A Provo-based treatment center argues that the use of psychedelic mushrooms falls under constitutional protections, advocating for patients’ legal access.

Provo

A religious organization in Provo, Utah, called Singularism, has been permitted by a district court to continue using psilocybin mushrooms in its ceremonies. The founder, Bridger Jensen, was previously detained and had mushrooms seized during a police raid, but a judge halted criminal proceedings and criticized the county attorney's actions as harassment. This marks the first time Utah's Freedom of Religion Act has been cited in such a case, and the first organizational right to use mushrooms for religious purposes in the U.S. Authorities, however, have appealed the decision, arguing that psilocybin remains a controlled substance with no accepted medical use and questioning the sincerity of the group's religious claims. The outcome now awaits a ruling from the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Provo mushroom center claims psychedelic use is constitutional right

It's a case that truly test the boundaries of religious freedom. Hello, I'm FOX 13 News Anchor Amy Nay in Provo where the Utah County Attorney tells me that Bridger Jensen, the founder of Singularism that uses psilocybin or magic mushrooms in their services is simply breaking the law. But Bridger took us inside last month just after that ruling where he's now allowed to continue these services to tell us how he sees it. People from all backgrounds come and can participate in our process to find existential meaning. That's Bridger Jensen, founder of Singularism. On their services, he says, launched a raid by Provo City Police November 11th. They surrounded me with a SWAT team in the parking lot. They brought me down here. They detained me. They searched our center. Seizing the mushrooms used in psilocybin ceremonies. We help people figure out or affirm their own religions. Not calling himself a prophet but rather a practitioner to help his fellow voyagers. We pose no harm to the public and in fact may be doing things to help the public. Speaking to me last month right after Utah District Judge Jill Parrish's ruling that halted the criminal proceedings against him and even characterized the county attorney's actions in the case as harassment. It's a huge win and it sets a number of new precedents. The first time Utah's Freedom of Religion Act passed in 2024 has been cited. Not only that, it's the first time anyone ever in all of U.S. history has won the organizational right to utilize mushrooms for religious purposes. We're dealing with psilocybin which is a schedule one controlled substance which means that there's no accepted medical use for this drug. And it's a very serious offense and we want to protect public safety. Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray told me Wednesday they filed an appeal of Judge Parrish's ruling just last week. One of the primary issues in this case is whether or not he has a sincerely held religious belief and we believe that the evidence will show that it's not. He also took issue with what the judge detailed as their office acting in bad faith. It's really quite remarkable that we would be found in bad faith based on cross-examination in a court of law. Another issue he says they had with the ruling, that Utah's drug laws violate the First Amendment. The mushrooms have since been returned and Bridger is allowed to continue as they now await a ruling from the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. We're just hoping to continue to practice what we do and to get increasingly better and better at serving the public. Reporting in Provo, Amy Nay, FOX 13 News, Utah.

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