and 
Environmental Justice class last 
semester, my shy animosity toward 
Whole Foods escalated. I take pride 
in my culture, so when I see a brand 
that has industrialization embedded 
into its production narrative try 
and preach authenticity, I get a 
little defensive — to that and seeing 
jars of my grandmother’s cure-all 
“Golden Milk” instant mix placed 
methodically in the front of the bulk 
spices aisle. I mean, come on, get 
your own god damn culture.
It’s 
understood 
that 
as 
globalization continues, cultural 
diffusion is inevitable — it’s 
encouraged even. And what is 
the American Dream if not an 
expansion of ideas and ways of 
life? However, for America and 
its premature industrialization 
of food, ahead lies a consequently 
unpromising road to culture and 
the craft of food preparation. 
Time and time again, these 
attempts 
to 
reconcile 
the 
mass production of processed 
food acquiesce at the hand of 
convenience. In that respect, 
countries of lower socioeconomic 
status seem to be at an advantage 
because their circumstances led 
them to care about how food 
was made available. And that 

care continually nurtured their 
culture. It’s what makes food 
preparation such a big deal in 
many countries, and it’s why 
culture cannot simply be bought 
in a can of ultra-pasteurized goat 
milk.
Don’t get me wrong — I’m a big 
fan of organic, and I think the 
campaign for it is a noble one. 
Big Organic is a term coined for 
the progressive movement in 
agriculture and food production 
promoting organic and sustainable 
farming over existing industrial 
practices. This is good. Organic 
is good, and consumers should 
support brands that practice 
sustainable 
farming 
methods. 
Especially if it means endorsing 
local stories over the narrative of 
capitalism. But when businesses 
like Whole Foods want and expect 
their organic suppliers to operate 
at a larger scale, Pollan poses the 
overarching question best: “Is 
industrial organic ultimately a 
contradiction in terms?” Short 
answer: It is. Whole Foods strives 
to emphasize their “commitment 
to the local farmer” but unless 
their “local farmer” is a large scale 
organic farm in California, this 
is nothing but false advertising. 
A large portion of Whole Foods’s 
shelf space is accorded to big 
brands, wiping away all the 
underdogs, if they haven’t already 
been absorbed into the larger 
ones.

Easheta Shah can be reached at 

shaheash@umich.edu.

Read more at MichiganDaily.com

The common flu 
kills an average 
of 35,000 people 
each year.

Decriminalize Nature Ann Arbor 

can be reached at 

decrimnaturea2@gmail.com.

KAAVYA RAMACHANDHRAN | CONTACT CARTOONIST AT KAAVYAR@UMICH.EDU

