OLYMPIA, WA – The Washington State Legislature is considering the legalization of psilocybin, the psychedelic drug found in “magic mushrooms.” Senate Bill 5263 concerns the access to psilocybin services by individuals 21 years of age and older. Its main sponsor is Senator Jesse Salomon (D-Shoreline).
If passed, Washington would become the third state which decriminalizes the drug. Oregon and Colorado recently legalized its use.
Research shows initial promise for treating depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, mental health conditions, addiction, and more.
Numerous people signed up to testify in support of the bill this morning during a public hearing of the Senate Committee on Labor & Commerce Committee, including Chester Baldwin. He and his wife have gone through psilocybin-assisted therapy in Oregon.
Baldwin says this type of therapy has been helpful and research is backing it up.
Meanwhile, Dr. Anthony Back, a Professor of Medicine at the University of Washington, spoke in favor of the bill’s passage. He is a principal investigator of a clinical trial for doctors and nurses who have symptoms of depression and burnout related to their frontline work during the COVID-19 pandemic.
If passed, people who are 21 or older could legally take it in a state-licensed facility without a prescription or medical diagnosis.
The Psychedelic Medicine Alliance of Washington has more information on the use of psilocybin, as do the following:
