This week the Governor of Colorado will be holding a “listening” session to discuss Colorado’s new legal program for psychedelics.
This event is a chance to learn, share, get feedback, answer questions, and discuss the status of Colorado’s natural medicine regulation program. Jared Polis, a Democrat from Colorado, said this in a post on social media.
This comes two months after Colorado voters approved a law legalizing psychedelics.
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Polis stated in a release that Colorado has led the nation in changing outdated cannabis laws. Now, we’re doing the same with natural medicines. This action removes previous state-level convictions that were made for possession of psilocybin or psilocin. These would now be legal. We are following the wishes of Colorado voters by removing ineffective drug policies and encouraging local governments to do so.
The agenda for the listening session this week—jointly hosted by the Department of Revenue Natural Medicine Division (DOR), Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE), Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) and the Governor’s Office—lists several topics that officials are specifically interested in hearing from stakeholders about:
- What are the challenges people face when trying to obtain a license? If you are unable to obtain a license, what obstacles do people face?
- How is your operation going? What are the main problems and successes?
- How can the agencies of state support you in your compliance-driven engagement with the regulatory environment?
- Are there any areas that would benefit from education resources, both for the personal allowance and the regulated program? (e.g. (e.g., lack of clarity regarding the law regarding permitted and prohibited activities).
- What information would you like to receive more often about the program? (e.g. requiring agencies to report certain data on a periodic basis, for example quarterly or biennially.
- What data are licensed businesses (natural medicine businesses) and facilitators collecting? (e.g. Use state forms or resources? Or third-party sources, both? How was that experience for you?
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.
Polis’ psilocybin-clemency decision came after he pardoned thousands of people who had previously been convicted for marijuana offenses.
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 has already made psilocybin, and other psychedelics legal for adults over 21 years old through a ballot initiative approved by voters. The newly implemented reform allows drugs that contain an isolated version of psilocybin synthesized using psilocybin to be available on physician prescription.
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.
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