Colorado voters decriminalized ‘natural medicines’ like psilocybin, or magic mushrooms, in 2022, laying the ground work for state-licensed ‘healing centers’ where such psychedelics can be adminstered

rspencer@summitdaily.com The Frisco Town Hall is pictured on Monday, Oct. 16, 2023. Frisco is considering how to regulate facilities that will administer “natural medicine” — such as psilocybin, or magic mushrooms — as Colorado prepares to launch licensing mechanisms for the recently-decriminalized psychedelic substance.

Town Attorney Thad Renaud told the Frisco Town Council at its meeting Tuesday, July 23, that the state will begin accepting licenses for “healing centers” and “facilitators” who can administer psilocybin to patients by October.

“This is rather dissimilar to either the medical marijuana model or the retail marijuana model, in which both made marijuana available for purchase without restrictions other than the medical restrictions or the age,” Renaud said.

In 2022, Colorado voters approved Proposition 122, creating the Natural Medicine Health Act, which laid the groundwork for the creation of state-licensed “healing centers.” Under the law, Renaud said it will become legal for a licensed “facilitator” to administer to a patient at a licensed “healing center.”

Renaud noted that the stated purpose of the law is to give “more tools to address mental health issues,” amid a “growing body of research (that) is advancing to support the efficacy of natural medicines combined with psychotherapy as treatment for depression, anxiety, substance use disorders, end of life distress and other conditions.”

The law also decriminalized the use, possession — but not the sale, except to “healing centers” and “facilitators” — of “natural medicines” by people over 21. At present, the term “natural medicine” in the law applies only to psilocybin, the psychedelic compound found in magic mushrooms, Renaud said. That law also makes it legal to grow natural medicine if the growing is done on the grounds of a private residence where those under 21 cannot access it.

For those visiting healing centers, the state regulations say patients must undergo a “preparation session” in advance of the “administration session,” followed by an “integration session,” Renaud said.

“As I read it, counseling before the event, the event in […]

Frisco looks at regulating ‘healing centers’ where ‘natural medicines’ like psychedelic mushrooms can be given to patients