Detroit voters approve proposals on entheogenic plants, reparations task force

DETROIT – Detroit voters overwhelmingly passed two major proposals on the city’s ballot during Tuesday’s state election.

Voters easily passed Detroit Proposal R, which will require the Detroit City Council to establish a reparations task force to make recommendations for housing and economic development programs that address historical discrimination against Detroit’s Black community. 80% of voters approved.

Voters also easily passed Detroit Proposal E, which will:

• Decriminalize the possession and therapeutic use of entheogenic plants, including psilocybin mushrooms, peyote, and iboga;
• Declare that police shall treat the possession and use of entheogenic plants by adults among the lowest law enforcement priorities.

Entheogenic plants are plants that contain psychoactive substances, like “magic mushrooms,” which are being utilized to treat depression and other ailments. Other substances include mescaline, ayahuasca, psilocybin and dimethyltryptamine or DMT. Ann Arbor passed a similar proposal earlier this year.

Detroit officials will have to determine to interpret the decriminalization, which will likely take some time.

Voters rejected another proposal to amend the city’s charter, and elected mayor Mike Duggan to a third term.

More: Detroit General Election Results for Nov. 2, 2021