Colorado activists have made a decision: Among the four drug reform ballot initiatives they have drafted and submitted to a ballot in November, they will initiate a procedure to legalize psilocybin, create licensed “healing centers” where people can use the drug for therapeutic purposes and provide a pathway to closing records for past convictions .
The proposal would also eventually allow regulators to decide whether to legalize DMT, ibogaine and mescaline.
The PAC-backed New Approach campaign entered this election season with several options. Colorado officials Granting preliminary approval for the voting language Of the four prescription drug reform measures they introduced—all titled The Natural Medicines Health Act—but it was always the plan to pursue only one version. Now they have asked for permission from the state to start collecting signatures for Initiative 58.
The campaign has conducted internal polls on the various items between the proposals to help inform their decisions, and advocates are clearly confident that the public will support the measure if it does eventually cast a ballot.
Kevin Matthews, campaign manager behind Denver Historic 2019 vote for domestic decriminalization of psilocybinand Veronica Perez are the designated representatives of these proceedings.
Matthews told Marijuana Moment that the campaign “chose Initiative 58 because it is our most comprehensive policy and ensures that all Coloradoans have the option to access natural medicines in a way that works for them.”
“We are pleased to begin work in the next few weeks to engage voters and begin collecting signatures to appear on the ballot in November,” he said.
The initiative, once in place, will help address pervasive mental health issues, said RBI Strategies’ RBI Strategies spokesman Rick Ridder.
“Many of us, or know someone, suffer from depression, trauma, addiction, anxiety, or other mental health issues. During the pandemic, our mental health challenges have only gotten worse.
“The Natural Medicine Health Act will create a state-regulated system for safe and subsidized access to natural medicine such as psilocybin mushrooms,” he said. “By law, adults 21 and older can access natural medicines that show promise in improving mental health while in the presence of a licensed and trained supervisor at licensed recovery centers, in the comfort and safety of their own homes or at approved health care settings such as palliative care facilities. .”
While four drug repair Initiatives From the campaign, the defenders have already pulled the first two and plan to pull the third, No. 59, which Share most of the provisions contained in the number 58.
Both 58 and 59 call for a two-tiered regulatory model, in which only psilocybin will be legalized and regulated for therapeutic use until June 2026, after which regulators can extend the policy change to other narcotic drugs included in the proposal.
The decision to add an additional anesthetic to the program will be made by the management of the regulatory agencies in consultation with the Natural Medicine Advisory Board to be established. The board will consist of 15 members, including people who have expertise in psychedelic medicine in a scientific and religious context.
The main difference between the two is that one has a component that specifically authorizes people to petition the courts to close records for previous convictions that would become legal under the proposal.
The group chose that initiative and is eager to begin collecting signatures to try to qualify for the November ballot.
Under the proposal, the management of the regulatory agencies will be responsible for developing rules for a psychotherapeutic drug program where adults 21 years of age and older can visit a licensed “healing center” for treatment under the supervision of a trained facilitator.
Regarding the two initial reform proposals made by the new approach before the decision to withdraw them was made – no. 49, 50—one could prescribe a wide range of degrading agents including DMT, ibogaine, and mescaline, as well as establish a drug-treatment regulatory model. The other could initially enact repair for psilocybin and psilocin alone.
But realizing that regulators would have faced the daunting task of setting rules for many cannabinoids, they chose to review them to create a two-tiered regulatory model with the initial legalization of psilocybin alone leaving it to regulators to add more substances later. .
Another complication is lobbying for statewide drug reform in Colorado. A separate campaign headed by Decriminalize Nature Colorado, which objected to regulations set forth in the measures supported by the new approach, Submit a competition initiative in January This also makes its way through the process of being able to collect signatures.
Nicole Foerster of Nature Colorado’s Marijuana Moment Decriminalization stated that “their group’s initiative to decriminalize fungal plants and fungi in Colorado has been successful through both review/comment sessions and address panel hearings, and is on track to begin petitioning this month.”
This one-page scale will allow adults to own, grow, gift and deliver psilocybin, psilocin, ibogaine, mescaline and DMT.
Furthermore, the measure states that it will be legal to conduct psychedelic services for counseling, treatment, harm reduction, and spiritual purposes with or without accepting payment. However, it would not be legal to sell any of the narcotic drugs.
