A year after the first legal psilocybin treatment centers in Oregon opened, some providers and advocates are trying to make psychedelic therapy more affordable.

Why it matters: Psilocybin journeys have shown promise in treating people with depression, addiction and anxiety, but industry experts say that "magic mushroom therapy" is cost-prohibitive for many people.

• This is despite an Oregon Health Authority requirement that licensees have a social equity plan.

State of play: Services provided by licensed psilocybin centers can range from $1,500 to $3,200 for individual sessions, says Emma Knighton, director of services at InnerTrek, a psilocybin services and training center in Portland.

• InnerTrek offers individual sessions for $1,800, with the least expensive being $1,200 for a one-day group experience, Knighton tells Axios.
• A session is usually an hour of intake, six to eight hours of a guided journey under the influence of mushrooms, plus follow-up talks.

Driving the news: The Sheri Eckert Foundation, named for the co-sponsor of Measure 109, recently awarded $51,000 through its Psilocybin Access Fund to 33 individuals accessing psilocybin therapy.

• It's also working with the OPEN research group at Oregon Health & Science University to persuade insurers to cover psilocybin treatment.

What they're saying: "The solution is health insurance, the same way acupuncture and chiropractic care were once not covered and were very expensive," Nate Howard, InnerTrek's director of operations and spokesperson for the Sheri Eckert Foundation, told Axios.

Zoom in: Last year, Eden Woodruff and Tom Hatsis co-founded Psanctum Thrift, a second-hand store in SE Portland's Brooklyn neighborhood whose profits fund psilocybin treatment for people who cannot afford it.

• Woodruff told Axios they are ready to disburse two grants per month to online applicants starting in July.

Meanwhile, Fractal Soul, a psilocybin center in Beaverton, offers a discounted $600 session for those who qualify as low-income.

By the numbers: As of June 21, there were 341 licensed facilitators and 29 service centers in Oregon, according to OHA figures.

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The NBA Draft is here and who the Blazers choose for their No. 7 and No. 14 picks is still up in the air.

Why it matters: The Blazers need to snag rising stars if they hope to inject some enthusiasm back onto the court following a particularly horrid season in which they finished 21-61 and dead last in the Western Conference.

State of play: Developing young talent is the priority. The Blazers selected guards Scoot Henderson third overall in the 2023 draft and Shaedon Sharpe at No. 7 in 2022.

• Popular NBA commentators suggest UConn center Donovan Clingan or Colorado Buffaloes forward Cody Williams as their No. 7 pick — both prioritized for their height and ability to defend the rim.
• The No. 14 slot could go to Purdue center Zach Edey or Tristan da Silva, another Buffaloes forward who worked out for the Blazers last week.

Zoom in: Aaron Fentress and Bill Oram, sports columnists for The Oregonian, believe the best bet would be to score a desperately needed forward or, really, "the best player available."

Flashback: Last season, All-Star point guard Damian Lillard left the Blazers — after over a decade — when the team picked Henderson instead of trading for an established star.

• The move marked heartbreak for Blazers fans who saw Lillard as a hometown hero.

Fun fact: The Blazers have one of the youngest rosters in the league, with no player over 31.

How to watch

🍕 Hapa Pizza, the Beaverton joint known for a fusion of Asian flavors — like pho and green curry — and Neapolitan charred pies, landed on a New York Times list of the 22 best pizza spots in the country. (New York Times)

Mayor Ted Wheeler said the city will begin enforcing its public outdoor camping ban on Monday. (KGW)

💸 Due to so many candidates and so few available public funds to match donations, the Small Donor Elections Program is considering allowing larger contributions from political committees and organizations. (Willamette Week)

Jason Hill has photographed the burnished muscles of ballet dancers hoisting each other in the studio, and the smiling faces of party people.

📸 The latest: His new show, Favorite Things at Pushdot Studio, which runs through July 26, consists of portraits of friends.

• Subjects include singer Ural Thomas, bassist Esperanza Spalding plus photographer and Black rodeo entrepreneur Ivan McClellan.

🌽 The vibe: He asked his subjects to be photographed with something precious — Spalding brought in corn, her journals and a jumpsuit — then he used light, color and emotion to evoke their natural beauty.

I was at the dock at Sellwood Riverfront Park, on the east bank of the Willamette River.

🚣🏻 Zoom in: That's swanky Dunthorpe across the water and the Stonehenge radio tower near Council Crest.

• This little sandy beach is popular with paddlers, but after dark in summer it's a raucous party spot for teens.

Most readers got it right, but Michele G. got it the rightest.

• "I row off that dock many mornings of the week ... and spend quite a bit of time cleaning up the trash from the campfire area!" she wrote.

🙏 This is why we can have nice things.