Although psilocybin and entheogenic plants were decriminalized in Detroit three years ago, police recently raided and temporarily shut down a so-called “Psychedelic Healing Shack” on Woodward Avenue. Now, the shack’s owner is fighting to get it back open.
After an undercover cop purchased magic mushrooms and cannabis from the location on Sept. 11, authorities showed up the next day and seized almost 100 grams of psilocybin stems and caps along with 10 grams of cannabis. Psilocybin is still considered a controlled substance at the federal level and is illegal to distribute.
The owner, Robert Pizzimenti, thinks legal consequences resulting from the psychedelic vegetarian cafe’s activities are unjustifiable because people are entitled to use natural psychoactive substances for religious purposes.
“Drugs are something you manipulate in a laboratory, not something you pick from nature that has medicinal benefits,” he told Detroit Metro Times. “It’s our religious freedom to have these psychedelics.”
According to the Michigan newspaper, the city has threatened to keep the location permanently closed unless Pizzimenti is willing to let local authorities conduct random and unscheduled inspections. He would also be required to admit that the storefront illegally sold shrooms and marijuana and be prohibited from trying to take legal action.
However, the Metro Times says he has no plans to agree to those conditions and plans to just open back up. One of his strategic moves to stay open was to join the local “Sugarleaf Church” — a Detroit religious organization that uses cannabis and psychedelics for spiritual fulfilment. Both Pizzimenti and Sugarleaf use religious freedom enshrined in the First Amendment to justify their usage of the substances.
“I’m not one to play games,” Pizzimenti said, “but now that they’ve come down on me, I’m gonna have to play a game and have people become a member of a church.”
Had a dope energetic experience at Psychedelic Healing Shack on Woodward Ave. in Detroit. Love a spot with great food and high vibes. Def going back soon. pic.twitter.com/Fv2sub8Eu9
— Lavell Jamar (@PlantFreq) April 26, 2021
Read more: If you thought garden gnomes were trippy, just wait till you hear this
Read more: Fun Guyz gets fed up with police raids, moves magic mushroom sales online
Police found dead hip-hop artist in a kid slide outside
This occurrence in 2020 was the last newsworthy event at the location.
Forty-year-old Max Julian was known to frequent the Psychedelic Healing Shack and was discovered lifeless in its exterior playground’s slide one morning.
Some accused Pizzimenti of using the death to promote his business and demanded an investigation, but a close associate of his said he would never do such a thing. Pizzimenti filmed paramedics taking Julian away while providing commentary and it circulated online, with some viewing the video as insensitive.
Several protestors showed up with picket signs to express how upset they were about it. It appears they may have just wanted someone to blame for it.
Police suspect that he overdosed and did not find anything to indicate foul play.
“They’re trying to blame here for it!” an anonymous man who worked at the shack said. “I don’t believe it.”
rowan@mugglehead.com
