Observational Pilot Study to Explore the Social and Health Impacts of a New Model of Care in Oregon: Psilocybin Services on Alcoholism

Alcoholism or Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a chronic and relapsing condition characterized by an inability to control alcohol consumption, leading to significant health, social, and economic consequences. Despite the availability of various treatment modalities, including pharmacotherapies and behavioral interventions, relapse rates remain high, with many individuals failing to achieve long-term abstinence or control. This has spurred interest in exploring novel therapeutic approaches and care models, including the potential use of psychedelic compounds such as psilocybin used in a supportive care environment.

Psilocybin, a naturally occurring psychoactive substance found in certain species of mushrooms, has garnered attention for its potential therapeutic effects in treating mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. More recently, research has suggested that psilocybin may be beneficial in addressing substance use disorders, including Alcohol Use Disorder. The mechanism by which psilocybin exerts its effects appears to involve the modulation of neural circuits related to mood regulation, behavior, and self-reflection, which can facilitate profound psychological experiences that may promote lasting changes in behavior and cognition.

Early clinical trials have shown promising results, indicating that psilocybin, when administered in a therapeutic setting, can reduce alcohol consumption and cravings in individuals with Alcohol Use Disorder. In a study published in Journal of American Medical Association of Psychiatry, researchers from New York University Grossman School of Medicine found that heavy alcohol consumption among people with alcohol use disorders was 83 percent lower among participants who had received psilocybin over an 8-month period following the psilocybin administration and almost half of participants who received psilocybin stopped drinking alcohol altogether. These studies highlight the potential for psilocybin to act as a catalyst for psychological insights and behavioral change when combined with psychotherapy or a calming and supportive environment, offering a new avenue for treatment-resistant cases of Alcohol Use Disorder.

In Oregon, excessive alcohol consumption causes 2,000 deaths each year, making it the third leading cause of preventable death in the state. There is a glaring need for support for Oregonians facing alcohol and substance use disorders. Alongside more traditional treatment and harm reduction models, Psilocybin shows promise for treating alcohol and substance disorders. Oregon's state-regulated psilocybin program offers an opportunity to advance real world research on Psilocybin for treating alcohol and substance use disorders.

In 2020, Oregon voters approved a ballot measure (Measure 109) to create the world's first state-regulated psilocybin program to improve the physical, mental, and social well-being of all people. The measure required that the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) create a licensing and regulatory framework for a safe, accessible and equitable program. After a two-year rule making period, licensed service centers are now open and providing psilocybin services to clients in Oregon. Psilocybin services are only delivered in licensed service centers, under the supervision of a trained facilitator, and psilocybin can only be consumed in the service center during that supervised session. There are no retail sales, no off-site consumption, possession, or production of psilocybin (outside of licensed manufacturers).

The sponsor of this pilot research project is the Healing Advocacy Fund (HAF). HAF is a 501c3 non-profit organization that advocates for safe, affordable state-regulated access to psychedelic services. The Healing Advocacy Fund promotes regulations that create a state psilocybin program that is of high quality, accessible, and maximizes safety; educates stakeholders, policymakers, regulators, and the general public on the Oregon psilocybin program; and serves as a convener for the Oregon psilocybin ecosystem to collaboratively address goals and challenges, organize around shared needs, and deliver services to high standards and best practices.

InnerTrek will provide the psilocybin services to individuals who struggle with alcohol use for the pilot. InnerTrek is a psilocybin patient service center located in Portland, Oregon and licensed by the Oregon Health Authority to offer both individual and group psilocybin services, including preparation, administration, and integration sessions.

The position of the People Science research team in this setting is to observe the practices and experiences already occurring in the context of the State of Oregon's Psilocybin Services program at the InnerTrek Patient Service Center. People Science will create the questionnaires to be offered to the participants, as well as analyze data on the observation of participants' perspectives.