The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) union Local 360 is proud to be the first labor organization to publicly endorse bill S2934, the Psilocybin Behavioral Health Access and Services Act. Sponsored and submitted by Senate President Nicholas P. Scutari, the act represents a workable framework for New Jersey to quickly authorize “production and use of psilocybin.” In particular, Local 360 supports the bill’s intent to establish a network of “safe, legal, and affordable psilocybin service centers” for eligible residents, and sees a key role for organized labor in creating, expanding and sustaining such a network.

“This is the right time to take this step,” said Sam Ferraino, president of UFCW Local 360. “The involvement of Local 360 and other bona fide labor organizations has already allowed New Jersey to create a thriving, safe, employee-oriented and community supporting cannabis industry. We are advocating the same approach here, which means high standards of safety and training, and a real focus on greater equity within a well-regulated psilocybin industry.”

In February of 2021, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed into law a bill that downgraded historic penalties for the possession of small, personal amounts of psilocybin. UFCW Local 360 sees the Psilocybin Behavioral Health Access and Services Act as the next logical step in efforts to, as Senate President Scutari said, “destigmatize this natural product and to promote research to benefit mental and physical health.”

“The move towards psilocybin legalization is nationwide, as more states and municipalities start to recognize the benefits it can bring,” noted Local 360 president Ferraino. “We believe that New Jersey can become a leader in this space, as long as Labor Peace and Project Labor Agreements are added to the bill, and space is made for vital social and economic justice provisions.”

The Psilocybin Behavioral Health Access and Services Act is designed not only to authorize the production and use of psilocybin to promote health and wellness, it would also expunge many past offenses involving psilocybin.

About United Food and Commercial Workers: The UFCW International Union represents over 1.3 million hardworking families across the U.S. and Canada. These members work in essential industries such as Retail, Warehousing, Manufacturing, Healthcare, Transportation, the Public Sector and Cannabis.

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