Colorado Governor Promotes Psychedelic ‘Listening Session’ Being Hosted By State Agencies This Week

Colorado Governor Jared Polis (D) is encouraging residents to participate in a state-led “listening session” this week focused on the rollout of Colorado’s regulated natural medicine program, which includes legal psilocybin. The event, scheduled for Wednesday, is being organized by multiple state agencies and is intended to gather community feedback, answer questions, and share updates on the newly implemented psychedelics framework.

A Public Forum on Legal Psychedelics

In a social media post promoting the event, Polis described the session as “a great opportunity to share information, hear feedback, and answer questions about the state of the regulated natural medicine program in Colorado.” The forum is being hosted by the Department of Revenue’s Natural Medicine Division (DOR), the Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE), the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), and the Governor’s Office.

The session comes just two months after Colorado saw its first psilocybin-assisted sessions take place in licensed “healing centers,” marking a historic milestone under the voter-approved psychedelics legalization law.

Gathering Stakeholder Feedback

The agenda highlights several areas where regulators are seeking input:

• Licensing challenges: Experiences with state or local certification requirements.
  
• Operational updates: What is working well and what remains a pain point for businesses and facilitators.
  
• Agency support: Suggestions for how regulators could better assist participants in staying compliant.
  
• Educational needs: Areas where more clarity is needed on what is permitted under the law, both for regulated businesses and personal use allowances.
  
• Reporting and data: Stakeholder perspectives on the frequency and type of data collection and reporting requirements.
  

By holding the listening session, state leaders hope to refine oversight of the program while keeping it responsive to community and industry needs.

Building on Recent Reforms

Polis has positioned Colorado as a national leader in drug policy reform, emphasizing fairness, regulation, and public health. In June, the governor issued the state’s first mass pardons for people with psilocybin-related convictions, following a new law that granted clemency authority for psychedelics offenses. Polis called the move “a step towards a fairer future,” echoing his earlier decision to issue mass pardons for marijuana convictions.

The governor also highlighted that the state’s psychedelics framework is now “fully launched,” with licenses issued for every part of the psilocybin supply chain, from cultivation to facilitation.

Legislative Developments

In addition to implementing voter-approved reforms, Polis recently signed a law that would allow doctors to prescribe a synthesized psilocybin medication if the federal government authorizes its use. This measure is designed to align state policy with potential federal medical recognition of psilocybin in the years ahead.

Colorado voters legalized psilocybin and several other natural psychedelics for adults 21 and older through a ballot initiative in 2022. Lawmakers followed up with enabling legislation in 2023 to establish the regulatory framework and launch the state’s program.

Meanwhile, not all psychedelic-related bills have advanced. Earlier this year, legislation that would have restricted THC levels in cannabis and prohibited certain psilocybin products was withdrawn by its lead sponsor, halting what critics described as an overly restrictive proposal.

A Continuing Dialogue

Colorado’s natural medicine program remains in its early stages, and Wednesday’s listening session reflects an ongoing commitment by regulators to refine the system through public input. For patients, facilitators, businesses, and advocates, the event offers a chance to directly influence how the program evolves.

As Polis continues to champion Colorado’s role as a pioneer in drug reform, the listening session marks the next step in a broader effort to balance access, safety, and accountability in the rollout of legal psychedelics.