Marijuana Moment reports..
Now that Colorado voters passed the Natural Medicine Health Act, the state has several steps to get through before Colorado will actually see a regulated industry for psychedelic mushrooms.
The measure allows for licensed “healing centers” to provide access to psilocybin and psilocyn, the psychoactive compounds found in many species of fungi, for therapeutic purposes. It also legalizes the “personal use” of the substances, allowing people to possess and grow psychedelic mushrooms in their own homes.
The first step on the itinerary is developing an advisory board, which will include appointees from Gov. Jared Polis (D) tasked with helping the Department of Regulatory Agencies implement the new program.
According to the act’s text, the board will include 15 members: At least seven are expected to have expertise and experience in topics including but not limited to natural medicine therapy and research, emergency medical services, health care insurance and policy, or harm reduction. At least eight members are expected to have experience with religious and traditional indigenous uses of natural medicines, issues impacting veterans, disparities in health care access, or criminal justice reform in Colorado.
“We will follow the will of the voters and will be appointing a 15 member advisory board to oversee the regulatory process around this new voter-approved measure,” Melissa Dworkin, a spokesperson with the governor’s office, said in an email.
Josh Kappel, an attorney who chaired Natural Medicine Colorado’s campaign committee and helped draft Proposition 122, said he trusts that the governor will appoint a board that’s inclusive of all relevant stakeholders. He said the board’s initial purpose is to provide DORA with recommendations around implementing the program.
“We are excited to work with all relevant stakeholders and the state government to implement Prop 122 in a safe, responsible and equitable manner that provides access to this much needed tool to address our state’s mental health crisis,” Kappel said.
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