Colorado Governor signed a number of bills that amend the rules for Colorado’s marijuana and psychedelics program.
Jared Polis (D) approved a measure on Tuesday that would reduce certain regulatory restrictions for cannabis businesses. Jared Polis, (D), on Tuesday reduced certain restrictions for cannabis businesses.
One of these laws allows the Governor to pardon those convicted in psychedelic-related offences. Another revises the data tracking and implementation provisions to the voter-approved 2022 state psychedelics law.
William Lindstedt’s (D), Jenny Willford’s (D), and Senators Robert Rodriguez (D) have proposed a measure that focuses on marijuana. Julie Gonzales (D) and Robert Rodriguez makes it so any worker employed by a cannabis retailer with an occupational license could receive product samples on up to 20 days per month—an expansion of current law that stipulates = cultivators and manufacturers can only provide samples to managers of retailers for research and development purposes.
This measure also changes the reporting requirements of marijuana licensees. It requires that regulatory agencies adopt rules to make sure licensees keep documents like childproof packaging certificates, test records, recall records and advertising records.
The document states: “If the division requires a licence holder to maintain records and books in order to track inventory from seed through sale, then the licensee need not keep duplicates of these records and books.” If a licensee is not complying with the regulatory requirements in a substantial way, then the division can require that the licensee maintain more records.
Bill would repeal state law which makes it illegal to hold a non-disclosed beneficial control, passive ownership, or indirect financial interests in a cannabis licence or transfer ownership without approval.
The cannabis law was amended significantly during the legislative procedure, however. This included removing provisions which would have initially doubled how much cannabis adults could purchase from licensed retailers, as well as allowing cannabis shops to run promotional events.
In the psychedelics legislation that Polis signed also on Tuesday from Senator Matt Ball (D), and Rep. Lisa Feret, (D), it authorizes him or any future governors of granting clemency for people who have been convicted for possession at low levels of substances like psilocybin and ibogaine, which are now legal for adults.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Department of Revenue and Department of Regulatory Agencies would be required to collect information and data on the use of herbal medicine and products.
This would include information on the law enforcement activity, adverse health effects, consumer protection claims, and behavioral impact of psychedelics.
A committee amendment, which was adopted by the Senate before it passed, removed government funding to be used for data tracking. It replaced “ongoing budgets” with “appropriations, gifts, grants, and donations.” 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 would earmark $208,240 in those funds for the governor’s office of information technology. The text of the bill states that the governor’s office can use the appropriation for information technology services to the Department of Public Health and Environment.
It would also amend licensing rules and the ownership of centers that offer psychedelic therapies. It removes the requirement of fingerprint checks on owners and employees at licensed facilities. Instead, they will only have to undergo a criminal background check based on their names.
This law “allows state licensing authorities to set rules for the manufacture of certain regulated products, including natural medicines and natural products.”
A wide variety of supporters support the proposal, from groups that are in favor of psychedelics to those more opposed. At a public hearing, many of the commenters agreed that the data collection provisions in the bill would enable observers inside and outside Colorado to understand how regulated psychoactives are performing.
Polis announced last week that Colorado’s legal psychedelics is now “fully launched,” with regulators having issued licenses to each component of the supply chain for psilocybin.
On Tuesday, the Governor signed Sen. Jeff Bridges (D), Barbara Kirkmeyer(R) along with Reps. Shannon Bird, Emily Sirota, and Barbara Kirkmeyer all change how the marijuana tax revenue will be allocated.
The law would remove the requirement that cannabis money be transferred to the University of Colorado Board of Regents or the capital construction fund for public schools. This new law will also mean that the state retains a larger portion of revenue from marijuana, while sending less to local governments.
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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 had already approved psilocybin for use by adults aged 21 or older, through an initiative that was approved on the ballot. However, this newly-enacted reform makes it possible to obtain drugs synthesized with psilocybin crystals under a physician’s prescription.
Polis signed a bill to create the regulatory framework for legal psychedelics in 2023.
In Colorado, the bill to limit THC content in marijuana as well as outlaw psilocybin-containing products was withdrawn by the sponsor.
Pennsylvania Governor Is ‘Hopeful’ Lawmakers Will Send Marijuana Legalization Bill To His Desk By End Of This Month
Kristie Gianpulos is the photographer of this image element.
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