09/06/2026
๐ฃ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐๐ป๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฐ๐ถ๐น ๐๐๐๐ฎ๐ฏ๐น๐ถ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ป๐๐ ๐ฃ๐ผ๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ป๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ผ๐ด๐ฒ๐ป-๐ฟ๐ฒ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ต
๐๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ด๐ฐ๐ญ๐ถ๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ถ๐ฆ๐ด๐ต๐ด ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฑ๐ณ๐ช๐ฐ๐ณ๐ช๐ต๐ช๐ป๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ง๐ฐ๐ณ๐ค๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ง๐ถ๐ญ๐ญ ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ค๐ณ๐ช๐ฎ๐ช๐ฏ๐ข๐ญ๐ช๐ป๐ข๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ
๐ง๐๐๐ข๐ ๐ โ Following emotional public testimony from several community members โ and even a few advocating for its adoption in neighboring counties โ the Pierce County Council unanimously affirmed the county's support for continued entheogen-related research for alternative treatment options and the full decriminalization of these activities at its Tuesday, Sept. 1 Council meeting.
With the adoption of Resolution No. 2026-177, the Council officially established its position and requested deprioritizing enforcement, while explicitly avoiding changes to any legal obligations and carving out clear exceptions for public safety, minors, and commercial activity. The resolution establishes the Councilโs position and does not require the Executiveโs signature.
"You're asking for the sheriff to support this as a lowest law enforcement priority. I want to make it very clear, it already is," said Cyndie Fajardo, Pierce County Undersheriff, at a Public Safety Committee public hearing on August 10. "With that said, it still is against the law, so I don't want there to be any misconception that this proposal will stop any enforcement from the Office of the Sheriff. However, this is not something that we actively go after."
The resolution takes three main positions: support continued research, request that enforcement be among the county's lowest priorities when no other suspected law violations are present and affirm support for full decriminalization at the state and federal level.
โThese entheogens are changing, and in some cases saving, lives. The stories we heard in the Public Safety [Committee], some of the stories we've heard today, were just so touching, and for me, taking an action like this is just the logical thing to do to help people take care of themselves in ways that work for them,โ said Councilmember Robyn Denson (District 7), who co-sponsored the resolution.
The legislation cites the mental health and opioid crises, high veteran su***de rates, FDA breakthrough-therapy designations for psilocybin (2018 and 2019), VA research on psychedelics and MDMA-assisted therapy, cultural/religious use of entheogens, and acknowledges that other jurisdictions, such as Seattle, Olympia, Tacoma, King County, Colorado, Oregon, and D.C., have already acted on similar legislation.
Additionally, the Veterans Affairs Administration (VA) launched a Phase 3 trial called Psilocybin Intervention for Veterans Overcoming Treatment-Resistant Depression (PIVOT) for veterans working to overcome treatment-resistant depression. The VA Puget Sound Health Care System was selected as one of five trial locations.
โIโm very pleased to be a co-sponsor on such an important resolution aimed at supporting veterans and others suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress and other mental health challenges,โ said Council Vice Chair Paul Herrera (District 2). โThis bold step aligns with the Presidentโs executive order directing the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to accelerate access to innovative treatments for patients facing serious, complex, and treatment-resistant mental illnesses.โ
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