The second Aspen Psychedelic Symposium returns to the Wheeler Opera House on Friday and Saturday. On Nov. 8, 2022, Colorado passed the Natural Medicine Act/Proposition 122 , which decriminalizes “the personal possession, growing, sharing, and use — but not the sale — of five natural psychedelic substances by individuals aged 21 and over, including two substances found in psychedelic mushrooms.”
This opened the door to the state becoming a leader in psychedelic research and treatments.
By May 2023, Gov. Jared Polis signed Senate Bill 23-290, “Natural Medicine Regulation and Legalization,” into law, which clarifies and sets the framework for a regulated natural medicine program in Colorado.
Since then, the conversation around psychedelic and plant-based treatment and advocacy has moved at a breakneck pace.
On Friday and Saturday, the conversation returns to the Wheeler Opera House for the second annual Aspen Psychedelic Symposium featuring researchers, advocates, and medical professionals presented by Aspen Public Radio (APR), Healing Advocacy Fund, and the Aspen Psychedelic Resource Center.
“One of the things I love about Aspen is the legacy commitment our community has to lifelong learning,” said APR Executive Director Breeze Richardson, who will be giving closing remarks at the symposium. “Due in large part to the efforts of Walter and Elizabeth Paepcke, Aspen has been a cultural center for over 75 years.”
Healing Advocacy Fund operates in both states that have decriminalized some psychedelics — Oregon and Colorado. The group aims to educate the public about the benefits of psychedelic therapy for mental health challenges including depression, anxiety, and addiction.
The organization’s state director, Tasia Poinsatte, who worked on the Prop 122 campaign, said the situation in Colorado has evolved since last year’s symposium and that after extensive stakeholder input, the state is months away from a program launch in early 2025.
“There has been a lot of community engagement along the way informing questions around the training requirements to become a licensed psilocybin facilitator, safety assessments to direct people to the right level of support and care based on their health history, and other important topics,” she said. “We now have a much clearer sense of what this regulated program […]
Join the conversation: Aspen’s annual Psychedelic Symposium returns
