FAQ’s About Legal Psychedelic Therapy in Colorado
Please note: Psychedelic Growth LLC does not promote, endorse, recommend or provide any illegal substances and no article should be considered legal advice. Information on our website is for informational purposes only, and was not written by an attorney.
With the recent passage of the Natural Medicine Health Act, Colorado embarks on the process of legalizing natural psychedelics for personal adult use, as well as creating a regulated access model for psychedelic therapy services. Many details remain unknown, but here are frequently asked questions about psychedelic therapy in Colorado in 2023.
Can I Use Psychedelics Legally in Colorado?
Starting in 2023, adults over the age of 21 can grow, cultivate, possess, and use certain natural psychedelic plants and fungi for personal use. Sharing is also allowed, but not buying of selling. Giving for free as a gift is allowed.
The law allows for the use of four naturally-occuring psychedelics:
psilocybin and psilocin (found in magic mushrooms) Until 2026, psilocybin will be the only substance included in the regulated access program. After 2026, the state may decide to include the rest of the psychedelics listed.
DMT (found in certain plants and the main psychoactive compound in Ayahuasca)
mescaline (found in certain species of cacti-note that the law does not allow for the cultivation or use of the peyote cactus to obtain mescaline).
Although not required, it’s strongly recommended to utilize harm reduction practices to protect against negative outcomes like anxiety, panic, or having a “bad trip.” Proper set and setting, along with proper support and integration can mitigate the risks of psilocybin and other psychedelics.
What If I Have a Mental Health Issue and Want to See a Psychedelic Therapist? How Would I find a Therapist near me?
Although the law allows for personal use, there will be many people who want an experienced psychedelic therapist or guide with them. Some people will be dealing with a mental health issue like depression, PTSD, addiction, etc. In that case, it may be best to utilize psychedelics as a tool for healing and therapy.
As part of the Natural Health Medicine Act, Colorado will create a Regulated Access Program in 2024. The Program will allow for licensed Healing Centers to offer facilitated group and individual psychedelic use. These Healing Centers will likely always require a Licensed Facilitator to be present for psilocybin sessions. The details are not yet known, as Colorado hasn’t written the rules of the program yet.
Colorado will license Facilitators themselves, to ensure that they have adequate training, oversight and accountability. In 2023, Colorado will be hashing out its rules via first a task force and the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA). It’s expected that the program will roll out in late 2024.
In the meantime, what options are available for legal psychedelic therapy?
Psychedelic Integration Therapy - we offer this
Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy - we offer this
Using a Tripsitter/guide for personal journeys - we do not offer this
A good resource for finding a therapist for integration or ketamine-assisted psychotherapy is: www.psychedelic.support
What If I Want to use Psychedelics for Personal Growth or Spirituality?
Personal and group use outside of a medical or therapeutic context is specifically allowed under the law in Colorado. The law was written to protect individual freedom with regard to psilocybin and other natural medicines. You do not need to go to a Healing Center, like Oregon’s law mandates. Group use for religious or spirituality is allowed.
You are allowed to use psilocybin in your private home. Public use and public intoxication is not allowed; neither is operating a car while under the influence of any substance.
Can I Buy Mushrooms at a Dispensary like Cannabis?
No. This is not allowed. The personal cultivation and gifting of natural plan medicines is allowed. Once the regulated program rolls out, the Healing Centers will likely provide psilocybin from licensed cultivators and give the dose to clients on the day of their session.
Where Are We in the Process of Creating Healing Centers for Psilocybin (Magic Mushrooms)?
As of this writing (early 2023), the next steps are:
The Governor creates a task force to work on issues related to psilocybin and psychedelic treatment (early 2023)
The task force will make recommendations to the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA)
DORA will consider the recommendations, and write the final rules of the program
DORA will begin accepting applications for licenses within the program (Healing Centers, Facilitators, cultivators, etc).
DORA will grant licenses, and the first client can start receiving psilocybin therapy in Colorado (late 2024?)
Do I Have to be a State Resident to get Psychedelic Therapy in Colorado?
No, you do not need to be a Colorado resident to participate in the regulated access program.
Do I Have To be a State Resident to work in the Psychedelic Industry in Colorado?
Any industry structure around psychedelics is in its nascent stages. However, eventually there will be jobs in psychedelic services in the form of licensed cultivation businesses, licensed healing centers, licensed facilitators and ancillary roles like running retreat properties, harm reduction services, and spiritual chaplaincy.
In Oregon, to apply for a license to be a facilitator you do have to be a resident in Oregon for 2 years. In Colorado, the rules haven’t been deicded on yet. It’s unknown, but Colorado may have a similar rule around state residency and licenses.
Will Synthetic or Natural Psychedelic Medicines be Available?
The law only allow for naturally occuring psychedelics found in the plants and fungi listed above.
I Want to be a Psychedelic Therapist or Psychedelic Facilitator, How Do I Go About It?
Currently, a license to be a psychedelic faciliator isn’t yet outlined for Colorado. Oregon’s similar psilocybin program has outlined their requirements. Colorado’s make look similar, but the detailed rules will not be released until at least 2024.
The law mandates “tiered” qualifications, education, and training requirements for facilitators based on the participants each facilitator will be working with and the services the facilitator will be providing. In other words, it’s likely that someone seeking psychedelic therapy to address a complex mental health concern would want a clinically-focused license. In contrast, a more general licensed facilitator may work with groups or individuals on non-clinical issues like relationships, self-growth and self-exploration.
How Much Will Psychedelic Therapy Cost?
We don’t know yet, but the cost may vary widely. There may be high-end retreat centers that offer psychedelic services in a spa-like atomesphere (very pricey). There may be community-based models of group facilitation in a private home (much more affordable). Likely, there will be a range of services for a range of needs. Someone looking for spiritual growth needs something different from someone trying to heal from complex PTSD. Hopefully, many options will be available.
Colorado’s law also makes affordability and equitable access a priority. There are goals to incentivize low-cost treatments for low-income adults. A fund to financially support marginalized communities to access facilitator training is also included.
Will Psychedelic Therapy Be Done in Groups or One-on-One?
Likely there will be options for both.
Do I Need a Diagnosis or Medical Prescription to get Psychedelic Services?
No. You will not need a medical diagnosis, mental health diagnosis or prescription from a doctor to access psychedelic services.
What If I Want Psychedelic Therapy at Home?
You can. Colorado’s law specifically allows for the at-home facilitation of psychedelic services, such as for those in palliative or hospice care.
A Personal Note
I hope this information has been helpful. I’m watching the rules-making process unfold with hope, excitement and (to be honest) slight trepidation. This is a brand-new system of healing, and we all hope to get it right. More realistically, we will get it slightly wrong (as humans tend to do). I hope we can all be gentle with ourselves and others as we work together to incorporate these healing and important plant medicines into our current moment.