Measure 109 in Oregon was recently approved by voters, making Oregon the very first state in the U.S.A. to legalize psilocybin-assisted therapy. While many are eager to begin providing or receiving this breakthrough service, psilocybin-assisted therapy will not be officially available until sometime in 2023. This is because the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) will be in charge of creating a program that establishes training requirements for facilitators and suppliers which will begin in January of 2021. It will take two full years to implement before psilocybin-assisted therapy is available. When it is available, it will be restricted to people 21 years of age and older.
Although many want to access these services immediately, there are steps that must be taken to ensure that health and safety factors are not overlooked. For example, the OHA will determine what eligibility requirements need to be met for individuals to obtain a license to provide this service. This includes establishing guidelines for what qualifications, education, training, exams, and professional codes of conduct will be necessary. Therefore, for now, this service is still unavailable and illegal until these rules and regulations have been established.
Measure 110 was also recently passed in Oregon, making personal non-commercial possession of controlled substances, such as psilocybin, MDMA, cocaine, and heroin, no more than a Class E violation, with a max fine of $100. This measure also includes the establishment of a drug addiction treatment and recovery program, wherein individuals who are charged a fine up to $100 for a Class E violation have the option to complete a health assessment instead of paying the fine. This new approach establishes that personal use of controlled substances will be decriminalized, shifting the approach from criminalization to one of health and safety. Like Measure 110, the implementation period has yet to be completed. The amendments voted in through Measure 109 do not become law until February 1st of 2021.
Although we are all eager for these measures to be officially implemented, we must be patient for a little longer. At the moment, Portland Psychotherapy therapists are not able to provide psilocybin-assisted therapy because it is still illegal. For people who are wanting to use psychedelics for personal growth or healing, we are able to meet with you before or after your use of psychedelics in order to help you understand the risks and benefits, maximize safety, and integrate experiences into your life.
If you would like to learn more about our harm reduction and integration services, please click here. And If you’d like to learn more about Measure 109 and Measure 110, please check out voteyeson109.org and voteyeson110.org.
By Sarah Smith
Author: Sarah Smith
Sarah Smith serves as our full-time research coordinator. She received her B.S. in Psychology from Pacific University and plans to pursue a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and become a psychedelic-assisted therapist.
