DENVER — A measure to legalize psychedelic mushrooms and create a system of healing centers across Colorado has made it onto the November ballot.
The Natural Medicine Health Act, otherwise known as Initiative 58, has qualified for the general election ballot, according to the Colorado Secretary of State's Office.
The office said in a news release that projections predicted the number of valid petition signatures at 138,760, which is 14,128 or 110% more than required.]
If the measure is passed on Nov. 8, the Centennial State would become the second state to legalize psychedelic mushrooms; Oregon voters approved a similar measure in 2020.
Denver was the first city in the country to decriminalize the substance in 2019.
The initiative would essentially create a legal, regulated market across the state for psilocybin and psilocin, the hallucinogenic compound found in certain strains of mushrooms.
However, Coloradans under 21 could not purchase the substances and the mushrooms would only be available at healing centers that receive a license from the state.
Those in favor of the initiative point to research on the possible positive impacts psychoactive mushrooms can have. Some of these studies have revealed psilocybin can alleviate symptoms of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.
If the ballot measure is passed, the Department of Regulatory Agencies must adopt rules on the requirements to become a facilitator by Jan. 1, 2024, and would begin accepting license applications by Sept. 30 of that year.
The initiative would also establish a 15-member advisory board that would advise DORA on the implementation of the natural medicine program.
It would also decriminalize possession and use of psilocybin across the state.
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