Utah’s New Religious Freedom Law Faces Legal Challenge Over Psilocybin Use
SALT LAKE CITY – In 2024, the Utah Legislature enacted SB150: Exercise of Religion Amendments, making Utah the 36th state to embrace a version of the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA). The law aims to protect individuals’ religious practices by ensuring that government actions do not significantly infringe upon these rights unless they serve a compelling interest through the least restrictive means.
The bill garnered bipartisan support despite initial concerns, particularly from LGBTQ+ advocates who insisted on safeguards to preserve existing civil rights protections. "This bill will be the strongest RFRA law in the nation," stated Rep. Jordan Teuscher after the House’s unanimous approval.
However, just months after being signed into law by Governor Spencer Cox on March 21, 2024, Utah found itself embroiled in a unique legal battle involving psychedelics and religious freedom. A federal ruling by U.S. District Judge Jill Parrish favored the Singularism Spiritual Center, a Provo-based faith group that incorporates psilocybin, the active element in certain mushrooms, into its religious rituals.
Founder Bridger Jensen’s claims hinge on the argument that prohibiting psilocybin use does not fulfill a compelling government interest, a position bolstered by the new RFRA. Jensen’s community, described as an “entheogenic minority religion,” experienced a raid that led to charges against him for possession with intent to distribute.
The state responded with a motion to dismiss, citing the Controlled Substances Act and asserting that the RFRA’s implications remain untested in court. Yet, Judge Parrish’s ruling declared the county’s arguments as "ludicrous," halting all proceedings against Jensen until the civil case concludes.
As this case unfolds, Utah’s SB150 is being put to the test, raising critical questions about the intersection of religious liberty and state drug laws.
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