Impacts of Psychedelics Policy Reform Impact Tracker

Policy Landscape

Eight local jurisdictions in Massachusetts have enacted resolutions or ordinances that decriminalize or deprioritize arrests involving certain psychedelic substances. Somerville deprioritized enforcement in January 2021 of "entheogenic” plants. Shortly afterward, Cambridge passed a similar measure, citing the therapeutic potential of psilocybin-containing mushrooms and other entheogens. More areas, including Northampton, Amherst, Easthampton, Salem, and Provincetown, followed.

Voters rejected a 2024 ballot initiative to regulate psychedelics at the state level.

Crime

Massachusetts is one of the few states to report drug-related crimes by type of drug. Throughout the entire state of Massachusetts, hallucinogen-related crime seems to have peaked around 2020/2021 but decreased in 2022.

Total Hallucinogen-Related Crimes in Massachusetts

Source: Massachusetts State Police CrimeSOLV

It is difficult to evaluate the impact of decriminalization on crime since the overall amount of hallucinogen-related crime is so small. There were a total of 5 hallucinogen-related crimes in 2020 and 6 in 2023 across all jurisdictions that have enacted psychedelic drug reforms. When viewed as a percentage of all drug crimes, that amounts to 0.06% and 0.07% respectively per year, which is highly insignificant. Amherst, one of the larger jurisdictions, saw an insignificant reduction in hallucinogen-related crime following decriminalization, Northampton and Salem saw an insignificant increase, while Cambridge remained unchanged.

Hallucinogen-Related Crimes In Massachusetts Jurisdictions with "Decriminalization"

Source: Massachusetts State Police CrimeSOLV