Disruption

Magic mushrooms on path to legalization in Colorado

Colorado voters appear to have narrowly approved a ballot measure that would allow adults to possess, grow and gift certain psychoactive plants and fungi.
In this Friday, May 24, 2019 photo a vendor bags psilocybin mushrooms at a cannabis marketplace in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel)

Colorado voters appear to have narrowly approved a ballot measure that would allow adults to possess, grow and gift certain psychoactive plants and fungi and allow providers to administer such substances at licensed “healing centers.”

Natural Medicine Colorado, the group backing the measure, declared victory on Wednesday evening, the Denver Post reported. At the time, the measure had won about 51% of votes counted.

The measure’s approval would make Colorado the second state to legalize psilocybin, the hallucinogenic compound found in “magic mushrooms.” Oregonians in 2020 voted to create a program for administering psilocybin to adults and, separately, to decriminalize possession of all drugs.

The Colorado measure would also allow adults to use five other psychedelic compounds found in plants or fungi: dimethyltryptamine, ibogaine, mescaline (excluding peyote, a type of cactus) and psilocin. Federal law classifies all the compounds named in the measure as dangerous Schedule I drugs.

Under the measure, state regulators have until 2024 to adopt rules for the healing center program and begin licensing entities that want to administer psilocybin and psilocin. After June 2026, regulators could choose to add the other compounds to the program.

Supporters of allowing people to use hallucinogenic plants and fungi say it can help people grappling with mental illnesses such as post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. Opponents, meanwhile, warn of potential health harms and risks to children.