Colorado Governor Jared Polis has announced the full launch of the state’s voter-approved psychedelics program, marking a significant advancement in psilocybin regulation. On Thursday, Polis expressed pride in the newly established supply chain for the program, which makes Colorado the second state in the U.S. to implement a regulated psilocybin system after Oregon.
“Proud to announce that Colorado’s regulated Natural Medicine initiative is fully launched!” Polis shared on social media. The announcement follows recent approvals by the state’s Department of Revenue’s Natural Medicine Division (NMD), which has licensed cultivators, manufacturers, healing centers, and a testing facility.
With the certification of the first testing lab, Nordic Analytical Laboratories in Denver, the program is now ready for operations. According to the NMD, the completion of the supply chain enables licensed facilitators to conduct therapeutic sessions using psilocybin, the primary ingredient in psychedelic mushrooms.
Advocates of the program, such as Tasia Poinsatte, Colorado director for the nonprofit Healing Advocacy Fund, anticipate that facilitated psilocybin sessions will commence in the coming weeks. “I really think that it’s officially rolling out next month,” Poinsatte stated, indicating that all necessary components are in place for the program’s launch.
The NMD indicated that the testing facility is now certified to analyze natural medicines for tryptamine content, homogeneity, and microbial contaminants. Following the testing process, products will be ready for distribution to licensed healing centers, where facilitators can oversee the administration of psilocybin during therapeutic sessions.
Polis signed a bill in 2023 to create the regulatory framework for this psychedelics initiative, following voter approval in the previous year. Unlike Oregon’s approach, Colorado’s program allows greater integration with existing healthcare services, enabling therapists to administer psilocybin in-office rather than requiring standalone clinics.
Recent legislative efforts also aim to revise implementation rules and data-tracking provisions for the psilocybin system. A bill sent to Polis would empower him to grant pardons to individuals convicted of low-level possession of substances like psilocybin, ibogaine, and DMT, which are now legalized for adult use. This legislation would facilitate the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), Department of Revenue (DOR), and Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) in collecting data related to natural medicine use and its health impacts.
Senator Matt Ball, the bill’s sponsor, emphasized the importance of establishing a mechanism for health data collection to assess the effects of regulated psychedelics on public health. This initiative has garnered support from various advocates, including those who promote psychedelic medicine as well as cautious stakeholders concerned about the implications of legalization.
In a separate move, Polis signed another bill permitting psilocybin to be prescribed as medication, contingent on federal approval. Meanwhile, lawmakers are also addressing the state’s legal cannabis framework, with proposals aimed at easing regulatory restrictions and increasing participation in the cannabis industry. However, some amendments have diluted original proposals, such as increasing possession limits and allowing promotional events for cannabis businesses.
Overall, Colorado’s advancements in psychedelics policy signify a growing trend toward integrating these substances into therapeutic practices, while also addressing the historical injustices faced by those previously convicted for their use.
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