Results are in: Colorado voters approved Proposition 122, with about 53% in favor and 47% opposed.

The measure decriminalizes psilocybin for adults 21 and older. It also permits licensing facilities to administer psilocybin and other plant medicines under supervision, pending ratification by the Governor of Colorado. You can read about Colorado Proposition 122 here.

Proponents of Proposition 122 view this approval as an important step toward mainstream acceptance of plant medicines and a way to increase access for people who would benefit from psychedelic treatment.

However, not everyone is thrilled about the result. Some pro-mushroom advocate groups hold that the measure will privatize natural medicines, and others are concerned that regulation will mean that corporate interests will profit while others will face legal consequences, including incarceration.

Other unanswered questions remain. Will facility licensure be fair and equitable? Will treatments be affordable to those who need it most? What are the loopholes that might be exploited for profit, or that might put vulnerable populations at risk?

Overall, Prop 122’s approval signals changing tides in public opinion toward psychedelic medicine, albeit by a narrow margin. Psilocybin and other psychedelics are currently being investigated as treatments for addiction and alcohol use disorder, eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, cluster headaches, and other conditions. Like Oregon, Colorado’s Prop 122 sets the stage for regulated access to alternative mental health treatment options. Licensed facilities that sell psilocybin are expected to be available in 2024.