Washington State Legislature Proposes $200K To Fund Psilocybin Research

A new budget bill with a proposal to earmark $200,000 for researching the possibility of legalizing psilocybin services in Washington State was filed by the State legislature on Thursday. The bill also proposes relying on current cannabis regulatory systems to track psychedelic mushrooms, reported Marijuana Moment. 

If Governor Jay Inslee (D) signs the legislation, the Psilocybin Wellness Workgroup will be required to create a “report on psilocybin services wellness and opportunities in consultation with stakeholders.” The workgroup would have to analyze the existing state systems in charge of overseeing “manufacturing, testing, and tracking of cannabis to determine suitability and adaptations required for use with psilocybin.”

Furthermore, the body would examine and make recommendations around “equitable access to a potential legal psilocybin industry.”

The psilocybin part of the bill aims to improve a stalled Senate bill that would have created a state-licensed program to provide medical treatment with psilocybin. 

Unfortunately, the Psilocybin Wellness and Opportunity Act meant to legalize “supported psilocybin experiences” for adults 21 and older failed to advance out of committee. The bill would have allowed adults to consume products containing psilocybin and psilocin, under the support of a trained and state-licensed service administrator. 

Now, advocates are seeking to put a magic mushroom legalization bill to a popular vote and are seeking to raise money and signatures to qualify it for November’s ballot.

The advocacy group, Psychedelic Medicine Alliance Washington (PMAW), indicated it was pleased about including psilocybin-related funding in the budget.

“PMAW is extremely pleased that the Washington State Legislature has listened to the overwhelming support of their constituents by fully funding this budget proviso studying psilocybin services,” stated PMAW co-director Kody Zalewski. 

Photo: Courtesy of Mari-Liis Link on Unsplash