COLORADO VOTERS TO DECIDE WHETHER TO MAKE PSYCHEDELICS MORE WIDELY AVAILABLE

A decade ago, Colorado passed the nation’s first marijuana legalization measure, ushering in a new and untested market for adult-use cannabis products. Now, voters in the upcoming midterms will decide whether the state will decriminalize and allow easier access to psychedelics—in particular, psilocybin and psilocin, the hallucinogenic compounds found in certain strains of mushrooms. These powerful substances would not be sold in retail dispensaries, as is the case with pot, but rather be made available to anyone over 21 in state-sponsored and regulated settings, and supervised by a trained facilitator. Personal use would be decriminalized, allowing anyone to grow, share, and gift these substances but not be allowed to sell them directly. The vote comes amid growing interest in psychedelics to potentially treat mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, and even drug addiction. In fact, supporters argue that decriminalization and establishing state-run treatment facilities would expand opportunities for addressing those with mental health disorders. Yet asking voters to decide on such a critical issue that impacts public health is risky. Although recent studies suggest that psilocybin and similar substances might be effective in clinical settings, the FDA has not approved their use. Moreover, the American Psychiatric Association says there is “currently inadequate scientific evidence for endorsing the use of psychedelics to treat any psychiatric disorder” outside of approved studies. Critics also say that the bill, if approved, would make it easier for young people to access psychedelics and consume them in a non-supervised setting, rather than as part of what's known as psychedelic-assisted therapy. Psychedelics certainly have the potential to be beneficial to patients but require much more study and clinical trials—as well as regulation and guidelines for use—so that voters genuinely know what the repercussions might be.