Oregon Live reports
Tom Eckert is stepping down as chair of the Oregon Psilocybin Advisory Board. Eckert, along with his late wife Sheri Eckert, worked for years to bring legal, regulated psilocybin to Oregon.
The couple sponsored the bill that became law in 2020, which created a regulatory framework for therapeutic psychedelic mushrooms.
“It is a day of satisfaction for me, knowing that I have helped carry out the bold policy-making mission that my late, great wife Sheri and I initiated some seven years ago,” Eckert wrote
Eckert said he was grateful for being part of that work and thanked Angela Allbee, the section manager of the Oregon Psilocybin Services Program
“As my life continues to change, with more relationships taking shape, I am mindful of appearances,” Eckert wrote. “I do not want anything to distract from the earnest work of this Advisory Board.”
In a resignation letter Thursday, Eckert said he is mindful of appearances and doesn’t want anything to distract from the work. He also said he looks forward to supporting the development of Oregon’s psilocybin infrastructure in new and different roles.
“It is a day of satisfaction for me, knowing that I have helped carry out the bold policy-making mission that my late, great wife Sheri and I initiated some seven years ago,” he wrote. “Over the course of this journey, I have had the honor of working closely with brilliant individuals and organizations — a confluence of interests —supportive of legalizing psilocybin services in Oregon, the first state ever to do so.”
VICE recently reported that Eckert was in a relationship with the CEO of a Dutch psychedelic retreat company, Synthesis. Willamette Week has reported that Synthesis plans to open a clinic in Oregon and that other board members had called for Eckert to resign.
In a statement, the Oregon Health Authority thanked Eckert for his service.
“Under Tom’s leadership as chair, the board has reached many important benchmarks,” the agency said in its statement
“From organizing the advisory board into subcommittees, meeting the statutory requirement to publish the Scientific Literature Review, to making recommendations to Oregon Health Authority for rulemaking, the board has had a remarkable year,” they said. “We wish Tom the best in his future endeavors as we celebrate these important accomplishments.
The state released the first draft rules for that program in February.
But on Thursday, Eckert sent a letter to the advisory board and Oregon Health Authority officials announcing he would be resigning from his volunteer position on the board immediately.
