Psilocybin Wellness and Opportunity Act Makes Moves in Washington State
The Psilocybin Wellness and Opportunity Act (SB 5660) (the “Act”), which provides for the provision of psilocybin services at licensed psilocybin service centers to individuals 21 years and older in Washington, was introduced by a group of Washington state Senators on January 5, 2022. Last week, the Act was given its first reading and assigned to the Health & Long-Term Care Committee.
As currently drafted, the Act would allow individuals 21 and older to ingest psilocybin and psilocin under the supervision of state-trained psilocybin service administrators. The Act has many similarities to the Oregon Psilocybin Services Act (the “Oregon Act”), which was voted into law as a ballot initiative by Oregon voters in 2020. Among the many similarities between the two bills are the creation of four license types: psilocybin manufacturers, psilocybin service center operators, psilocybin services facilitators, and psilocybin labs; limitations on the number and types of licenses a single licensee can hold; and certain residency requirements for licensees.
Unlike the Oregon Act, which has a 2-year development period, the Act provides for an 18-month development period, which, as drafted, would begin on July 1, 2022 and end by January 1, 2024. Meaning that, if the Act is passed as is, Washington could be online for psilocybin services just one year after Oregon, giving Washington a good shot at being the second US state to offer a state-legal market for the administration of psilocybin.
On the client side of things, as with the Oregon Act, the Act requires that prior to participating in an administration session wherein the client will take the psilocybin at a licensed service center, the client and a licensed facilitator must complete a preparation session and the client must complete a client information form. Unlike the administration session, the preparation session need not be held at a service center. Following the administration session, the client may elect to participate in an integration session, either at the psilocybin service center or remotely, wherein the client and the administrator meet to discuss and process the administration session and any results thereof. Clients will not need a prescription to access psilocybin services under the Act.
One of the Act’s key differences from the Oregon Act is that it allows for the provision of psilocybin services remotely to clients who are “medically unable to travel to a psilocybin service center,” thereby opening up access to psilocybin services to a broader range of clients.
Stay tuned for updates as the Act (hopefully) progresses through the legislative process.
Fingers crossed that psilocybin is making its way north!