This measure is asking Oregonians to make their state the first to legalize medicinal use of psilocybin, the psychedelic drug found in “magic mushrooms.” The measure would only allow for the use of psilocybin in controlled medical settings as part of a program overseen by Oregon Health Authority. The state agency would have two years to develop that program before implementation.
Studies suggest the drug can be effective in treating post-traumatic stress disorder and depression; however, the American Psychiatric Association and Oregon Psychiatric Physicians Association have both come out against the measure. They argue psilocybin has not yet been proven safe and effective for the treatment of mental disorders and that the backers of the measure — founders of the Oregon Psilocybin Society — are overstating the drug’s abilities.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration designated the drug as a “breakthrough therapy” for major depressive disorder, and it’s now in the final phase of the FDA’s trial process.
The idea that psilocybin can be therapeutic is not new. There is evidence Indigenous people in Mexico used psychedelic mushrooms in purification ceremonies, and retreats offering ceremony-focused mushroom experiences continue to be offered in Oaxaca.
And, it’s already used therapeutically in Oregon. As Street Roots reported Sept. 30, those underground sessions can be expensive. It cost $850 for a session with a dose of a drug with a street value of less than $10 in one example. In that case, the price also included the expertise of a medical professional who guided the patient through an experience that the patient found to be psychologically beneficial.
PTSD and depression can be debilitating mental health issues, and if there is a drug therapy that can help people to live healthier, happier lives, we believe it should be accessible to them. There may be marginal risks, but there are risks with most legal controlled substances, such as commonly prescribed opiates.
But, therapeutic value is not the only reason we’re endorsing this measure.
We’re urging a yes vote because we don’t see any benefit to society by criminally prosecuting people for using psychedelic mushrooms, medicinally or otherwise. And if we’ve learned anything from the legalization of marijuana, it’s that legalization of medicinal use is a palatable stepping-stone toward legalization of recreational use. If Measure 110 also passes, possession of the drug in small amounts would be decriminalized as well.
Despite their illegality, psilocybin mushrooms have been used recreationally for decades and are not known to cause harmful long-term effects, such as those associated with chronic alcohol consumption, nor are they considered habit-forming.