Dec 27, 2022
Colorado Psychedelics Law Takes Effect
DENVER — Colorado voters’ decision to decriminalize psilocybin and other natural medicines officially took effect Tuesday following certification of Proposition 122 by Gov. Jared Polis.
Proposition 122 permits adults aged 21 and older to process, store, use, process, transport, purchase, obtain, and ingest natural medicine for personal use. It also allows them to give away natural medicine, without payment or as part of a business promotion, to other adults for personal use. The measure also creates a regulatory structure for licensed healing centers to provide natural medicine services. Implementation of the regulatory structure and development of specific regulations will occur in the Legislature and through rulemaking processes beginning in early 2023.
Read Vicente Sederberg LLP’s full summary of Prop. 122 and view its post-election webinar for more information about the law and the next steps of the implementation process.
Statement from Vicente Sederberg LLP founding partner Joshua Kappel, who was a co-author of Prop. 122 and chair of the Natural Medicine Colorado campaign committee:
“Prop. 122 allows adults in Colorado to safely access and benefit from psilocybin and other natural psychedelic medicines. There is a large and growing body of research demonstrating the benefits of these substances in the treatment of depression, addiction, PTSD, and other conditions. Prop. 122 puts the wellbeing of patients and communities first, removing harsh criminal penalties for personal possession and employing a multi-phase implementation process that will allow time to develop an appropriate safety and regulatory structure.
“We are excited to get to work on implementing this important new law. Our goals include creating an accessible and balanced facilitator training system, an effective equity program, a first-of-its-kind ESG screen, and safe access to natural psychedelic therapies. In the meantime, adults in Colorado can begin to have more open and honest conversations about these medicines with their doctors. Adults who can benefit from these substances will finally be able to engage in psychedelic therapies without fear of arrest and prosecution.”
About Vicente Sederberg LLP
Vicente Sederberg LLP is a top-ranked national law firm specializing in cannabis and psychedelics law and policy. It was founded in Denver in 2010 and has nearly 100 professionals, including approximately 40 attorneys, across offices in California, Colorado, Florida, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, New Jersey, and Texas. Firm leaders were instrumental in drafting, campaigning for, and implementing Colorado Amendment 64, which established the world's first legal marijuana market in Colorado, the first regulated cannabis market for adult use. An industry trailblazer, the firm has been at the leading edge of drug policy for more than a decade, helping public and private sector clients shape, implement, and navigate marijuana, hemp, and psychedelics laws and regulations across the U.S. and around the world. It has been ranked a Nationwide Band 1 law firm by Chambers and Partners since 2019, and it received the Chambers USA Award for “Cannabis Law – Law Firm of the Year” in 2021 and 2022. For more information, visit https://vicentesederberg.com.