Oregon’s legal psilocybin program gets taxpayer funds despite promise to pay its own way
Backers of Oregon’s psychedelic mushroom law made big promises when they pitched Measure 109 to voters in 2020. Oregonians would get access to a life-changing compound in a safe, legal setting, and, after a two-year startup period, it wouldn’t cost taxpayers a dime.
But two years have come and gone, and Oregon Psilocybin Services is nowhere near paying its own way. Fee revenue is anemic because too few people are seeking the various licenses. Just four manufacturers, two testing labs, and eight service centers have been licensed. All three types of entities pay a one-time fee of $500 and then $10,000 a year to operate. Many more facilitators have been approved (88), but they pay only $150 up front and then $2,000 annually. So far this year, Psilocybin Services has raised just $318,419 in fees, [Oregon Health Authority] OHA says.
Original Article (Willamette Week):
Oregon’s legal psilocybin program gets taxpayer funds despite promise to pay its own way
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