Sam Chapman’s wish list for legalizing psychedelics in Oregon included a few things. He wanted
Instead, regulators and entrepreneurs devised a system in which licensed facilitators – people trained in psilocybin preparation, administration and integration – can support clients through a mushroom trip inside a regulated service centre.Rafi and Jarvis: Canada’s growing psychedelics industry has reason to pay attention to B.C. decriminalization decision
“It’s all about supporting each other,” Mr. Chapman said. For many of those building new service centres, “their goal is to break even. Which in a capitalist economy and society is a crazy thing to do.” And while other providers say they will offer lower pricing, the early days of legalized psilocybin in Oregon have strained to find much magic in the mushrooms.
But he is skeptical enough about the Oregon model to decide against creating his own psilocybin service centre.Brom Rector, founding partner of Empath Ventures, which invests in early-stage psychedelic startups, is more interested in the companies pursuing approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration for formulations of ketamine, psilocybin and MDMA, better known as ecstasy.
“Where it’s similar to cannabis is where we saw a lot of things get thrown against the wall. Some stuck, some didn’t,” said Joshua Barber, co-founder of Enthea, which is creating health insurance plans that can include psychedelic services as a workplace benefit. “We know the only way to scale any of this is for insurance to ultimately cover it.”
In Oregon, early providers are experimenting with business models. One, InnerTrek, expects to offer group sessions, in hopes of “creating a much more accessible entry for potential clients, where the full service may cost closer to $500,” said Nate Howard, director of operations. He was an adviser to Ballot Measure 109, which legalized psilocybin in the state, and is co-founder of a cannabis breeding operation with his brother.