Measure to legalize psychedelic ‘shrooms holds narrow lead in Colorado
Chase Woodruff
(Colorado Newsline) Unofficial 2022 election results showed Colorado voters on track to take another big step towards drug decriminalization, with a measure to legalize and regulate psychedelic mushrooms leading narrowly as votes continue to be counted.
Proposition 122, dubbed the Natural Medicine Health Act, was ahead with 51% support after more than 1.8 million votes had been counted as of Wednesday morning.
If approved, the measure would establish a regulated market for psilocybin and psilocyn, the psychoactive compounds found in many species of fungi.
Under the new law, Colorado would allow licensed “healing centers” to provide access to psilocybin and psilocyn for therapeutic purposes. It would also decriminalize the “personal use” of the substances, allowing people to possess and grow psychedelic mushrooms in their own homes.
Proposition 122 follows the passage of mushroom decriminalization measures by voters in Oregon and Washington, D.C., in 2020. Denver voters took a more limited step towards the decriminalization of psychedelic mushrooms in 2019, approving a measure that directed police to make possession of the substances the city’s “lowest law-enforcement priority.”
Proposition 122 leads by wide margins in several populous Front Range counties with potentially large numbers of votes remaining to be counted, giving supporters of the initiative confidence that it will pass.
Amendments D and F
Voters also signed off on Amendment D, a constitutional amendment aimed at ensuring continuity of court services in Colorado’s newly created 23rd Judicial District. As a constitutional amendment, Amendment D needed 55% of the vote to pass, and appeared to easily clear the bar with 67% in favor as of Wednesday.
Another constitutional amendment, however, was soundly rejected. Amendment F would have made several changes to constitutional provisions governing the operation of charitable raffle and bingo games, including allowing charitable gaming workers to be compensated. But voters defeated it by a wide margin, with over 60% opposed.