Imagine your shock upon hearing that the U.S. is witnessing its first legal magic mushroom dispensary:
Then you hear it's happening in Oregon and you're like:
You can file it under "least surprising states for this to happen in:"
Psilocybin tea, wind chimes and a tie-dye mattress await those coming to an office suite in Eugene to trip on magic mushrooms. For roughly six hours, adults over 21 can experience what many users describe as vivid geometric shapes, a loss of identity and a oneness with the universe.
Epic Healing Eugene — Oregon's first licensed psilocybin service center — opened in June, marking the state's unprecedented step in offering the mind-bending drug to the public. The center now has a waitlist of more than 3,000 names, including people with depression, PTSD or end-of-life dread.
I don't really know how useful the drug may or may not be to the people suffering from those things. But one thing is certain: You can guarantee that the usage of this drug will move far beyond any real or purported medicinal benefits and quickly into the realm of useless recreational use.
At this clinic, after all, "no prescription or referral is needed." Just a willingness to do shrooms, apparently.
To be sure, this initiative is taking it sort of carefully, such as it is. Customers "must have a preparation session with a licensed facilitator who stays with clients as they experience the drug," and the facilitator can deny the drugs if he believes someone is suffering from mental illnesses that could be exacerbated by the drug.
All consumption of the drugs, meanwhile, are on-site, and users "must stay at the service center until the drug wears off."
So that's better than nothing, I guess. But I mean, it's drugs. It's still drugs.
As with so many progressive policies and initiatives, this one may sort of halfheartedly look good on paper, but when it plays out in the real world it will doubtlessly land somewhere between "not good" and "utter disaster."
Good luck with that, Eugene, Oregon.
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