Thursday, March 28, 2024

Oregon Measure To Legalize Magic Mushrooms Qualifies For November Ballot

The measure would allow the production and use of psilocybin for therapeutic treatment under the supervision of medical professionals.

Oregon will vote to legalize the use of therapeutic psilocybin under medical professional supervision this year, after an initiative qualified for the November ballot. If approved, Oregon would become the first state to allow the use of psilocybin, the psychoactive ingredient found in psychedelic mushrooms.

The group behind the ballot question, Initiative Petition 34, collected 164,782 signatures from Oregon residents to put the Oregon Psilocybin Services Act on the ballot. 112,020 signatures was the official amount required to qualify.

RELATED: The Psilocybin Movement Is Like The Cannabis Movement (Except When It’s Not)

“This careful, regulated approach can make a real difference in peoples’ lives and we’re looking forward to bringing this program to the state,” Sheri Eckert said in a statement. Eckert, along with her husband Tom, were chief petitioners on the measure and also founded the Oregon Psilocybin Society.

Back in May, Dr. Bronner’s soap company donated $1 million to the campaign effort. The company previously donated $150,000 in September of last year as well. Dr. Bronner’s supported the ballot initiative because of how the Eckerts thoughtfully constructed the measure. The Oregon Psilocybin Services Act will allow the production, delivery, and administration of psilocybin at supervised, licensed facilities. It will also a two-year development program to train licensed therapists on psilocybin-assisted treatment.

Oregon Measure To Legalize Magic Mushrooms Qualifies For November Ballot
Photo by moxieprof via Pixabay

“We want to make sure it’s done in the right way and we feel that Tom and Sheri are putting forward models based on the best practices based off of the clinical trials coming out of Johns Hopkins and NYU but making it accessible for everyone,” Dr. Bronner’s CEO David Bronner said in May.

RELATED: Will Psilocybin Clinics Be The Next Big Thing In Treating Depression?

“In many ways, the therapeutic container is like the analog to the indigenous ceremonial container.”

Johns Hopkins researchers have previously called for psilocybin mushrooms to be made legally available for mental health applications. Different studies have found psilocybin significantly reduced depression and anxiety in patients, especially those who had not responded to traditional therapeutic treatment.  A small Johns Hopkins study showed that psilocybin significantly eased depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer as well.

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