When historic Measure 109 passed last year, Oregon became the first state in the US to legalize the use of psilocybin, and people all over the country took notice – focusing largely on what exactly legal psilocybin meant, and how this brave new world would be structured. But as time runs out to establish the proper framework, an important piece of the measure got lost in the shuffle – how ceremonial religious-use of psilocybin is likely to be treated by the Oregon Health Authority (OHA).

We have been covering the progress through Eyes on Oregon, and Jon wrote a great blog for us discussing his proposed framework, which you can download below. Most recently, we co-hosted a webinar with the Portland Psychedelic Society with an updated presentation by Jon. While progress has been steady, there is still a lot that needs to be done.

And things come to a head this week. Jon’s petition ends tomorrow, the last subcommittee meeting happens tomorrow, and the OHA will stop accepting public emails on Friday. So if you want to help, the time is now.

How can you help?

You can say whatever you want, or use some of comments by others on the petition as inspiration. Or, you can use the sample email Jon provided (feel free to copy and paste and add/edit to your liking). What’s most important is that you send the email at all:

Subject: I Support Entheogenic Practitioners

To the Oregon Health Authority:

I urge you to adopt the proposed “Entheogenic Practitioners” framework that has been endorsed by the OPAB Licensing and Equity Subcommittees. I also urge you to create a special manufacturing endorsement for entheogenic practitioners, as recommended by the OPAB Licensing Subcommittee. The proposed framework and manufacturing endorsement would provide important protections to sincere religious, spiritual, and contemplative communities who work with psilocybin-containing mushrooms.

Because Oregon’s program is the first of its kind, the rules we adopt will become the standard for all adult-use psychedelic services programs that follow. Therefore, it is imperative that Oregon develops a program that creates a safe container for psilocybin use by Indigenous and religious communities. By adopting the proposed framework, OHA can invite underground psilocybin practitioners to practice above ground within Measure 109, thereby reducing harm and improving accountability.

Oregon must take care to avoid regulations that create paywalls which prevent marginalized communities from accessing psychedelic and entheogenic experiences. Adopting the proposal would allow for affordable, community-based options that would bring psilocybin services within financial reach of the 560,000 Oregonians who live in poverty.

Please protect religious, spiritual, and contemplative communities through the adoption of the proposed entheogenic practitioner framework and manufacturing endorsement. Creating affordable, community-oriented pathways to psilocybin is a critical step in achieving equity in the future of psychedelic services.

Thank you,

  • Participate in the last virtual public hearing:

Thursday, April 21st 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. PDT: Zoom link

Call in: 1-669-254-5252 US / Meeting ID: 161 385 3904 / Passcode: 506462

If you plan to voice a comment at this hearing, please sign-up in advance with this Virtual Sign-Up Sheet for April 21st.

If the person before you says what you were planning on saying, say it again. It doesn’t matter. What matters most is that the OHA hears from the people, and hears that many people want the same thing.

Links

Oregonentheo.com

Religious Practice Under Oregon Measure 109 by Jon Dennis, Esq.

An interview Jon did with Psanctuary, a psilocybin church out of Kentucky, about the proposal

Psychedelica Lex: Jon Dennis, Esq. Gives an Oregon Psilocybin Update – Measure 109

Psychedelichealth.co.uk: Psychedelics industrial complex could put psychedelic religions in jeopardy

Past Episodes