Uploaded November 2025 | Updated September 2026, 39 minutes ago
Seattle’s 2021 ordinance decriminalized entheogens—plants and fungi that contain psychoactive indolamines, tryptamines, or phenethylamines—such as psilocybin mushrooms, ayahuasca, mescaline cacti, and iboga. This Salon weaves together two threads: the little-known plant and fungal allies often left off the psychedelic main stage, and the laws that shape how we can (and cannot) work with them today. Legal experts Perry Salzhauer and Daniel Shortt explore what this ordinance means in practice, including how it shapes access, cultivation, and community use of approved entheogenic plants and fungi. Key to this discussion is analyzing the parameters of what decriminalization allows and, more importantly, does not allow. We will cover the interplay between local, state, and federal law and share insights from Perry and Daniel’s work in the field. Attendees will gain practical insight into the evolving legal and cultural landscape of entheogens in Seattle and beyond.
Perry Salzhauer is a corporate transactions attorney with extensive experience advising businesses in highly regulated and emerging industries, including cannabis and psychedelics. He co-founded Green Light Law Group, a boutique firm focused on cannabis and psychedelics, and has served as both outside and in-house counsel to corporations, investors, and government agencies. His background encompasses securities, environmental compliance, and corporate governance, providing clients with a strategic advantage in navigating complex regulatory frameworks.
Daniel Shortt is a regulatory and corporate attorney who advises clients across cannabis, hemp, and psychedelics. His work spans federal agencies, multinational corporations, and entrepreneurial startups, with expertise in transactions, compliance, and regulatory frameworks. A frequent commentator in national outlets like The Washington Post and Bloomberg, Daniel also teaches cannabis law at the University of Washington School of Law. Recognized as a Top 200 Cannabis Lawyer and a Super Lawyers “Rising Star,” Daniel bridges legal intricacies with pragmatic business insight in emerging psychedelic markets.
April Pride is a Seattle-based creative entrepreneur and harm reduction advocate with over two decades of experience building brands at the intersection of lifestyle, cannabis, psychedelics, and women’s health. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, Forbes, Vice, and The Guardian. April is the founder of SetSet, the world’s first clinician-approved woman-focused platform for safe, accessible psychedelic integration. To learn more, follow April on Substack – aprilpride.substack.com
Presented by Town Hall Seattle and SetSet.
Events are offered for informational, entertainment, and educational purposes only. Read Town Hall’s Program Content Policy at townhallseattle.org/policies
0:00 Introductions
1:27 Discussion
51:43 Audience questions
Seattle’s 2021 ordinance decriminalized entheogens—plants and fungi that contain psychoactive indolamines, tryptamines, or phenethylamines—such as psilocybin mushrooms, ayahuasca, mescaline cacti, and iboga. This Salon weaves together two threads: the little-known plant and fungal allies often left off the psychedelic main stage, and the laws that shape how we can (and cannot) work with them today. Legal experts Perry Salzhauer and Daniel Shortt explore what this ordinance means in practice, including how it shapes access, cultivation, and community use of approved entheogenic plants and fungi. Key to this discussion is analyzing the parameters of what decriminalization allows and, more importantly, does not allow. We will cover the interplay between local, state, and federal law and share insights from Perry and Daniel’s work in the field. Attendees will gain practical insight into the evolving legal and cultural landscape of entheogens in Seattle and beyond.
Perry Salzhauer is a corporate transactions attorney with extensive experience advising businesses in highly regulated and emerging industries, including cannabis and psychedelics. He co-founded Green Light Law Group, a boutique firm focused on cannabis and psychedelics, and has served as both outside and in-house counsel to corporations, investors, and government agencies. His background encompasses securities, environmental compliance, and corporate governance, providing clients with a strategic advantage in navigating complex regulatory frameworks.
Daniel Shortt is a regulatory and corporate attorney who advises clients across cannabis, hemp, and psychedelics. His work spans federal agencies, multinational corporations, and entrepreneurial startups, with expertise in transactions, compliance, and regulatory frameworks. A frequent commentator in national outlets like The Washington Post and Bloomberg, Daniel also teaches cannabis law at the University of Washington School of Law. Recognized as a Top 200 Cannabis Lawyer and a Super Lawyers “Rising Star,” Daniel bridges legal intricacies with pragmatic business insight in emerging psychedelic markets.
April Pride is a Seattle-based creative entrepreneur and harm reduction advocate with over two decades of experience building brands at the intersection of lifestyle, cannabis, psychedelics, and women’s health. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, Forbes, Vice, and The Guardian. April is the founder of SetSet, the world’s first clinician-approved woman-focused platform for safe, accessible psychedelic integration. To learn more, follow April on Substack – aprilpride.substack.com
Presented by Town Hall Seattle and SetSet.
Events are offered for informational, entertainment, and educational purposes only. Read Town Hall’s Program Content Policy at townhallseattle.org/policies
0:00 Introductions
1:27 Discussion
51:43 Audience questions
