The recent passage of Oregon Measure 109 to establish a legal medical mushroom program through a psilocybin “service center” model is incredibly exciting for Oregonians & plant medicine advocates across the United States.
The FDA has recently acknowledged psilocybin and the psychedelic mushrooms it is derived from as a “breakthrough therapy” for major depressive disorder and treatment-resistant despression - a designation reserved for new treatments that are found to be substantial improvements over current medications for a disorder either through greater medical benefit, reduced side effect occurrence/severity, or all of the above.
Physicians and healthcare providers also see potential for psilocybin in the treatment of PTSD, chronic anxiety, and other mental healthcare concerns that are becoming increasingly common in our fast-paced modern lives.
We’ve recently conducted several interviews with subject matter experts on the applications of medical mushrooms and the campaign process that saw Oregon successfully legalize psilocybin therapy for mental health to share what the near future may hold for Oregonians seeking psilocybin mushroom medicine.
What Taking Mushroom Therapy in Oregon Might Look Like for Patients & Caregivers
Brock Binder is the founder and operator of the High Quality cannabis dispensary & lifestyle brand in Corvallis, Oregon.
Brock has years of personal experience using varying doses of psilocybin mushrooms to manage the mental health concerns that plant medicine advocates have long know them to be useful for - including intense stress & anxiety, depression, and a feeling of hopelessness in life’s journey.
Brock gives a good beginner’s guide to the Oregon medical mushroom program’s foundations & possible future.
Brock’s personal success with psilocybin led him to get active in the Oregon Measure 109 campaign to ensure his fellow Oregonians and others in need have access to this medicine for potential mental health therapies - as well as general quality of life benefits for adults without chronic mental health concerns.
In his interview, Brock gives a great introduction to the mission that the Oregon M109 medical mushroom program will hope to achieve, including a framework for what a psilocybin therapy session is like from a patient perspective and how plant medicine advocates & healthcare workers can become licensed with the state of Oregon as a psilocybin therapy facilitator.
How Oregon Legalized Mushrooms - and Your State Can Too!
We also spoke with Sam Chapman, former campaign manager for the “Yes on 109” initiative that pushed this psilocybin program into reality, in a recent two-part interview.
Sam is now the Executive Director of the Healing Advocacy Fund, which will spend the next two years deeply involved in the rulemaking, fundraising, and legislative processes to establish the Oregon psilocybin therapy program’s entire legal framework.
Plant Medicine Advocate Sam Chapman shares behind-the-scene insights on how Oregon legalized medical cannabis & psilocybin
Sam has a long history in plant medicine advocacy & legislative lobbying - in fact, he helped co-author the bill that first established medical cannabis dispensaries in Oregon!
When Sam saw the same injustices common to cannabis were keeping medical mushrooms away from patients in need, he shifted his focus to the passage of Measure 109 to correct the societal wrongs preventing psychedelic therapy from entering the mainstream.
Oregon has among the worst mental healthcare systems in the country, so Sam hopes that the establishment of this program will help turn the tide for those with mental health needs in the state, as well as neighboring states like Washington, Idaho, and beyond as the program is set to be open to any adult in need - whether or not they are an Oregon resident.
Sam also offers tips for others across the country looking to establish similar psilocybin programs in their home states, like how to fundraise for a plant medicine campaign in the age of coronavirus, and what the legislative process looks like to pass a medical psilocybin program from the beginning.
In the second half of his conversation with Wayne, Sam Chapman dives deeper into the basics of the medical mushroom program to come in Oregon, which Brock Binder previously outlined.
Sam provides additional details on the challenges and goals that lie ahead for the next 2 years of Oregon Measure 109 rulemaking
Sam reveals how the Healing Advocacy Fund is working to ensure that the medical mushroom program is not plagued by many of the issues that the early cannabis regulatory system experienced, such as historical racial inequity & social justice issues, stumbling blocks for small and medium-sized businesses, and unnecessary over-regulation that slows the rollout of quality products and access for patients.
Sam also gives additional information on the types of licenses that will be available to interested producers when the medical psilocybin program goes live.
Beyond service center establishment to provide a safe environment for psilocybin therapy administration, there will also be licenses for facilitators to guide patients through their experiences - this could create a boom in jobs in mushrooms in Oregon! What may not be as plentiful as in the cannabis space are producer licenses - hear Sam’s insights on what the psilocybin mushroom licensing will look like in the episode above to learn more!
Shroom Science with Dr. Sulak
For more information on the actual medical applications of psilocybin and the hard science behind the effects of mushrooms, we spoke to integrative care physician & past podcast guest Dr. Dustin Sulak about his experiences with the medicine of psilocybin.
Dr. Sulak is the founder of Healer.com, and just like Brock & Sam, he has personal experience using psilocybin mushrooms to better connect with his own intentions in life and manage common mental health concerns.
Dr. Sulak is interested in the use of many plant medicines to better address the whole body human health, including psilocybin, cannabis, kratom and ketamine.
Dr. Sulak provides an integrative health approach to psilocybin and other plant medicines for more complete wellness for patients
Science is just beginning to understand how many of these traditional plant medicines can be more effective than their pharmaceutical counterparts, often at lower doses and with fewer intense & harmful side effects than currently prescribed medications.
Dr. Sulak shares his own profound cognitive shifts as a result of careful psilocybin dosing which have helped him move past personal & professional obstacles most American adults have experienced in their own lives.
Dr. Sulak is excited for a future of clinical practice in which psilocybin and psychedelic mushrooms are widely available for recommendation and dosing by educated healthcare professionals. Dr. Sulak hopes that the acceptance of psilocybin opens up the medical world to re-examining natural plant medicines as part of the complete toolkit of human health.
What You Can Do to Get Psilocybin on the Ballot in Your State
Visit the Yes on 109 website for insights on how a success psilocybin campaign was managed, what their platform specifics look like, and ideas on how to get started on formalizing such legislation in your own state.
If you haven’t done so already, be sure to search both Google and social media for local organizations dedicated to psilocybin therapy specifically, or plant medicine more broadly. Find like-minded individuals who are passionate about plant medicine and psychedelic therapy will help create a community - and as Sam say, it takes a huge community effort to pass such historic legislation.
If a psilocybin advocacy organization doesn’t exist in your state, maybe it’s up to you to start it today! :)
You can also contact Sam Chapman directly at the email address he provides at the end of episode Pe188, especially if you were involved in the Measure 109 campaign at some point as Sam would love to speak with you!
DISCLAIMER:
Psilocybin, medicinal mushrooms, cannabis & cannabis products have not been evaluated or approved by the FDA to treat any medical condition. All statements made in this article and the included media are the personal stories & experiences of the participants only, and do not constitute direct medical recommendations or advice. Consult with a licensed medical professional prior to any changes to medication regimens or trying psilocybin or cannabis for medicinal purposes.