Decriminalize Nature (DN) is a decentralized, transparent, open-source movement to restore our connection to ourselves, community, and nature/Mother Earth, starting with the decriminalization of the consciousness-healing and consciousness liberating entheogenic plant and fungi allies. These entheogenic allies were co-created by our ancestors in partnership with nature, and for which our ancestors paid a heavy price of oppression and subjugation by controlling colonizing interests.

We must decriminalize these entheogenic plants and fungi which are powerful allies for healing trauma and expanding consciousness. Our connections to our higher consciousness, our community, and our planet is being eroded--causing depression, isolation, and societal policies which are punitive and controlling, leading to higher incarceration rates, expansion of the wealth and income gap, and a breakdown of democracy.

The Decriminalize Nature movement recognizes the sacred relationship between humans, nature, and Mother Earth. As such, DN is not a psychedelics movement. It is a movement that advocates first and foremost, the need to remove all entheogenic plants and fungi from Schedule 1. We also recognize that:

• We swim in a world that worships profit and control at the highest levels, so passing legalization models which enable profiteering and control BEFORE passing Decrim Nature legislation will threaten the Decrim Nature movement. Those who seek profit and control fear abundance most of all. Beware of co-option efforts of the movement.

• Restoring confidence in our democratic process is key so we urge our chapters to engage with elected leaders directly rather than hand off the work to deep pockets via an expensive initiative process, thereby giving them control of the movement.

• Decrim Nature leadership believes in “giving away control” to local leaders who can then become regional leaders. In this way, the movement will grow and advance without figureheads or charismatic controllers.

• We exist to decriminalize entheogenic plants and fungi without limits on how much we can grow-gather-gift-share. While we support the work of Drug Policy Alliance (DPA), Students for a Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP), and others who seek to decriminalize all drugs and end mass physical incarceration of humans, our movement seeks to end the mass consciousness incarceration of humans, especially for marginalized communities of trauma, which have suffered most from colonialism and capitalism, by enabling equitable access to plants and fungi. Our efforts are complimentary to those of DPA and SSDP and we welcome collaboration.

• We are a people-led movement, not a money-led movement. Be cautious of those who seek to give funding with strings attached.

• We started as, and have always been, led by more than 50% BIPOC and 50% women. We are an organization that recognizes the wisdom that emerges from struggle and we thrive because of the participation of Indigenous, African American, Latinx/Chicanx, Asian, and recent immigrant leaders in our organization.

• While we are not against clinical or medical legalization models, we speak freely and openly about the threat that these models pose if passed before full decriminalization.

• No group of people own any plants or fungi. They were created by Mother Earth and are our allies on this journey of life. We recognize, respect, honor, and give reverence to the many Indigenous cultures of the world who have been in good relationships with these plant allies. We commit to work with them to ensure DN promotes sustainable and respectful relationships with these cultures and our plant allies. But we do not recognize any ownership of these sacred plants or fungi by any humans.

• Decriminalize Nature (DN) recognizes these entheogenic plants and fungi as sacred allies, and as such DN is against the commodification of these sacred plants. We will pursue legalization of community-based enterprise models that enable payment for services, but we will not support commodification of the plants and fungi materials themselves. We oppose the patenting of any plant or fungi material, for example.

• DN encourages adoption of safe practice guidelines and practices by individuals and communities in using entheogenic plants and fungi 

• DN encourages the emergence of community-based ceremonies that foster safe practice protocols as a key vehicle for enabling the creation of community-containers to heal the most vulnerable members of society.

• DN is a bottom-up organization, meaning that all of our solutions and decisions must flow from this basic question: How can this enable access to healing by the most vulnerable members of society? The idea is that if the most vulnerable members of society can access the plant allies, then everyone else can too. We will oppose efforts that threaten equitable access by the most vulnerable, and support efforts which enable equitable access by the most vulnerable.