Magic Mushrooms Legalization Timeline Has Colorado Regulators Freaked Out
Back in November, Coloradan voters approved Prop 122 which allows licensed facilities to provide magic mushroom retreats, and it decriminalizes the personal possession and use of magic mushrooms by adults 21 and older.
(It also institutes penalties for anyone younger than 21 for doing the same.)
But now regulators at the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) are whining about how they think that late 2024 just couldn’t possibly be enough time to come up with the rules for how it’ll work.
“It just doesn’t fit in the mold of what we regulate,” said a spokeswoman for DORA.
“The department has no resources or expertise to begin implementation of this expansive new program involving substances with agricultural, controlled substance, chemical/scientific and facility issues,” DORA also recently wrote in a public document.
Tasia Poinsatte, on the other hand – who leads the Healing Advocacy Fund, which is part of the group that funded the passage of Proposition 122 – was quoted as saying:
Proposition 122 was designed to provide breakthrough therapies to Coloradans for mental health and wellness. At the heart of this new regulated program are the licensed facilitators who supervise the preparation sessions, the natural medicine administration session, and the integration sessions. We believe it’s appropriate for the agency that regulates other health professions, such as therapists, addiction specialists and nurses, to also regulate this new profession of licensed facilitators.
Just how long does it take to get experts in a room, have a discussion, and make decisions about the best course of action anyway?
Apparently, it requires $700,000 – which is how much DORA is requesting of the Colorado Legislature for contracting “resources and expertise”.
Notably, Prop 122 also allows for licensing of facilities to provide Ayahuasca retreats, as well as San Pedro and Iboga, starting in 2026. So that is on the horizon as well, and one has to wonder if DORA is equally freaked out about that being a ‘mere’ 3 years away?
Maybe these folks are just used to the snail’s pace of progress that’s unfortunately normal in most governmental organizations, but you’d sure think that it wouldn’t take over a year just to come up with some rules about something that’s already law.
I just hope they don’t ruin the measure by making the regulations unnecessarily burdensome while myriads of people struggle to find help with their mental health, let alone spiritual development.
One way or another though, it seems we’re slowly moving in the right direction.
Until next time,
Tim G.
AyaAdvisors.org
Source:
Colorado regulators are really tripping as they prepare to roll out “magic” mushroom legalization