Forster said the group believes it is “too early to prioritize” the creation of an organized therapeutic access infrastructure as in the new approach reform proposal “without first making sure that full decriminalization is achieved.”
“Decriminalization allows communities to organize and conduct more research that will guide what future policies look like,” they said. “By proposing decriminalization and regulation at the same time, regulation is prioritized, and the crucial time window between decriminalization and future policies is closed.”
When asked to share their thoughts on “infighting” to clearly defend the right course of drug reform, Forster argued that the term is a misrepresentation “because it does not take into account the real power dynamics that come into play when corporate interest outside the state seeks to dictate policy to local movements.”
In general, the Colorado suffrage initiatives are seeking something similar to what California activists are also actively pursuing with a proposed proposal. Suffrage initiative to legalize psilocybin mushrooms.
Meanwhile, legislative efforts to enact drug drug reform are also underway in other states across the country.
For example, a Connecticut legislature on Monday debated a bill that would position the state to provide certain patients Getting treatment with the help of anesthetic With substances such as MDMA and psilocybin. Former military officials, advocates and scholars have testified in favor of the proposal.
Last week, the Washington state legislature sent a budget bill to the governor’s office that includes a proposal to Directing $200,000 in funding to support a new working group To study the possibility of legalizing psilocybin services in the state, including the idea of using existing marijuana regulatory systems to track narcotic mushrooms.
Last week, the Hawaii Senate approved a bill to create a state working group Study of the therapeutic benefits of psilocybin mushrooms and a “long-term” plan to ensure that the drug is available for medical use for adults 21 and over.
Also last week, the Oklahoma House of Representatives passed this week’s bill to Decriminalization of low-level psilocybin possession and promoting research into the therapeutic potential of the drug.
A bipartisan coalition of Georgia deputies introduced a resolution recently Calls for the formation of a study committee in the House of Representatives To investigate the therapeutic potential of drugs such as psilocybin and to make recommendations for repairs.
Rhode Island legislators introduced A pair of drug decriminalization bills this month— including one focused on psilocybin and buprenorphine that would allow doctors to prescribe psychedelic mushrooms.
Also this month, a Missouri Republican introduced a bill that would Legalization of a wide range of narcotic drugs for therapeutic use In dedicated care facilities with decriminalization of low-level tenure in general.
Last month , Utah legislators sent a bill to the governor That would establish a working group to study and make recommendations on Therapeutic potential of narcotic drugs and possible regulations for their legitimate use.
A committee of the Oregon Senate also recently introduced a bill to secure property rights Incorporated into the state’s historic psilocybin therapy program It is actively implemented after voter approval in 2020.
A group of Maryland senators recently introduced a bill that would Create a government fund that can be used to provide free access to narcotics Such as psilocybin, MDMA, and ketamine for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), while supporting research into their therapeutic potential.
A bill to decriminalize a wide variety of hallucinogens in Virginia was discussed by a House of Delegates committee in January, Only to be postponed until 2023. Separate Senate motion to decriminalize psilocybin alone He was later defeated by the Main Committee.
California Senator Scott Weiner, D, told Marijuana Moment in a recent interview that his bill Legalization of drug possession He stands a 50/50 chance of getting to the governor’s office this year. It has already passed the full Senate and the two committees of the Assembly during the first half of the two-year session.
Washington state legislators The legislation was also introduced in January It would legalize what the bill calls “supported psilocybin trials” for adults 21 and older.
New Hampshire lawmakers introduced measures to Decriminalization of psilocybin and all drugs.
Legislation was As enacted by the Texas State Legislature Last year the state required a study of the medical risks and benefits of psilocybin, MDMA, and ketamine for veterans in partnership with Baylor College of Medicine and an Army-focused medical center.
Michigan activists Introduce a statewide polling initiative Last month it would legalize the possession, development and sharing of narcotic drugs and create a system for their therapeutic and spiritual use.
A pair of Michigan senators also introduced a bill in September to Legalization of tenure, agriculture and handover From a group of narcotic medicines derived from plants and fungi such as psilocybin and mescaline.
At the congressional level, lawmakers from both parties sent a letter to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in January urging the agency to Allow terminally ill patients to use psilocybin As investigative therapy without fear of federal prosecution.
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