If it feels like double jeopardy to be voting on a thing that we just voted upon in the last election cycle in 2020, that’s because it is. Two of the commissioners on the Deschutes County Board of Commissioners—Tony DeBone and Patti Adair—have voted in favor of placing this item on the ballots of Deschutes County voters because they believe you don’t know what you voted for back in 2020. During his endorsement interview this month, DeBone told our editorial board just that—that he wanted to use this opportunity, on taxpayers’ dimes, to re-explain what a psilocybin manufacturing and/or service center would look like in the unincorporated county. To be fair, each county has the option to opt out of this program under the letter of the law, but since the majority of Deschutes County voters already voted in 2020 in favor of the program, this measure is a colossal waste of time and money coupled with a healthy dose of fearmongering.
Here’s what psilocybin therapy is going to look like: People will use a small amount of space in a regulated and secure indoor environment to grow psychedelic mushrooms that people in regulated, secure therapy programs can then consume to help them deal with anxiety, depression and other mental health concerns, under the supervision of trained professionals. What it won’t look like: a wild version of Woodstock where naked people run wild on the graveled roads of Tumalo.
With mental health concerns like the ones named above at an all-time high, and with everyone from psychotherapists to military veterans seeing results from these therapies, we maintain that society needs more opportunities to explore effective natural therapies, not fewer. Vote no on Measure 9-152 —”Concerning psilocybin manufacturing and service centers in unincorporated Deschutes County.“— so that all people in Deschutes County can see this emerging therapy come to fruition. *Note: Voting “No” means you want to keep the current plan—to roll out a therapy program in Deschutes County—in place.
This article appears in Source Weekly September 29, 2022.
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Wasting …. Time and Money is what Republicans are real good at doing. Its time for Ms. Patty and Tony to be retired.
When the County Commissioners admit they have not studied the issue, are denying the voters AND wasting our taxpayer dollars, they are showing us who they are. I believe them. I see their fear mongering. I PLAN TO VOTE FOR FAIR MINDED COMMISSIONERS who care about their constituents. Psilocybin Service Centers give our community new tools to address the costly issues of mental illness and substance abuse AT NO COST TO TAXPAYERS.
Left, right, blah blah blah. BOTH Dems and Reps are equally as good at wasting time and money. *See current inflation. Definitely voting No in favor of since the Gov’t doesn’t do spit in regards to mental health issues.
The imagery of naked on gravel roads in Tumalo made me laugh out loud.
As for DeBone and Adair they are really idiots for wasting resources to basically ask “are you sure?”… Yes we are… See results of 2020. Gaaaaaaaaa.