Following near disaster for Alaska Airlines, concern over 'magic mushrooms' grows

After passing over Astoria, Ore., on Oct. 22, passengers on an Alaska Airlines flight from Everett to San Francisco were told their flight was being diverted to Portland.

An off-duty pilot attempted to pull a fire suppression lever, which would have shut the plane's engines off, according to court documents. Joseph David Emerson, the off-duty-pilot, later told police that his mental health had been declining for months, and he was dehydrated and sleep-deprived. He also said he’d taken psychedelic mushrooms 48 hours prior to the flight.

The recent emergency has brought renewed attention to the nationwide push to legalize so-called "magic mushrooms" for therapeutic uses.

This year, Oregon became the first state to allow the use of psilocybin, the active ingredient in psychedelic mushrooms, for adults. Colorado voters last year approved decriminalization and the development of supervised “healing centers” where psilocybin can be used.

A similar effort in the Washington State Legislature stalled during the 2022 session.

But anecdotal stories — like a pilot who takes mushrooms and tries to cut a plane’s engines — have raised concerns about the impact of legalization.