Vic Mensa has been sentenced to 12 months of unsupervised probation after pleading guilty to possession of a controlled substance.
In January, Vic Mensa was arrested at Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C., by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers who found “a cache of illicit narcotics” in his luggage.
At the time, the “U Mad” rapper had just landed from Ghana and was immediately slapped with felony narcotics possession. Details of the alleged “illicit narcotics” revealed that Vic Mensa had about 41 grams of liquid Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD), 178 grams of Psilocybin gummies, about 124 grams of Psilocybin capsules, and six grams of Psilocybin mushrooms.
Psychedelic mushrooms remains illegal in the United States despite their widespread use across the country.
The rapper is not facing jail time after reportedly copping deal by pleading guilty to possession of a controlled substance and will be on probation for a year.
According to the publication, Kendra Glover, a representative for the Loudoun County Commonwealth’s Attorney, confirmed that Mensa pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a Schedule III controlled substance, which is a Class 1 misdemeanor.
In the meantime, the rapper will serve 12 months of unsupervised probation. The offense originally carried a sentence of 12 months in jail, but this was suspended. The other terms of his sentencing are that he must take a substance abuse assessment. Vic Mensa will also need to complete 25 hours of community service, and pay a small fine of $1000.
If he successfully completes the other terms, his fine will be slashed by half.
The rapper also spoke to TMZ about the case and his use of psilocybin mushrooms for his mental health.
“In this case, I have decided to plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge. I have been extremely vocal about my mental health, the culture at large and access to mental health treatment. It is important to note the extensive research being done on the topic of psilocybin [shrooms] and the many significant movements underway for legalization and decriminalization.”
Vic Mensa added that enough research proved the usefulness of mushrooms to treat mental health illnesses, and he hoped that the laws could be changed to give access to these treatments.
“Esteemed universities such as Johns Hopkins, University of California, NYU, Mount Sinai School of Medicine and The Imperial College of London have all immersed themselves in years-long research programs with full departments and centers dedicated to this work. Unfortunately, our laws have not kept up with the research showing that psychedelic plants and compounds can be successfully used to treat otherwise treatment-resistant mental illness.”
In the meantime, he said he hoped that his case will raise awareness of the benefits of mushrooms.
“I have contributed positively to many communities and will continue to do so with this case. My hope is that the silver lining to this matter will be increased focus on the effectiveness of psychedelics to treat mental illness and mood disorders that millions are battling with depression and anxiety with hope that all of our laws will change accordingly.”
