After passing through several layers of security and locking ourselves into the small lab, it’s clear this Spiritus is anything but unassuming. Instead of the rows of polypropylene tubs often associated with hobby grows, I find myself standing between a blast-proof extraction chamber and an eye-washing sink. The framed licenses, sterilization tools, and neatly arranged lab equipment give off the unmistakable feel of a GMP-certified lab — with one notable difference: it’s a balmy 76 degrees. The climate-controlled environment is carefully maintained to optimize the growth of mycelium colonizing the bags of grain neatly stacked along one wall.
Michael Briggs, president of Spiritus and the manufacturer of Horizon edibles, guides us through a behind-the-scenes tour of the first legal psilocybin edible company in the U.S. As legislation began paving the way for mushroom-assisted therapy, Michael had what you might call a third-eye-assisted glimpse of the future. If Oregon and other states were to take psychedelic therapy seriously, they’d need a serious product to support it. He recognized that precise dosing — an issue plaguing many home-spun edibles — would be the key to ensuring consistent potency.
Years later, here we are discussing the pharmacy-grade mill Spiritus acquired to perfect their product’s homogenization, its steady hum blending with the lab’s ventilation fans. Michael seems satisfied with their solution. “Every product we make is tested twice — once in-house and once through a third-party lab. It’s the only way to guarantee compliance and safety,” said Michael.
Beyond compliance, Spiritus prioritizes precise dosing to give users a consistent experience. “Right now, services are super expensive,” Michael points out. “It’s one thing to get a variation in a joint that costs 10 bucks. It’s another thing to pay two grand for this experience and not get the potency you expect.” Spiritus employs high-performance liquid chromatography to ensure their products meet exact potency standards. Michael punctuates the thought: “It’s about ensuring people get exactly what they’re expecting every single time.”
The rise of psilocybin in mental health and wellness has been exponential, particularly since the pandemic. Many, including Michael, have explored the benefits of microdosing mushrooms to promote neuroplasticity or attending professionally led retreats for deeper therapeutic experiences. Wellness has become the cornerstone of the psychedelics space, lending seriousness to compounds capable of unlocking transcendent experiences far beyond, say, an all-keyboard King Gizzard show (though feel free to file that one under “self-care”).
With increasing awareness of psilocybin’s potential for addressing PTSD, self-image, and re-evaluating priorities, a grey market has inevitably emerged alongside it. Unfortunately, many of these unregulated offerings — when tested — reveal dangerous additives, like bath-salt-type compounds or poisonous amanita extractions. In contrast, companies like Spiritus inspire confidence. They’re not chasing a quick buck with cartoonish packaging but instead crafting therapeutic doses, clearly labeled and carefully packaged to preserve active compounds. These products are destined for therapy centers across Oregon, helping to legitimize and elevate the field of psilocybin-assisted therapy.
