Washington’s Psilocybin Legalization Bills Face Intense Scrutiny in Public Hearings

Legislative efforts to create a regulated psilocybin market in Washington State met stiff resistance last week during public hearings, with critics blasting the proposals as either too loose or too restrictive. The two bills—SB 5201 and HB 1433—aim to establish a legal framework for facilitated psilocybin services, but their reception suggests a long road ahead.

Lawmakers Caught Between Two Strongly Opposing Sides

The proposed legislation is a balancing act, and its drafters know it. Aaron Loehr of the Coalition for Better Community Health, who helped write the bills, made it clear: no one is fully happy.

“We’re in the middle,” Loehr told lawmakers, describing the two opposing factions. One side demands full decriminalization, allowing unrestricted access with no oversight. The other, consisting largely of pharmaceutical interests and psychiatrists, wants tight control, possibly limiting access in favor of existing medical models.

The legislation, if approved, would allow adults 21 and older to use psilocybin in guided sessions with licensed facilitators. The framework borrows from Oregon and Colorado’s pioneering programs, as well as Utah’s pilot project. Unlike full decriminalization, this approach envisions a regulated market, with licensed product manufacturers, service centers, and testing labs ensuring quality and safety.

Public Hearings Bring Heated Debate

Over two days of testimony, lawmakers heard from a deeply divided crowd. Supporters called the legislation a critical step toward expanding mental health options. Opponents, however, took issue with both its structure and intent.

Seattle neuropsychologist Rebecca Allen was among the most vocal critics. She dismissed the proposal as a thinly veiled attempt at recreational legalization.

“This is a recreational bill masquerading as a medical bill,” Allen said, emphasizing that more research is needed before psilocybin is widely used as a treatment option. “A quasi-medical veneer does not good healthcare make.”

Allen’s concerns weren’t isolated. Many skeptics argued the bill rushes legalization without sufficient scientific backing, potentially putting patients at risk. Others feared corporate interests could monopolize access, squeezing out more affordable community-based approaches.

Decriminalization Advocates Push Back

Ironically, some of the bill’s most ardent opponents aren’t against psilocybin at all—they’re against how the legislation structures access. Activists who successfully pushed for reduced psilocybin enforcement in cities like Seattle, Tacoma, and Port Townsend argued the bill would criminalize current community-based healing efforts while creating an expensive, exclusionary system.

Erin Redding, president of the Port Townsend Psychedelic Society, didn’t hold back. She accused the proposal of putting financial interests ahead of people.

“It unjustly legalizes paid, regulated use while continuing to criminalize the thriving networks of people who are already healing themselves with psilocybin—safely, effectively, with community accountability and often for free,” Redding said.

Her concerns highlight a major issue: affordability. Similar programs in Oregon have faced backlash over costs, with guided sessions sometimes running thousands of dollars. Critics fear Washington’s model will follow suit, limiting access to those who can afford premium treatment while leaving behind those who rely on underground or community-driven alternatives.

What Comes Next?

The debate is far from over. Lawmakers must now weigh whether to tweak the bills to address concerns—or risk them stalling altogether. The challenge will be crafting a policy that expands access without alienating key stakeholders, including medical professionals, community healers, and potential consumers.

• Will lawmakers introduce amendments to ease concerns about affordability?
• Can a compromise be reached between the medical establishment and grassroots activists?
• How will enforcement be handled for those operating outside the proposed legal framework?

For now, psilocybin remains illegal in Washington. But with pressure mounting on both sides, it’s clear the fight for access—and how that access is defined—is only just beginning.