Magic mushroom school is in session

A growing group of students is seeking out a different kind of cap and gown — a mushroom cap, to be exact.

In 2020, Oregon passed Measure 109, becoming the first US state to legalize supervised psilocybin use for people ages 21+.

Now, professionals — like midwives, hospice workers, and educators — can train to become state-licensed psychedelic facilitators, per The Guardian.

To work at one of the state’s 19 service centers, students must first enroll in a government-recognized training program and apply for a license.

One such program, InnerTrek, was the first in the world to be recognized by the government.

• The program takes six months to complete, and includes online and in-person learning across 120 hours of “core training” and 40 hours of hands-on “practicum.”
• Facilitators offer support for clients experiencing a range of issues, from anxiety and depression to trauma, addiction, and grief — as well as those simply interested in the experience.
• InnerTrek trains its students to create “containers,” or safe spaces, where they offer preparation and structure to clients.

The program is a major investment for students, with tuition totaling $8.9k.

Get psyched

There are now 24 state-approved psilocybin training programs like InnerTrek, as interest in administering psychedelics grows.

And the psychedelic trend is bringing with it a new crop of business opportunities:

• Psychedelic retreats — for everything from soul searching to networking — are sprouting up globally.
• The health care sector is increasingly experimenting with ketamine and LSD as treatments for PTSD and depression.

Plus, the non-trippy types of shrooms are being used for everything from chocolate to coffins, and could even be the answer to our sustainability problems.

Mushrooms really are magic.