Oklahoma Bill To Decriminalize Magic Mushrooms Passes House
Not long ago in late January, I first shared this bit of state legislation with you. The push to decriminalize psilocybin "magic" mushrooms and establish a legal way to research the potential health benefits of another naturally growing "medicine" in Oklahoma.
After years of trying to treat a diverse list of ailments with everything from over-the-counter remedies to addictive opiates and even ketamine, it seems looking back to nature would be the natural step here.
The legislation found a willing sponsor in Lawton's own State Representative Daniel Pae. While his bill will compete with another similar but different piece of mushroom legislation, this one is currently heading up the race to become law.
If you're so interested, you can read up on the full text here, but in plain terms... instead of an arrest and jail time for persons caught with small amounts of this specific drug, confiscation and a fine will be punishment instead.
The real meat & potatoes of this bill define a licensing process for relevant outlets to obtain, grow, and research this substance through a series of real-world clinical trials. If there are medicinal benefits of this fungus, these studies are a step towards finding them.
Since the bill has officially passed the Oklahoma House of Representatives, it goes on to the Oklahoma Senate for approval before moving onto the governors desk for signature. At that point, Oklahoma would join Oregon in being the only US states to decriminalize magic mushrooms. Similar legislation has taken place as city ordinances in Washington, California, Colorado, Michigan, and Massachusetts.
Time will tell if there are medical benefits to this "natural drug" or if it's a run towards a dead end. Previous studies over the last decade and a half seem promising. It's up to Oklahoma to confirm those early results.