Ballot Question 4 is a concern for Catholics in Massachusetts

By Maria Young | The Catholic Free Press

With less than a month from election day on Nov. 5, Bishop McManus sent a letter to priests of the Diocese of Worcester, Oct. 10, encouraging them to share a fact sheet with their parishioners about ballot Question 4 concerning the legalization of some psychedelics in Massachusetts.
 
The proposed law, if passed, would allow those “aged 21 and older to grow, possess, and use certain natural psychedelic substances in certain circumstances,” says the Massachusetts Information for Voters guide published by William F. Galvin, secretary of the Commonwealth.

The proposal pertains to five psychedelic substances: psilocybin and psilocyn (found in mushrooms) and dimethyltryptamine, mescaline and ibogaine (found in plants).  

“The use of such natural drugs can alter one’s perception of reality, cause extreme feelings of euphoria or despair and can worsen mental health issues,” the letter from Bishop McManus stated.

The proposal would allow the psychedelics to be “purchased at an approved location for use under the supervision of a licensed facilitator” and would “prohibit any retail sale.”

This proposed law would allow a person to possess the “personal use amount” of each substance, grow the substances in a 12-foot by 12-foot space at their home and give away the personal use amount to another person aged 21 or older. (The personal use amount is noted on the voter’s guide as one gram each of psilocybin, psilocyn and dimethyltryptamine, as well as 18 grams of mescaline and 30 grams of ibogaine.)

Additionally, if passed, the law would create a Natural Psychedelic Substances Commission which would “administer the law governing the use and distribution of substances” and create an advisory board “to study and make recommendations on the regulation and taxation of the substances.”

Cities and towns would be unable to ban these facilities.

In his letter, Bishop McManus noted the testimony of the president and president-elect of the Massachusetts Psychiatric Society before the Special Joint Committee of the Massachusetts Legislature that this initiative is “…reckless, irresponsible, and dangerous to the public.”

The fact sheet was prepared for the Diocese of Worcester by The Kolbe Family Group from St. John, Guardian of Our Lady Parish in Clinton. The Kolbe Family Group seeks to offer education, emotional and spiritual support for those with loved ones who have mental health concerns and substance use issues.

Ornella Quinn, of the Kolbe Family Group, said that she and members Christine Farmer, Theresa Hoggins and Lee Crowley “felt called to pursue” this research on Question 4 because it was a “continuation” and “natural progression” of their work.

“What can we do as a Church to make a difference?” Mrs. Quinn asked. “If we can inform and engage, this is the difference maker ...”

When doing research on the subject, Mrs. Quinn said that she and the Kolbe Family Group found that “even those in favor of psychedelics as medicine, were against this ballot initiative” because of the “lack of framework out there to support those using psychedelics.”

Laws regarding the use of psychedelics have been passed on the state level in Oregon and Colorado in 2020 and 2022, respectively.

New Approach PAC, who helped to fund efforts to legalize psychedelics in Colorado and Oregon, has also raised millions of dollars to promote Question 4 in Massachusetts. However, “no other state has such an aggressive release of these psychedelic drugs than Massachusetts” would if Question 4 is passed, Mrs. Farmer said.  

Those in favor of voting yes on Question 4 argue that psychedelic medicines are of benefit to those with treatment-resistant post traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression.

“We, as Catholics, are very compassionate and want those who suffer from mental illness to have an alternative method of relief, but the use and safety of psychedelics has not been conclusively tested. The research is limited, and it is hard to prove its effectiveness ... The petition goes too far, too soon,” said Mrs. Farmer.

“It will allow psychedelics to be grown at home and given away to others (effectively creating a black market),” the fact sheet stated.

The fact sheet outlines risks to mental health and public safety including impairment while driving or operating heavy machinery, the reduction of perception of harm and the increase in drug use by the youth. Additionally, it states that “Psychedelics can worsen or intensify mental health issues, particularly for people with certain pre-existing mental health conditions ...”

"Psychedelics for medical purposes are not 'settled science' - not at all. The Food and Drug Administration has not approved any psychedelic for any medical purpose. In fact, in 2024, it denied approval of MDMA (ecstasy) even though it had gone through clinical trials for years," said Dr. Bertha K. Madras, Professor of Psychobiology at Harvard Medical School and contributor to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences.  

The fact sheet also notes that the proposed Question 4 lacks certain requirements that would provide more safeguards for those using psychedelics.  

The Kolbe Family Group said that there is a “lack of medical framework” around potentially dangerous and harmful drugs. As Question 4 is currently written, there are no requirements for the licensed facilitators to be mental health professionals or for facilities to be medical clinics; there is no requirement for a mental health professional to provide patient counseling or support; and there is no requirement for medical screening or supervised use for home-grown users, the fact sheet stated.

Father Tad Pacholczyk, a senior ethicist at the National Catholic Bioethics Center and a priest of the Diocese of Fall River, reviewed some material and offered advice to the Kolbe Family Group throughout their efforts.  

“While there are some preliminary indications that psychedelics may offer limited therapeutic benefit for individuals who are struggling with certain forms of mental illness, the data clearly suggests the best outcomes not from independent or at-home use of psychedelics, which carry serious risks of their own, but rather from carefully-tailored clinical environments where extensive counseling and supportive therapy is concurrently provided,” said Father Pacholczyk.

“Any vehicle without clear restrictions is dangerous,” said Mrs. Quinn. “This is something that should be in the hands of the experts in the medical community.”

How is this a Catholic issue?

“It is really a sanctity of life issue. The way the industry is going to make money is to sell the drug. When you legalize a drug it decreases the perception of harm and increases use, especially in our youth. It can harm life. It can destroy life. It is a life issue,” said Mrs. Quinn.

She connected it to this third year of the National Eucharistic Revival in which there is a particular focus on the “call to mission.”

“It is clear that we were called to educate and inform. ... There are no medical guardrails. There are no requirements for these licensed facilities to be medical facilities or facilitators to be mental health facilitators,” she said.    

The 2016 Final Statement on Narcotics from the Pontifical Academy of Sciences was a guiding light for the Kolbe Family Group.  It refers to drug legalization “as a hopeless, mindless strategy that would consign more people, especially the disadvantaged, youth, the poor and the mentally ill, to misery or even death while compromising civil society, social stability, equality, and the law. Drug use can devastate the soul and a loving relationship with God. The faithful have a precious opportunity to engage in preventing this tragic form of modern chemical slavery.”  

“We need to continue this research,” Mrs. Quinn said. “We need  do it correctly, to understand the efficacy and safety through medical channels. That is real compassion – not what this ballot initiative is trying to do.”.”

– For more information visit stjohnsclinton.org/no-on-question-4.