Opinion
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
4 — Friday, February 7, 2020
Alanna Berger
Zack Blumberg
Brittany Bowman
Emily Considine
Cheryn Hong
Krystal Hur
Ethan Kessler
Mary Rolfes
Michael Russo
Timothy Spurlin
Miles Stephenson
Joel Weiner
Erin White
Lola Yang
ERIN WHITE
Managing Editor
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tothedaily@michigandaily.com
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EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS
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