Colorado is on the brink of launching state-regulated psychedelic mushroom programs, with licenses for “healing centers” expected to be issued by late spring or early summer. The state is following in Oregon’s footsteps, which began its state-regulated psilocybin program in 2020.
Yes, ‘shrooms are a Schedule I drug under federal law. But psilocybin, the psychoactive compound in psychedelic mushrooms, become popular as a mental health treatment to help ease the symptoms of depression and anxiety, particularly among those suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder.
This includes people like soldiers or medical professionals dealing with the traumas of the pandemic.
Colorado’s program was approved by voters in 2022. Prices for treatments have not been revealed yet, but if it’s anything like it is in Oregon, a treatment will run someone anywhere between $1,000 to $3,000. It will not be covered by insurance and it must be paid upfront.
The state wants to make sure that not every ‘shrooms dealer off the street can claim to be a trained therapist, so facilitators will be required to undergo extensive training, which includes 150 hours of coursework and 80 hours of hands-on experience.
They have to pay a $420 training fee (heh) and $900 a year for a license. Facilitators will have to undergo extensive training at great cost, around $10,000 or more, which could dissuade some from entering the field.
While cannabis can be purchased from a retail outlet in Colorado, psychedelic mushrooms will not be, though adults 21 and over can legally grow it, eat it, and share it. While this seems like a new dawn for psychedelic use in the state of Colorado, Republicans throughout the state are trying to impose as many restrictions on the treatment as they can, even though the citizens of Colorado voted for this.
How very Republican of them.
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