\u201cThis is the culmination of years of advocacy for me and the excitement in the air is palpable,\u201d Matthews told Marijuana Moment. \u201cWe\u2019re looking forward to educating Colorado voters on the potential for regulated access to natural medicines to help with mental health issues.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSpeaking directly with Denver residents about psilocybin was my favorite part about our campaign in 2019, but Denver is not Colorado,\u201d he said. \u201cAdvocating statewide is a much different experience, and the opportunity to connect with folks across the state who otherwise may not consider natural medicines as a tool for health and mental wellness is an exciting challenge.\u201d<\/p>\n
The two newly approved measures are similar<\/a> to one another. They would both legalize psilocybin and create licensed \u201chealing centers\u201d where people can use the psychedelic for therapeutic purposes.<\/p>\n \u2014 There would be a two-tiered regulatory model, where only psilocybin would be legalized and regulated for therapeutic use until June 2026, after which point regulators could expand the policy change to include other psychedelics that are listed in the proposal.<\/p>\n The decision to add additional psychedelics to the program would be made by the Department of Regulatory Agencies in consultation with a Natural Medicine Advisory Board that would be established. The board would be comprised of 15 members, including people who have experience with psychedelic medicine in a scientific and religious context.<\/p>\n The key difference between the two is that one contains a component specifically authorizing people to petition courts for record sealing for past convictions that would be made legal under the proposal.<\/p>\n Under the proposals, the Department of Regulatory Agencies would be responsible for developing rules for a therapeutic psychedelics program where adults 21 and older could visit a licensed \u201chealing center\u201d to receive treatment under the guidance of a trained facilitator.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, New Approach PAC hasn\u2019t abandoned the two earlier measures that cleared procedural hurdles<\/a> late last year.<\/p>\n The first of those earlier initiatives would legalize the possession, cultivation and an array of entheogenic substances, as well as establish a regulatory model for psychedelics therapy. The other is a similar, but somewhat more dialed-back proposal that would initially legalize psilocybin and psilocin alone for personal adult use while also allowing for their sale and administration in a therapeutic setting.<\/p>\n When deciding which measure to ultimately pursue, Matthews said that the most important factor is \u201cwhat we believe will work for Colorado residents since they will be the folks most impacted by this policy and will have safe access to natural medicines if we\u2019re successful in November.\u201d<\/p>\n There\u2019s another wrinkle in the push for statewide psychedelics reform in Colorado. A separate campaign spearheaded by Decriminalize Nature Boulder County, which has taken issue with the regulations prescribed in the aforementioned New Approach-backed measures, filed a competing initiative last month<\/a>.<\/p>\n That one-page measure would allow adults 21 and older to possess, cultivate, gift and deliver psilocybin, psilocyn, ibogaine, mescaline and DMT.<\/p>\n Further, the measure says that it would be lawful to conduct psychedelics services for guidance, therapy and harm reduction and spiritual purposes with or without accepting payment. It would not be legal to sell any of the psychedelics, however.<\/p>\n The initiative must still be assigned an official ballot title and summary from the state before activists are approved to begin signature gathering. It has a hearing<\/a> scheduled before the Ballot Title Setting Board on March 2.<\/p>\n Proponents of that measure have been critical of the New Approach initiative, expressing concern about the level of regulation that would go into the proposed therapeutic model.<\/p>\n Matthews said that the criticism \u201cis in good faith, however we\u2019re focused on the urgent mental and behavioral health needs Colorado residents are facing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat we\u2019re proposing with [the Natural Medicine Health Act] will make natural medicines truly and safely accessible to all Coloradans,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The Colorado ballot initiatives seek to accomplish something similar to what California activists are also actively pursuing. California advocates are in the process of collecting signatures for a ballot initiative to legalize psilocybin mushrooms<\/a> in the state.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, legislative efforts to enact psychedelics reform are also underway in other states across the country.<\/p>\n For example, two Hawaii Senate committees have recently approved a bill to set up a state working group to study the therapeutic benefits of psilocybin mushrooms<\/a> and develop a \u201clong-term\u201d plan to ensure that the psychedelic is accessible for medical use for adults 21 and older.<\/p>\n A Utah Senate committee on Tuesday approved a House-passed bill to create a task force to study and make recommendations on the therapeutic potential of psychedelic drugs<\/a> and possible regulations for their lawful use.<\/p>\n An Oregon Senate committee also recently advanced a bill to ensure that equity is built into the state\u2019s historic therapeutic psilocybin program<\/a> that\u2019s actively being implemented following voter approval in 2020.<\/p>\n Oklahoma lawmakers approved a bill in committee last week to decriminalize low-level possession of psilocybin<\/a> and promote research into the therapeutic potential of the psychedelic.<\/p>\n A group of Maryland senators recently filed a bill that would create a state fund that could be used to provide free access to psychedelics<\/a> like psilocybin, MDMA and ketamine for military veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), while also supporting research into their therapeutic potential.<\/p>\n A Republican Missouri lawmaker introduced a bill last month to give residents with serious illnesses legal access to a range of psychedelic drugs<\/a> like psilocybin, ibogaine and LSD through an expanded version of the state\u2019s existing right-to-try law.<\/p>\n A bill to decriminalize a wide array of psychedelics in Virginia was taken up by a House of Delegates panel last month, only to be pushed off until 2023<\/a>. A separate Senate proposal to decriminalize psilocybin alone was later defeated in a key committee<\/a>.<\/p>\n California Sen. Scott Wiener (D) told Marijuana Moment in a recent interview that his bill to legalize psychedelics possession<\/a> stands a 50\/50 chance of reaching the governor\u2019s desk this year. It already cleared the full Senate and two Assembly committees during the first half of the two-year session.<\/p>\n Washington State lawmakers also introduced legislation last month<\/a> that would legalize what the bill calls \u201csupported psilocybin experiences\u201d by adults 21 and older.<\/p>\n New Hampshire lawmakers filed measures to decriminalize psilocybin and all drugs<\/a>.<\/p>\n Last year, the governor of Connecticut signed legislation that includes language requiring the state to carry out a study into the therapeutic potential<\/a> of psilocybin mushrooms.<\/p>\n Similar legislation was also enacted by the Texas legislature<\/a>, requiring the state to study the medical risks and benefits of psilocybin, MDMA and ketamine for military veterans in partnership with Baylor College of Medicine and a military-focused medical center.<\/p>\n Michigan activists filed a statewide ballot initiative<\/a> this month that would legalize possessing, cultivating and sharing psychedelics and set up a system for their therapeutic and spiritual use.<\/p>\n A pair of Michigan senators also introduced a bill in September to legalize the possession, cultivation and delivery<\/a> of an array of plant- and fungi-derived psychedelics like psilocybin and mescaline.<\/p>\n At the congressional level, bipartisan lawmakers sent a letter to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) last month, urging that the agency allow terminally ill patients to use psilocybin<\/a> as an investigational treatment without the fear of federal prosecution.<\/p>\n South Dakota Senate Approves Marijuana Legalization And Expungements Bills, While House Defeats Tax Measure<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Photo courtesy of Dick Culbert<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n
Marijuana Moment is already tracking more than 1,000 cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills<\/a> in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters<\/a> pledging at least $25\/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don\u2019t miss any developments.![](\"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/new-jersey-governor-says-adult-use-marijuana-sales-will-start-within-weeks-marijuana-moment.jpg\")
<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker<\/a> and become a supporter on Patreon<\/a> to get access.
\u2014<\/p>\n\n
![](\"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/new-jersey-governor-says-adult-use-marijuana-sales-will-start-within-weeks-marijuana-moment.png\")
<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"