Journalist: Kameron Sanders (TCC)
The one phrase I commonly hear from people not from Oklahoma is, ‘“Wow! There sure
are a lot of weed dispensaries here.” The number of dispensaries in Oklahoma is near the amount
of a McDonald’s on every street corner. Consider if there was another drug sold in dispensaries.
Senator Harry Harcrow of Tulsa University presented a bill that recognizes psilocybin and
psilocin, more commonly known as “magic mushrooms,” as schedule 3 drugs and can be used
within medicine.
Harcrow presented the case that psilocybin and psilocin, a compound found within
certain species of mushroom, is an effective form of medication for individuals with OCD,
PTSD, depression, etc. He claimed that the compound can be processed into salts or oils to be
used by patients at home. With findings from the FDA, Harcrow stated that these substances shown results that minimize the symptoms of theses disorders and has been declared as a Break-
though study. Once recognizing these compounds as capable forms of medicine, the compounds will formally be recognized as schedule 3 drugs and safe for medical use.
With the statement that people could use magic mushrooms as a pharmaceutical stress
reliever, many people were immediately skeptical that this would lead to recreational drug use
under the guise of medicine. During the questions process, many people asked about the
regulations and prescriptions of the drug. Harcrow assured the floor by saying “medical
professionals are at the forefront of prescription and administration of this drug” (Harcrow). He
also stated that the processing of the drug cannot lead to any hallucinogenic effects.
I believe that any drug that is properly regulated and produced by licensed individuals
and companies is trustworthy. During caucusing, many people agreed that they will support the
bill as long as they can trust the production and distribution of these drugs. With the knowledge
of the proper regulations and production of the drug, the senate moved to vote on the bill.
During the final voting process, the bill passed with a majority vote of 15 to 8. The image
of magic mushrooms shall now shift from people in tie-dye with hackie-sacks to happy, healthy
individuals.