Episode #38
Inside Oregon’s Legal Psilocybin Program: Safety, Access & the Future of Psychedelic Healing with Myles Katz
Inside Oregon’s Legal Psilocybin Program: Safety, Access & the Future of Psychedelic Healing with Myles Katz What does legal, regulated access to psilocybin actually look like in practice? In this episode of Conscious Physician: Medicine & Psychedelics, Dr. Lida Fatemi welcomes Myles Katz, a licensed psilocybin facilitator in Oregon and founder of Confluence Retreats, for a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at one of the first regulated psilocybin access models of its kind. Myles' work in psychedelics began well before Oregon's program. In 2018, he co-founded Synthesis, an organization that operated psilocybin retreats in Amsterdam and raised more than $10 million in capital. His experience eventually brought him to Oregon as the state prepared to implement its newly legalized psilocybin services system. In this conversation, Myles breaks down exactly how Oregon's model works—from the different licenses required for growers, laboratories, service centers, and facilitators to the training required to legally facilitate a psilocybin experience. Dr. Fatemi and Myles also explore an important distinction: Oregon intentionally created a model that isn't structured strictly as a traditional medical program. This creates unique opportunities for access and flexibility while also raising important questions about facilitator qualifications, medical screening, accessibility, and safety. Myles shares what he has learned from running five-day psilocybin retreats within this regulatory framework, including why precise dosing has become more valuable to him than he initially expected and how Oregon's required testing allows facilitators to better understand the potency of the psilocybin being administered. They also discuss set and setting, what licensed psilocybin service centers actually look like, why psilocybin must currently be consumed at licensed facilities, and some of the challenges this creates for people with disabilities or those who may not easily be able to travel. The conversation then turns to one of the most important pieces of psychedelic care: what happens after the experience? As Myles explains, mushrooms themselves aren't necessarily going to change someone's life. They may provide insight and create an opportunity for change, but individuals still have to integrate those insights and do the work when they return home. Dr. Fatemi and Myles also discuss antidepressant use, medical screening, microdosing, affordability, social equity, and the importance of creating systems that prioritize harm reduction while expanding responsible access. In this episode, you'll hear about: Myles' journey from Synthesis in Amsterdam to legal psilocybin facilitation in Oregon How Oregon's regulated psilocybin services model works The four major license categories within the system What it takes to become a licensed psilocybin facilitator The financial and training requirements facilitators face The benefits and limitations of Oregon's current model Why Oregon's system isn't structured as a traditional medical program The importance of laboratory testing and more precise psilocybin dosing What licensed psilocybin service centers actually look like How Myles structures five-day psychedelic retreats Set, setting, breathwork, preparation, and integration Accessibility challenges for people unable to travel to licensed centers Medical screening and areas where Myles believes additional safeguards could be considered The complexities surrounding antidepressants and psychedelic experiences Microdosing and what some participants consider after a retreat Why psychedelics are not a substitute for the work that follows The cost of regulated psilocybin services and retreats Oregon's social equity requirements Why Myles prefers intimate retreat groups with multiple facilitators What Oregon's experience could teach other states developing psychedelic programs As more states explore pathways toward regulated psychedelic care, Oregon offers something incredibly valuable: real-world experience. This conversation provides a thoughtful look at what is working, where challenges remain, and how safety, accessibility, education, integration, and responsible facilitation can continue evolving alongside psychedelic medicine.
