Legislative Advocacy

We aim to promote the safe and responsible use of psychedelic substances for therapeutic and spiritual purposes through policy reforms, educating the public about the potential benefits of psychedelics, and supporting research into their therapeutic applications. As a founding member of the NC Psychedelic Positive Coalition, we presented bipartisan legislation through the Breakthrough Therapies Research/Advisory Act. 

Policy Reform

At COHOBA, we recognize that cultivating, using, and trading psychoactive substances—including psychedelics—are practices deeply embedded in human history. However, prohibition, criminalization, and militarization of these practices have led to severe consequences. The global War on Drugs, driven by prejudice, racism, and fear, has resulted in mass incarceration, erosion of civil liberties, ecological harm, wasted economic resources, and a public health crisis due to contamination, poisoning, and overdose. These impacts disproportionately affect the most historically marginalized communities. We believe society has a responsibility to acknowledge these harms and seek ways to repair them.

 

Advocating for Consciousness, Not Criminalization

Consciousness, Not Criminalization is a core focus for COHOBA. We advocate for drug policies that respect the dignity and rights of people who use psychedelics, removing fear and stigma. This policy shift requires both individual and societal reflection and transparency. We oppose the criminalization of individuals who cultivate, produce, distribute, or use these substances, as this only increases dangerous usage practices and strengthens underground economies. Prohibition has not proven effective in protecting people or communities. 

Supporting a Diverse Psychedelic Ecosystem

At COHOBA, we believe that public health interventions should be grounded in a truthful and comprehensive assessment of the real risks of psychoactive substances and the policies regulating—or failing to regulate—them. Since psychedelic policy is interconnected with economic, ecological, and cultural elements of society, we seek a nuanced approach that balances these factors. Our advocacy work includes multiple approaches contributing to a more compassionate post-prohibition world.

Commitment to Freedom of Choice

We understand that people use psychedelics in various ways. COHOBA defends the right to individual choice in personal and community exploration of these substances, protecting access to personal, collective, therapeutic, and spiritual contexts. We promote a policy ecosystem that allows for safe access with appropriate oversight, so more people and communities can benefit.

Reparative and Generative Work

We acknowledge the harms caused by the War on Drugs and seek to heal those wounds while establishing a foundation for future reform in the criminal justice system and drug policies. At COHOBA, we integrate the spiritual, social, and geopolitical dimensions of the renewed interest in psychedelics to create policies that heal rather than perpetuate the injustices and errors of drug prohibition.

Reparative and Generative Work

We acknowledge the harms caused by the War on Drugs and seek to heal those wounds while establishing a foundation for future reform in the criminal justice system and drug policies. At COHOBA, we integrate the spiritual, social, and geopolitical dimensions of the renewed interest in psychedelics to create policies that heal rather than perpetuate the injustices and errors of drug prohibition.

A Harmonious Ecosystem

Our goal is to advance toward broad drug policy reform while promoting targeted strategies for specific psychedelics. At COHOBA, we value and protect the rights of individuals, practices, and plants with a legacy of use in Indigenous or underground contexts. We strive to understand and safeguard the origins and traditional practices surrounding psychedelics, whether plants, animals, or synthetic compounds. Each reparative measure we apply is a step toward protecting the historical and present-day, individual, and communal uses of these substances.

COHOBA Policy Agenda

Ecosystem Stewardship

With a strategic, multifaceted approach, COHOBA seeks to build an equitable, compassion-based framework through collaboration with like-minded organizations and individuals. We believe that transforming the system is a collective effort, and we work closely with local and international partners to strengthen this movement.

Thought Leadership

From the start, COHOBA has been committed to providing technical guidance, public comments, and support for reform proposals. We have been involved in developing groundbreaking proposals, contributing to a growing network of voices driving policy change.

Repairing Harms of the War on Drugs

COHOBA advocates for reform in drug sentencing guidelines as an urgent response to rectify the effects of prohibition, including the crisis of mass incarceration and human rights abuses. We strive to improve sentencing guidelines to alleviate the socioeconomic damage caused by the War on Drugs.

Equity in Psychedelic Ecosystem Health

At COHOBA, we promote equitable, safe access to psychedelics within a framework that respects everyone’s rights, including survivors of the justice system and individuals from marginalized communities seeking alternative paths to healing.

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