Tonight we're going to talk
about more magic mushrooms.
Oregon is the first state in the
nation to set up a regulatory framework
for legal psilocybin services.
And if you're not aware of,
psilocybin is the hallucinogenic substance
found in certain mushrooms that make
them magic or causes you to see or
hear things that aren't actually there.
Yesterday we talked about how the
application process for psilocybin
licensing is now open across the state,
with the expectation being some of the
places where you can actually eat.
These mushrooms are going to
be open later this year.
Now at the end of our segment,
we asked you for your thoughts and questions.
And as always, you did not disappoint.
Thank you.
So tonight,
we're going to highlight some of your
emails and voice mails and answer a
few of the questions that you had.
We're also going to do what
this show does best.
We're going to go deep into this issue
and pull out facts about the process that
we think that you should be aware of.
Some might seem a little bit silly.
Others, though,
are things that you definitely
do need to know about when it
comes to the fine print.
Of this legislation.
Let's start with a voicemail from a
viewer named Steve talking about these
new psilocybin services coming to Oregon.
I'm totally in support of this.
I really think this has great medical.
Possibilities for people with
depression, anxiety, um,
I'm just really happy that Oregon
is leading the forefront in this,
and I think it's nothing but a very,
very positive step.
Thank you Steve, but a viewer
named Susan said no, thank you.
This is something I would not
try unless for some reason my
physician recommended it, she wrote.
I'm not depressed or have clinical OCD,
but then I've never felt the need
desire to try marijuana either.
We'll have some more of
your comments coming up,
but let's get into some of the
nitty gritty of the psilocybin
services law that are notable.
We'll start with some manufacturing rules,
which is the start of this
entire process since you know,
the mushrooms have.
To be grown in the 1st place,
manufacturers cannot use manure,
wood chips,
genetically modified organisms
like bacteria or chemical synthesis
to grow these magic mushrooms.
That's pretty nitty gritty,
a focused down on what they can
and cannot use to grow these
things and it should come as no
surprise that pesticides are also
prohibited in that growth process.
Another important note is how you
would take in the psilocybin products.
Manufacturers have to design
their products in a way that.
They can be consumed by eating
it or an enteral enteral method
and laughing because I practiced
that and still messed it up.
So this method means that it has
to pass through your intestines,
so you got to swallow.
I guess that means they can't make
psilocybin patches for the skin
or things like nasal inhalers
or sprays or injections.
They can make edibles though,
but there are strict rules around
that because they cannot be
perceived as targeting children.
That means they cannot make
products in the shape of an animal.
Vehicle, person, or character?
For all you millennials out there
that love the Flintstone vitamins,
that means you're not going to
get a flintstone silybin edible.
That's a big old yabba dabba don't,
per state law.
Now let's talk about where people
can eat the mushrooms.
They're called service centers.
The state says they can be open
from 6:00 AM until 11:59 PM,
with the caveat being that someone's
trip needs to be finished by 11:59.
They can't be administering the silos.
I've been at like 11:45 PM and
kicking people out at midnight.
The place must have an alarm system
with at least two panic buttons inside.
They also need to have video
surveillance on the premises,
except in the place where the people
will be using psilocybin for privacy reasons.
But the law does allow people to
have their administrative session
recorded via video, audio, or both,
as long as the person gives
prior written consent.
By the way, if you go for that,
the center cannot charge you more to view
the recording of yourself on your trip.
Now let's recap how the
process will go for you,
the client.
The only requirement is that
you're at least 21 years old,
and it's important to note that
you do not need a prescription
or a medical referral.
Your first step will be a preparation
session with a licensed facilitator,
which can be done in person or virtually.
It has to be done at least 24 hours
before you plan to take the psilocybin.
There will be several
forms to fill out as well,
so be ready for that requirement.
And once you do the initial prep session,
you will not have to do that.
Again, at the same service Center for a year.
So if your first experience helps you,
you can go back to the same place
and skip the paperwork for a year.
Another part of the preparation session
is completing a transportation plan,
and this is part of the process
that has some of you concerned.
We do not need another drug
behind the steering wheel.
We have marijuana, we have alcohol and
then we're going to have mushrooms.
People going to these
centers to use this product.
And it's under the watchful eye of someone.
And then they're gonna go out
and get in their car and drive.
It's the most ridiculous
thing I've ever heard.
Bad. Bad for Oregon.
Thank you for that.
