Colorado’s government advisory board has recommended that Colorado expand the novel, regulated market for psychedelics by allowing access to both ibogaine and psilocybin in addition to those currently permitted.
In a Natural Medicine Program Advisory Board meeting on Thursday, board members discussed the program’s future, after the voters of Colorado approved a legalization measure at the ballot. On a 5-2 vote with 2 abstentions the group agreed to recommend access to therapeutic ibogaine.
Colorado’s state law permits adults to cultivate and possess a wide range of psychedelics for their own personal use. Now, the board plans to allow adults to be treated with ibogaine at healing centers licensed by the state.
The board, as well as both agencies have a great deal of work ahead. [that administer the program] Ashley Moller Assistant Attorney-General of Colorado said during the meeting that ibogaine would be approved as a natural medicine on the regulated market.
She added that if she is to move forward, the Board will have to determine if any of its existing regulations should be changed for ibogaine training, administration, etc., compared with those governing psilocybin.
The meeting also discussed the need to ensure that any ibogaine offered under the program of regulated access is obtained from sustainably-cultivated cultivators, in order not to exploit the communities that historically have used the drug for spiritual and cultural purposes.
In order to achieve this, it is stipulated in the advisory board’s recommendation that, should the decision be approved, any addition to the list psychedelics permitted under state law of ibogaine must conform to the Nagoya Protocol. It’s an international agreement meant to protect culture and ensure sustainable use.
Although the U.S. does not have a treaty with Gabon, at a meeting held last month the board urged Colorado authorities to “write an intent letter to follow and start the Nagoya Protocol.” It also suggested that Colorado officials request a federal waiver of the Controlled Substance Act in order to import Iboga powder or extract from Gabon that complies with the Nagoya Protocol.
“The concern is to not take sellable resources away from a resource-rich group or nation,” Clarissa Pinkola Estés Reyes, one of the board members, said.
The governor of Colorado, however, invited the public to an “listening” session about Colorado’s legal program for psychedelics.
The development came about two months after the first psilocybin and psilocin sessions took place in state-licensed “healing centers” under Colorado’s voter-approved psychedelics legalization law.
In June, Polis announced first-ever round of mass pardons for people with psilocybin-related convictions shortly after signing a bill into law empowering him and future governors to issue clemency for psychedelics offenses—which he described as a step “towards a fairer future.”
Polis, in a statement at the time, said that Colorado was a leader nationally in the breaking down of outdated laws surrounding cannabis. “Now we do the same thing for natural medicine.” This action removes previous state-level convictions that were made for possession of psilocybin or psilocin. These would now be legal. We are fulfilling Colorado’s voters by removing ineffective drug policies and encouraging other local governments to do the same.
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In May, Polis touted the fact that Colorado’s legal psychedelics program is “fully launched” now that regulators have issued licenses for each part of the psilocybin supply chain.
The governor’s psilocybin clemency move came several years after Polis issued mass pardons for people with prior marijuana convictions.
Earlier this session, the governor signed into law a bill that would allow a form of psilocybin to be prescribed as a medication if the federal government authorizes its use.
Colorado had already approved a ballot measure that legalized the use of psilocybin for adults aged 21 or older. However, the recently enacted reform makes it possible to obtain drugs synthesized with an isolated form of psilocybin.
Polis signed a bill to create the regulatory framework for legal psychedelics in 2023.
Separately in Colorado, a bill that would have limited THC in marijuana and outlawed a variety of psilocybin products died following the lead sponsor’s move to withdraw the legislation.
Image courtesy Flickr/Scamperdale
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