PRINEVILLE, OR -- Elected leaders in nearly every Central Oregon community are considering asking voters in November to opt out of allowing psilocybin facilities when they become legal in Oregon in January. Psilocybin is the hallucinogenic chemical in what's commonly known as "magic mushrooms."
Deschutes County Commissioners are expected to approve sending the request to voters at their August 8th meeting. Measure 109, the 2020 ballot measure legalizing psilocybin treatment centers and production facilities, passed in Deschutes County with 53% support. Following hearings where no one testified in support of a ban, Commissioners still seem poised to send a request to voters to ban facilities in unincorporated areas.
Crook County Judge Seth Crawford says Commissioners will host a public hearing August 3rd before making a final decision for the ballot there, "It was voted down by 64% of our voters. And that, to me, is very clear that that’s something they don’t want in their community. And so, I think it’s great that we have the ability to put it out on the ballot and let them decide on local input versus state mandates, which we ask for all the time." Crawford says he’s already hearing from people, "It’s overwhelmingly that people want the ability to vote on it. From my conversations, people are going to vote against having it in our community." He tells KBND News, "I think another big concern people have is they have really poorly written rules. I’m hearing that from, like, our Association of Oregon Counties. I think there’s communities that would be for it, but are against how wishy-washy the rules are."
Jefferson County will host public hearings July 27th and August 10th before Commissioners make their decision. Prineville and Madras City Councils will discuss similar ballot questions at their Tuesday Council meetings. And, the issue is on Redmond’s agenda for the August 16th council meeting.
They all have until August 19th to file a ballot measure for the November election. Opting out of allowing psilocybin facilities can only happen with voter approval during a statewide general election.
