Oregon Officials Drop Plans to Increase Psilocybin Licensing Fees

The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) announced it has opted not to hike licensing fees for the state’s psilocybin program.

In June, health officials unveiled a proposal to double the licensing fees for program workers, manufacturers, facilitators, and service centers. Tuesday’s about-face followed a public comment period where advocates and stakeholders said the fee increases would threaten the program.

“Based on feedback OHA has received through the Oregon Psilocybin Advisory Board, rule advisory committees and rulemaking public comment period, the agency will not file final rules as a result of this rulemaking process and will not adopt the proposed fee increases.” — Excerpt from the OHA announcement

Taylor West, executive director of the Healing Advocacy Fund, said the group organized hundreds of emails urging health officials not to implement the fee hikes.

“We’ll keep working to strengthen and support the world’s first regulated psilocybin access program, but today we can celebrate together that we made our voices heard, made a difference, and made it possible for people to continue to find healing in Oregon,” West said in an email.

OHA said it will “begin a new rulemaking process to consider psilocybin program rule changes that had been proposed that were unrelated to proposed fee changes, with a planned effective date of Jan. 15, 2027.”

A study last month found that the Oregon medicinal psilocybin program is very popular among participants, with over 90% calling it a positive experience.