A significant number of individuals grappling with mental health issues have registered to experience the effects of magic mushrooms, a psychedelic substance, following the legalization of psilocybin (the active compound in psychedelic mushrooms) in the US state of Oregon.
Epic Healing, Oregon’s inaugural licensed psilocybin service center, commenced operations in June and has amassed a waitlist comprising over 3,000 individuals, including those dealing with conditions like suicidal depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The consumption of this substance doesn’t necessitate a prescription or referral. Advocates of magic mushrooms aspire to see Oregon’s legalization of psilocybin catalyze a transformative shift in mental health care.
In January 2023, Oregon became the first US state to legalize the recreational use of psilocybin for adults. In the previous year, Colorado voters passed a measure authorizing the use of magic mushrooms, effective from 2024 onwards. Additionally, California’s legislature approved a measure permitting the possession and use of specific plant-based psychedelics, including psilocybin and mescaline, with health officials currently formulating guidelines for their therapeutic use.
The Oregon Psilocybin Services Section, the regulatory authority overseeing the industry, has reported “hundreds of thousands of inquiries from all over the world,” according to Angela Allbee, the agency’s manager. She stated that, thus far, clients have reported positive experiences.
Nevertheless, the legality of psilocybin remains intact in most parts of the United States. In 2018, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classified psilocybin as a “breakthrough therapy” and published draft guidelines to steer researchers conducting clinical trials involving psychedelic substances.
Certain research indicates that psilocybin can reconfigure the brain’s neural pathways, potentially aiding individuals in adopting fresh perspectives and conquering mental health challenges.
However, the Oregon Psychiatric Physicians Association resisted the 2020 Oregon ballot measure that legalized psilocybin, asserting that it poses risks and makes unfounded promises to individuals grappling with mental illnesses.
Clients who wish to use psilocybin cannot purchase mushrooms and leave; they must remain at the service center until the effects of the psychedelic substance have dissipated.
Over a span of two years, the Oregon Psilocybin Services Section established a framework of regulations for psilocybin and started accepting license applications in January. The state currently boasts ten licensed service centers, four growers, two testing laboratories, and numerous facilitators.
In 2020, Oregon also decriminalized the possession of hard drugs, solidifying its role as a trailblazer in drug law reform. It was the first US state to decriminalize the possession of marijuana and one of the initial states to legalize its recreational use.
However, the regulated marijuana industry is currently grappling with oversupply, and the decriminalization of drugs hasn’t fully met expectations, as it hasn’t significantly expanded addiction treatment services or reduced overdose incidents.
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