According to a growing body of evidence, psilocybin has the potential to help people with diseases such as cancer, depression, addiction, anxiety, and Alzheimer`s disease. Oregon`s legalization of the substance is a big step toward public acceptance. “As we have seen with the domino effect of marijuana legalization, we expect this victory to inspire other states to adopt their own drug decriminalization policies that prioritize health over punishment.” Many of those who participated in Oregon`s psychedelic legalization movement were inspired by underground experiments. But she and two other underground therapists said they were concerned about the lack of training associated with current OHA guidelines and had no plans to become licensed facilitators. While it is still illegal to sell these drugs and it is still illegal to possess them, possession offences are now considered civil offences. This means that crimes can result in a fine or court-ordered therapy, but not jail time. This is a significant policy change that moves drug-related offenders away from the criminal justice system to medical and addiction services. “We are decriminalizing small drug possession, any type of drug. And we`re investing marijuana tax revenue, since it`s legal in Oregon, in addiction treatment and recovery services, so it`s really addiction and harm reduction services,” he said. Starting in 2023, Oregon will become the first state to widely legalize psychedelics. Technically, the state has not approved psychedelic therapy, although the program is often interpreted as such. Passed in November 2020, Election Measure 109 assigned the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) the task of monitoring magic mushroom consumption in “service centers” in the presence of “licensed moderators.” Measure 109 “was a prudent and thoughtful move to give Oregon residents legal access to therapy with incredible potential,” said Graham Boyd, policy director of Dr.
Bronner`s Magic Soaps, one of Measure 109`s leading bankers. As the first psychiatrist to practice forensic psilocybin-assisted therapy in Canada, Dr. Bains has been practicing psychiatry and psychotherapy for 15 years. His main goal was to provide patients with holistic and effective methods to improve their mental health. Currently, Washington, New York, Colorado and California are considering some form of psychedelic legalization, while several other states are introducing decriminalization and still others are exploring the potential medical benefits of psychedelics. As Oregon-style legalization spreads across the United States, the potential market continues to grow. “Oregon is just the first step. But there`s almost certainly a big wave coming,” said Field Trip`s Levy. Oregon made history by legalizing psilocybin for medical purposes and decriminalizing personal possession of all illegal drugs.
Montana, Arizona and New Jersey introduced laws for recreational cannabis, while Mississippi voted for a medical marijuana program and South Dakota became the first state to approve both at the same time. Meanwhile, Washington, D.C. Monitoring all entheogens (read: fun!) “As we reform our marijuana laws, we need to make sure we start righting the wrongs of prohibition and find ways to return to these communities to give them the opportunity to participate in the new legal marijuana economy,” Sutton said. “If we didn`t put so much emphasis on these kinds of provisions, Republicans would probably pass them. But this is unacceptable. It is unacceptable for rich white men to benefit the legal economy while we still have people suffering the consequences of doing things that are now legal. “Thanks to `representatives` who don`t really seem to represent what the masses want in terms of decriminalization and legalization of weed and beyond (see: the two presidential candidates, for starters!), this could be an uphill battle. Another obstacle? The above-mentioned measures for reparations and reimbursement. Oregon didn`t intend to boost another industry as the huge cannabis company became, but it could go in that direction. When states began legalizing marijuana, it quickly became an area where businesses are run primarily by white men. This lack of diversity was particularly troubling given the long history of using cannabis-related offences to incarcerate primarily people of colour. Oregon is just the beginning.
Several companies said they were discussing with other states the legalization of psychedelics. Red Light, which encourages Oregon to allow microdosing as part of its legislation, said it hired a lobbyist in Washington state as part of its commitment to the Psychedelic Medicine Alliance of Washington, a popular advocacy group, to pass a similar bill in that state.