Psychedelic mushrooms have long been illegal in the United States, but now it’s possible to buy them legally in Colorado.
The state recently passed a ballot initiative that will allow adults to experience the hallucinogenic substance psilocybin in supervised settings at licensed healing centers, called service centers, and will decriminalize personal possession. This will make Colorado the second state to create a regulated access program for these substances, after Oregon in 2020.
Psychedelics, which induce altered states of consciousness, can help alleviate many mental health conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder, addiction and depression. Studies have found that psilocybin can reduce anxiety and enhance creativity, among other benefits.
Measure 109, approved by 56% of voters in 2020, made it legal to have guided psilocybin sessions with a state-certified facilitator in a licensed service center. The law also requires a designated driver and safety procedures for participants in a psilocybin trip.
What’s more, people who have a criminal history related to psilocybin will have their records sealed and can no longer be arrested or prosecuted for possession of the drug, unless they have a past conviction for another substance, such as alcohol, marijuana or heroin.
Prop 122 (the Natural Medicine Buy psychedelic legally Health Act) was the first psychedelic legalization ballot measure to pass in the US, and it will go a long way toward opening a new path for treatment of many psychiatric disorders and improving quality of life for many Americans. It decriminalizes growth, possession, transport and personal use for adults 21 and over, and it charges the Department of Regulatory Agencies with rolling out the industry.
While DORA will likely be the agency responsible for regulating the industry, many other agencies will likely play an important role as well. For example, the Colorado Department of Revenue, the Bureau of Emergency Medical Services and the Department of Public Health and Environment will all have a hand in creating regulations for these new industry entities.
The law will also give the Advisory Board for Natural Medicine the option to add other plant-derived psychedelics to the program, such as dimethyltryptamine and mescaline, both of which are active compounds in the ayahuasca cactus. This will help expand the psilocybin-based therapy options for patients in Colorado and throughout the country, said the Advisory Board’s executive director.
Some cities are moving to decriminalize psychedelics by making investigation and arrest for possession or growing them the lowest policing priority. Several municipalities in Michigan, including Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County, have joined the movement.
In Detroit, for instance, the city council passed a bill in November that makes investigation and arrest of individuals who grow, transport or use entheogenic plants or fungi the lowest policing priority. Other cities that have adopted similar legislation include Somerville, Cambridge, Northampton and Easthampton in Massachusetts.
Other states have decriminalized psychedelics, including Rhode Island and New Jersey. The District of Columbia has also decriminalized psilocybin and has made it the lowest policing priority.
There are still a few obstacles to overcome before psilocybin is fully legalized in the United States, but the progress is significant. And it’s not just a case of putting psilocybin on the market — it’s a chance to get federal authorities to relax longstanding drug laws, experts say.
0 comments:
Post a Comment