The Natural Medicine Act – Will Colorado Join Oregon to Legalize Psilocybin and Magic Mushrooms Next Month?

Next month, Colorado voters will decide whether to legalize psilocybin and psilocin, the hallucinogenic compounds found in compounds commonly known as magic mushrooms. The Natural Medicines Act, also known as Proposition 122, would legalize the possession and cultivation of magic mushrooms.

The plan is for authorized healing centers to provide psilocybin and psilocin for medical use. Natural psychedelic drugs are not addictive, according to the nonprofits that support the initiative. They can offer significant benefits to people struggling with complex mental health disorders, including despair and anxiety, as well as people trying to find peace at the end of their lives, according to Colorado, the nonprofit organization that supports the initiative.

If approved by voters, Colorado would become the second state after Oregon to decriminalize psychedelics use, although Oregon went a step further to legalize it.

Research on psilocybin

Of all the drugs studied for the Colorado experiment, psilocybin has received the most research attention. Psilocybin and treatment have been studied in clinical trials. Unlike antidepressants, which must be taken continuously, psilocybin has been shown to provide long-term therapeutic benefits after just one, two, or three doses. Aside from the psilocybin-assisted treatment regimens used in clinical trials, it is uncertain if psilocybin offers any health benefits.

According to preliminary research, psilocybin may benefit individuals with terminal illnesses who experience hopelessness or anxiety that is resistant to therapy. While the results are encouraging, the authors emphasize that larger samples and more studies are needed to fully understand psilocybin’s neurobiological components and long-term effects. In 2019, the FDA named psilocybin a “breakthrough treatment” that is driving the development of effective drugs.

According to another study, psilocybin-assisted treatment is effective in treating alcohol and nicotine addictions as well as drug use problems. Clinical trials for mescaline, ibogaine, and dimethyltryptamine are still in their infancy.

Proposition 122: The Naturopathic Act

Although Oregon voters approved limited use of psychedelic mushrooms in 2020, the Colorado citizens’ proposal for the November vote goes much further. Proposal 122 would make it legal for adults over the age of 21 to use psilocybin mushrooms and other herbal psychedelics for personal use. Yet it would ban their sale anywhere else except in officially recognized “healing centers” where clients could take them under the supervision of trained intermediaries. Approved by Oregon voters in 2020, the amendment allows patients to receive psilocybin cubensis treatment in cramped conditions. It’s worth noting that no facilities have yet opened in Oregon. The state health authorities are working on rules.

Studies suggest that psychedelic substances could be used to treat conditions like depression and other illnesses. According to key sources, the bill will expand treatment options for both the terminally ill and those suffering from conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder.

Possession of psilocybin is no longer considered a crime in 15 American states and other local government agencies, and the requirement to detain, charge, or arrest users is no longer considered critical. Adult consumption and possession of psilocybin mushrooms was ranked as the lowest priority in Denver’s voter-approved initiative in 2019, also prohibiting the use of resources to enforce associated consequences.

At the federal level, psychedelic chemicals are classified as Schedule I illegal substances, meaning they have high potential for abuse and no recognized therapeutic use. These substances can alter perception and cause hallucinations. Despite results from numerous studies suggesting that hallucinogenic mushrooms may have therapeutic benefits, including the ability to relieve depression, the FDA has refused to change its regulations.

In its briefing on the campaign’s finances, the nonprofit group Natural Medicine Colorado reported that it received more than $2.8 million in donations, virtually all of it from New Approach PAC, a Washington, DC-based organization , originated. The New Approach PAC also supported the successful 2020 decriminalization efforts for natural psychedelics in Oregon and Washington. The organization Protect Colorado Kids, which opposes the changes and the state’s general legalization of marijuana, reported raising just $750.

A 15-member Naturopathy Advisory Board would be formed to oversee the regulation of psychedelic substances if the Naturopathy Act were implemented. The first series of provider licenses will be distributed in September 2024. Based on recommendations from the advisory group, the program may be expanded in 2026, potentially to include other drugs such as DMT and mescaline.

Uncertainties of Proposition 122 Bill

Opponents of the bill argue that it is advancing science too quickly and that psychedelic plants and mushrooms should not be approved for medicinal or recreational use based solely on the results of recent studies. They also highlight how much research has focused on psychedelic mushrooms and how little is known about the effects of mescaline, ibogaine, and dimethyltryptamine.

According to Justice Department authorities, psilocybin use can cause negative psychological consequences, such as: B. difficulty distinguishing between imagination and reality, and negative physical effects such as vomiting, weakness and loss of coordination. People with a personal or family history of psychosis are usually excluded from studies because psilocybin can trigger psychotic episodes. Psilocybin can potentially worsen heart problems.

Although many believe that psilocybin is less harmful than pharmaceutical drugs made in a lab because it comes from plants (technically fungi), this categorization has no basis, largely because most drugs and poisonous plants are derived from natural sources .

Likelihood of a US psilocybin industry

The effects of magic mushrooms on humans are very diverse. Psilocybin is unlikely to be approved as quickly as marijuana, which is now approved for medical use in 39 states and the District of Columbia. Nineteen of those states, including Washington, DC, have also legalized recreational use.

key to take away

During the November 8 general election, Colorado voters will vote on 11 statewide nominations, including Proposition 122. Once approved, the state would initiate plans to immediately impose restrictions on places where people over the age of 21 buy psychedelics and can consume under strict supervision. Outside of these institutions, the sale of narcotics would remain prohibited.

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