Psychedelics Attorney Joshua Kappel Shares Insights on Psilocybin Legislation in Colorado and New Mexico
Aug 11, 2025
On August 6, 2025, Vicente LLP founding partner and psychedelics attorney Joshua Kappel, Esq., spoke at Chacruna Institute’s State Psilocybin Programs: Therapy and Legislation in the Southwest Community Forum. The discussion focused on how Colorado and New Mexico are developing psilocybin policy, with attention to cultural integrity, equitable access, and the differences between natural and synthetic psilocybin programs.
Examining Psilocybin Policy in the Southwest
The forum featured leaders from law, advocacy, academia, and community organizing who examined how legislation, cultural practices, and biomedical protocols intersect in shaping psilocybin programs. Panelists compared Colorado’s regulated natural mushroom framework with New Mexico’s consideration of synthetic psilocybin, discussing how these choices affect safety, efficacy, and cultural relevance.
Speakers included:
- Joshua Kappel, Esq. – Founding Partner, Vicente LLP
- Joaquin Orozco – New Mexico Psychedelic Science Society, Decriminalize Psychedelics New Mexico, Rhizome Collective
- Amy Wong Hope, MSW – Southwestern College Psychedelic Studies Certificate Program
- Jaz Cadoch, MA – Global Psychedelic Society; Psychedelic Health Equity Initiative
- Tamar Todd, JD – Policy advocacy and legislative drafting specialist
Key Insights from the Discussion
Cultural and community influence
Latino curanderos, Indigenous healers, healthcare providers, and policy advocates are central to shaping psilocybin program design in the Southwest.
Natural vs. synthetic approaches
Colorado’s regulated natural mushroom program offers a different model from New Mexico’s synthetic psilocybin considerations. Each approach has unique implications for safety protocols, cultural connection, and therapeutic outcomes.
Equitable access in rural areas
Ensuring psilocybin therapy is available in under-resourced communities, particularly rural regions, is essential for true accessibility.
Balancing decriminalization and medicalization
The panel discussed how decriminalization and medicalization can operate in tandem, alongside considerations for the legal standing of psychedelic churches.
Ethics in policymaking
Grounding legislation in reciprocity, reparations, and respectful collaboration with traditional medicine holders is key to sustainable and equitable programs.
Why This Matters for Psilocybin Legalization
For those following psilocybin legalization, policy development, and therapy models in the Southwest, the discussion emphasized that legislation must be responsive to cultural context, public health priorities, and an evolving federal landscape. Custom approaches, rather than one-size-fits-all policies, are essential for lasting impact.
Access the Recording: Available to Chacruna members at chacruna.net.
About Joshua Kappel
Joshua Kappel is a founding partner of Vicente LLP with a passion for helping entrepreneurs and visionaries build human-centric and regenerative companies in the cannabis and psychedelic industries.
Enthusiastic about policy, Josh also loves helping advocates draft legislation and build sustaining vehicles that will forever influence these emerging industries. Most recently, Joshua co-authored Colorado's Proposition 122, the Natural Medicine Health Act, and served as chair of the campaign committee for Natural Medicine Colorado
In addition to policy work, Joshua helps companies of all shapes and sizes—from nonprofits and start-ups to multinational corporations and public companies—navigate the ever-changing psychedelic field with a focus on corporate structuring and business practices, the intersection of state and federal law, state licensing and regulatory compliance, and general corporate law.
Active in the emerging therapies community, Joshua is a founding board member of the Microdosing Collective—the only recognized nonprofit in the U.S. dedicated to legalizing microdosing.
In 2025, Joshua was ranked Band 1 for Psychedelics Law by Chambers and Partners USA.
Interested in the future of psilocybin policy? Read more about Joshua Kappel and see how our Psychedelics & Natural Medicines team can help you navigate emerging laws in Colorado, New Mexico, and beyond.