On Sept. 20, David Bronner, Cosmic Engagement Officer (CEO) of California-based Dr. Bronner’s, was in Portland to join Tom and Sheri Eckert, local therapists and chief-petitioners of Oregon’s statewide ballot initiative to legalize psilocybin assisted therapy, as they welcomed famed mycologist Paul Stamets and special guests for an event at the Newmark Theatre. At this sold-out event, the Oregon Psilocybin Service Initiative announced the beginning of the signature drive for the campaign, and Bronner announced his company’s matching contribution of $150,000 to the initiative. Psilocybin therapy has the potential to offer relief for the increasing number of Oregonians struggling with depression, anxiety, and addiction who have found no relief from pharmaceuticals.
“The intent of the 2020 Psilocybin Service Initiative of Oregon is to pass the Oregon Psilocybin Services Act and advance a breakthrough therapeutic model currently being perfected in research settings at top universities around the world. The service model involves a sequence of facilitated sessions, including assessment and preparation, psilocybin administration and post-therapy integration. We envision a community-based framework, where licensed providers, along with licensed producers of psilocybin mushrooms, blaze trails in Oregon in accordance with evolving practice standards,” explained Sheri Eckert, co-founder of the Oregon Psilocybin Society.
Highlights of the Oregon Psilocybin Services Act include:
• Safety, practice and ethical standards for trained and competent facilitators
• Services open to anyone who is not medically contraindicated
• An affordable framework outside the medical/pharmaceutical system
• Establishment of an advisory board to work with state and federal officials
• An extended development period so the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) can successfully roll out the program
• Prohibition of cannabis-style branding and marketing of psilocybin products
Sept. 20 was also the beginning of the Global Climate Strike, which has been organized to increase pressure on governments around the world to enact policy to stop burning fossil fuels. In addition to fossil fuels, other major contributors to climate change include industrial agriculture and the consumption of factory farmed meat. Dr. Bronner’s, in solidarity with strikers and the #digitalclimatestrike, shuttered its websites globally (on Sept. 20) and supported employees who joined local protests. The company’s volunteer Green Team will also host a “Buy-Nothing” pop-up free store at Dr. Bronner’s headquarters to encourage the reuse and upcycling of clothing and other goods among staff from Sept. 23-27.
For more information, visit www.drbronner.com.
