Oregon psilocybin regulations took a somewhat unexpected twist by putting forth regulations around low-dose psilocybin.

These new regulations around low-dose psilocybin represent a steep departure from the expected 6-hour guided sessions and open the door for Oregon to be a laboratory of experimentation for various business models and various healing modalities.

Background: When and how was psilocybin legalized in Oregon?

In December 2022, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) announced that it had finally established regulations around the legal use of psilocybin—the hallucinogenic compound found in “magic mushrooms.”

The news came more than two years after Oregon residents voted to approve Measure 109. The measure allows for psilocybin to be legally prescribed and consumed (in licensed clinics) as treatment for a variety of mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance abuse disorder. (Psilocybin is still classified as a Schedule 1 substance by the Drug Enforcement Agency, which means it’s still federally illegal.) 

It may not come as a surprise that the issue was controversial…

Perhaps more surprising was one of the main points of contention: How small a dose of psilocybin is too small?

The argument around microdosing

Part of Measure 109 was to create the Oregon Psilocybin Advisory Board, which would help the OHA establish guidelines around the safe and effective use of psilocybin in clinical settings.

One of their biggest arguments in the two years it took to establish regulations was dose size.

While the measure focused on larger doses and longer “trips” guided by trained facilitators, or “macrodosing”… it didn’t specify—either to affirm or ban—anything in particular about the administration of smaller doses, also known as “microdosing.”

On the “pro” side of microdosing, board members argued that microdosing would be more cost-effective, making it more accessible. In addition, some research indicates that microdosing can benefit everything from sleep to anxiety to creativity and cognitive functioning.

But dissenters were concerned about the possibility of “microdosing cafes,” and that other studies don’t show any specific benefits for those who microdose vs. those who don’t. 

Ultimately, the regulations ended up approving microdosing:

Unlike macrodosing (35–50 mg), which will require 6 hours at a service center with 1 facilitator for every 2 clients present, a lower dose between 2.5–5 mg will require only 1 hour at a service center with only 1 facilitator for every 25 clients present.

There’s also language in the regulation around a “sub-perceptual” dose of 2.5 mg or less, which would involve a half-hour session overseen by a facilitator.

Could we indeed see “microdosing cafes”?

We’ll see how Oregonian service centers may “push the envelope” on these regulations.

Imagine a music venue serving less than 5mg for a capacity of 100 clients with 4 facilitators present. Or imagine a coffee shop serving less than 5mg for a capacity of 25 clients with the barista acting as the facilitator. Or imagine a yoga studio serving less than 5mg for a capacity of 25 clients with the yoga instructor acting as the facilitator.

Imagine all these services are provided at a fraction of the cost of what you’re used to paying.

It’s hard to picture… but there’s no arguing it opens the door for a lot of questions—and for clever folks to define the answers. Regardless of how microdosing legislation is ultimately implemented, it will be interesting to see how it unfolds!