You'll have to sign your
transportation plan, by the way,
which is really just a description
of how you plan to safely transport
transport yourself away from the center.
After the administration, I was going
to say how you're going to safely get home,
but maybe you're not going home.
This is the after the time
that you ingest the psilocybin,
the plans will advise you not to drive,
and facilitators are supposed to
make reasonable efforts to prevent
you from driving after a session.
If you're insisting on driving, though,
the facilitator has to make reasonable
efforts to resolve the safety issue.
If they cannot do that,
they're supposed to call the authorities.
And if you refuse your
own transportation plan,
facilitators are required to document that.
We speculate that would affect
your prospect of receiving another
appointment at that facility,
but the law does not say what is
done with that documentation.
And that brings us to the nitty gritty
of the actual administration session,
which is the only time when
silybin products can be consumed.
There will be specific eating areas,
and you're required to stay in
those areas throughout the session.
The facilitator has to be with
you the entire time.
They can't just watch you on video,
for example, from another room.
They also have to maintain visual
and audio contact with you.
They cannot use video equipment remotely,
and the only time that person
would not be with you is, well,
if they need to go to the bathroom.
And in that case they have to stand
outside the door and wait for you
if you're going to the bathroom.
Now,
if the facilitator has to use the restroom,
they can only be gone for 5 minutes or less,
and another licensed worker has to be
available to monitor you in the meantime.
Yep,
the state really did spell all of that out.
Now there are options for group.
Administration sessions.
Doesn't that sound fun?
As well as outdoor sessions,
each comes with their own requirements.
Group sessions have client to facilitate
a ratios that are all determined by
how much psilocybin the clients are taking.
The more people are taking,
the closer the ratio needs to be
1 to one the group.
Sessions can be 25 people or fewer,
but cannot go over 25.
Outdoor sessions have to be done
in a designated outdoor area
on the service center property,
and the boundaries have to be
clearly marked with quote visible
signage or barriers.
And no matter how big these
service centers are built to be,
they cannot host more than
100 clients at any given time.
The duration of These Sessions also
depend on how much psilocybin is consumed.
The sessions last from one to six hours,
and the more you take,
the longer you're going to have to stay.
Once your time is up,
or if you think your trip is over,
you'll have to sign a release document.
Saying you agree to end the session
and you agree to follow your
transportation plan to get home.
That was a bunch, huh?
Well, there's more.
You can even then take part in an
optional integration session to talk
with facilitators about more support or
other resources that could help you.
Those integration sessions can also take
place a day or two after your trip.
Now let's get back to some of your
questions after our segment aired last night.
Steve asked, hey,
what happens if my administrator gives
me my mushrooms and I take them and say.
Bye bye, I'm leaving.
What can they do?
Well, it's a great question.
We asked OHA for answers to those questions.
In each case,
she pointed us to a lengthy law on the books.
So let us just boil down the
answer that she gave us.
In the case of Steve's question,
the answer is basically the facilitators
required to make those reasonable
efforts to resolve the situation.
And if that fails, immediately contact,
quote appropriate emergency services,
which we assume would be the police.
And they're going to have
all your information anyway.
So just don't do that, OK?
Our next question came from Irene,
who wondered,
will these products and or services be
taxed like they've taxed marijuana?
The answer to that is yes and then no.
Yes,
because there will be a 15% tax on the
sale of all psilocybin products and no,
because the silybin market is not a
dispensary model like we have now.
With cannabis, you can't just go buy silybin,
take it home and use it like you
can with cannabis.
You have to buy it inside a service
center and then use it right there
as they watch you.
But as far as the tax, that's the yes.
And finally, L asked,
so can we presume this new business
will be cash only and facing the
same roadblocks that cannabis faces,
unable to use the banking system?
Well,
the OHA Rep noted that they cannot
speak to questions on banking,
but they followed that up with this.
We expect that similarities with
cannabis regarding banking will
exist for psilocybin licenses.
So cash only, yeah, probably.
Now if you missed it yesterday,
the idea is that some of these
facilities will open later this
year after the licenses are approved
and distributed.
So it's really not that far away
and we would love to hear any
other questions you have about
psilocybin services here in Oregon.
Or,
if you've experimented with
mushrooms before and you want to
tell us about your experience,
we'd love to feature some
of those stories as well.
Send us an e-mail.
Our address is the story at kgw.com.
Or you could call and leave a voicemail
503-226-5090.