Late last week, the Washington State legislature forwarded a bill to the office of the governor which included a proposal to directly provide $200,000 to fund an emerging workgroup to conduct studies on the possibilities of legalizing psilocybin services across the state.
The research group will be exploring the option of using current marijuana regulatory systems track psychedelic mushrooms. If by Gov. Jay Inslee (D) signs the bill, the psilocybin wellness group will be mandated with coming up with a report on psilocybin wellness and opportunities in the consultation with stakeholders.
The bill is giving much attention to the analysis and possible improvements to a stalled Senate bill that would have decriminalized the commonly referred ‘supported psilocybin experience’ by adults aged 21 and above.
The legislation will allow individuals to consume products containing psilocybin and psilocin under the supervision of a trained and state-licensed psilocybin service administrator.
Additionally, the workgroup will also be mandated with examining the current state systems which monitor manufacturing, testing and tracking of cannabis to establish the suitability and adaptations for used with psilocybin.
The group has also been tasked with reviewing and making recommendations on making sure there will be equitable access to a potential legal psilocybin industry.
“The authority must convene the first meeting of the stakeholder group no later than June 30, 2022. The authority must provide a preliminary brief report to the governor and appropriate committees of the legislature by December 1, 2022. and a final report by December 1, 2023. The authority may form subcommittees within the stakeholder group and adopt procedures necessary to facilitate its work,” reads the bill.
