Colorado’s governor says that a law he signed to allow pardons of low-level convictions on possession charges for psychedelics, is another step in “a fairer future.”
Gov. Gov.
Polis promoted the “great news” on Monday, sharing a link to a MEDCAN24 article about the signing of the bill, as well as a separate measure aimed at reducing certain regulatory restrictions on cannabis businesses.
According to the Governor, “possessions of low levels of DMT, DMT ibogaine or psilocybin that are legal now can be removed from your criminal record.” “We are working toward a fairer future.”
In the newly passed legislation, Sen. Matt Ball and Rep. Lisa Feret authorize governors to grant pardons to those who have been convicted of low-level possessions such as DMT, DMT ibogaine or psilocybin that were legalized in adulthood by a ballot initiative approved by voters.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Department of Revenue and Department of Regulatory Agencies will be required to collect information and data on the use of herbal medicine and products.
This must include information on the law enforcement activity, adverse health effects, claims for consumer protection, and behavioral impact of psychedelics.
Before the Senate passed this amendment last month, an amendment by a Senate committee removed government funding to be used for data tracking. The reference was replaced with “gifts, grants, and donations” instead of “ongoing funds.” Ball said at the time that lawmakers have a letter of intent from the Psychedelic Science Funders Collaborative—a nonprofit that supports advancing psychedelic therapy—to fund the program for the entirety of its five-year duration.
The bill will earmark $208,240 in those funds for the governor’s office of information technology. The text states that the governor’s office of information technology may utilize this money to offer IT services to the Department of Public Health and Environment.
Further, the legislation amends licensing rules and regulations for ownership of psychedelic healers. The legislation, for example, removes the need for fingerprint-based background checks of owners and staff at licensed centers, allowing them to only undergo name-based criminal history checks.
The law also “requires that the state licensing authorities adopt rules regarding product labels of regulated herbal medicine or regulated products, and allows the licensing authorities to adopt regulations regarding what types of natural medicines can be produced.”
Overall, the proposal received support from a wide range of supporters. This included groups that are more in favor of legalization as well as those who advocate psychedelic medicines. The public commenters who spoke at the hearing all seemed to agree on the fact that data collection would allow observers in and out of Colorado to better understand what happens with regulated psychedelics.
Late last month, 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.
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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.
Federal Court says marijuana companies cannot claim employee retention tax credits under COVID, based on the 280E penality.
Dick Culbert is the photographer.
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