CANNABIS: Colorado decriminalized psychedelics — now what?

SMOKAL NEWS

Colorado decriminalized psychedelics — now what?

By Grayson Acri

@guy1376

As of Nov. 9, the vote was called on Colorado Proposition 122, decriminalizing certain psychedelic compounds and legalizing eventual therapeutic use. With just 53% of the vote, the ballot initiative will begin to be enacted.

Let’s break down what’s changing and why, starting with the changes to be implemented first.

Decriminalization of five natural psychedelic substances will happen before anything else. Psilocybin, psilocin, mescaline (but not peyote), ibogaine and dimethyltryptamine (DMT) will all be decriminalized statewide.

Decriminalization means that possession of a small amount of these substances for personal, religious or other usage, provided the owner is at least 21 years old, will not lead to civil or criminal charges and will not be high priority for law enforcement. Sale, however, is still prohibited, and persons under the age of 21 will be charged with a petty drug offense if caught in possession or use. Cultivation and distribution are more complicated.

Growth is allowed provided “the plants and fungi are kept in or on the grounds of a private home or residence” and “the plants and fungi are secured from access by persons under 21 years of age,” according to the proposition.

Intentional cultivation of associated fungi and plants outside a private residence in a taskspecific facility for the purpose of consumption do not get the same protections. In Denver, where psilocybin was decriminalized in 2019, enforcing possession laws regarding psilocybin has become a lower priority for the Denver Police Department. It’s unclear if this will become a statewide guide.

Distribution is restricted to “giving away (the decriminalized psychedelics) for personal use without remuneration to a person or persons 21 years of age or older.” Essentially, giving away the decriminalized drugs is not illegal, but accepting any compensation for them is.

Psilocybin and psilocin are compounds in “magic mushrooms,” with psilocybin being the compound before consumption and psilocin the metabolized version. They’re essentially the same compound and are used interchangeably most of the time. Trips can last between four to six hours and sometimes longer depending on the mushroom strain.

Mescaline is a psychedelic compound found in certain types of cacti in southern Texas, Mexico and South America. Peyote, which is not decriminalized, is one of the cacti that produce mescaline in little button growths off the top. Mescaline and peyote are illegal under federal laws but are given an exception for certain Native American rituals. Trips typically last about 12 hours with a peak about two hours in.

Ibogaine is probably the strangest item on this list. It is considered a psychedelic, but its main use is as addiction treatment. There are some treatment centers in Canada, Mexico and other countries, but the evidence of the substance’s effectiveness is limited.

Finally, there’s dimethyltryptamine, or DMT. DMT is the strongest of the hallucinogens here but also the shortest trip, usually ending 30-45 minutes after smoking or injecting. Ayahuasca is a ceremonial use of DMT prepared as a drink, which increases its duration to approximately four hours.

All five of these things have one major thing in common: They’re naturally occurring in plants. This does not automatically give them a pass for safety. They’re serious drugs, hence the Schedule 1 classifications across the board. It does distinguish them, however, from other psychedelics, notably LSD, that are synthesized in labs.

All of these drugs are widely considered to be nonaddictive, which makes sense seeing how they’re being considered as potential addiction treatments and are difficult to overdose on depending on the consumption method.

Their biggest danger lies in mental conditions. A person with a history of psychosis should steer well clear of hallucinogenics, as they can potentially flare up symptoms. Drug interactions are not formally studied with illegal drugs, but the effects of antidepressants and other drugs influencing serotonin levels can be altered by the concurrent use of psychedelics.

It’s also important to remember that while these drugs will be decriminalized, they are illegal in Colorado currently and federally illegal and will not be able to be legally obtained beyond certain narrow provisions. Decriminalization and legalization are not the same thing.

That covers what’s being decriminalized. How about what’s being legalized?

Proposition 122 gives the Department of Regulatory Agencies until 2024 to establish a legal framework for licensing facilitators and other support staff needed to carry out psychedelic therapy. Notably, these directives only apply to psilocybin and psilocin.

Patients will need to be at least 21 years old and suffer from a rather small list of conditions to be eligible for therapy, including PTSD, cases involving terminal illnesses, depression (mostly for rare treatment-resistant kinds) and addiction.

In 2026, DORA can opt to expand the list of substances available for therapeutic use but is not allowed to until then.

How does this new law compare to medical cannabis or even recreational cannabis? The main difference is how patients will use the drug.

Medical cannabis is distributed through dispensaries that sell the product to customers who show them the appropriate license. It is more like a pharmacy where you get your drugs and take them home to use them.

Psychedelic healing centers are more similar to things like surgeries or therapy. You get screened, do all the preparation work and are then given the dosage under guidance from a therapist who’s there to ensure the trip doesn’t go awry. You will not be given psilocybin to take home under the current law, and there are no retail sales options for psilocybin.

Reach Grayson Acri at cannabis@ collegian.com.

SERIOUSLY

It’s time to reclaim Thanksgiving — we should spike the potatoes

By Paul Brull

@csucollegian

Editor’s Note: This is a satire piece from The Collegian’s opinion section. Real names and the events surrounding them may be used in fictitious/semi-fictitious ways. Those who do not read the editor’s notes are subject to being offended.

Thanksgiving is a lovely holiday. We get to spend time with our families and friends, there’s no pressure to give gifts and everyone (hopefully) enjoys good food together.

Unfortunately, the holiday is often mired with understandably tense conflicts surrounding politics, religion and any other differences between the younger generations and their older counterparts. Pretty much everyone has a story to tell about a crazy uncle, a passive aggressive confrontation with parents or Grandma’s judging glares.

It gets uncomfortable, and instead of celebrating shared time, everyone is painfully reminded why they don’t live together anymore.

Fortunately, dear reader, we at The Collegian cannabis desk have a solution for you: It’s time we start spiking the mashed potatoes.

If everyone was just a bit high on hashed potatoes, the holiday could finally achieve its full potential.

Without cannabis, your problematic family member of choice will take advantage of the one conversation they have with you per year to tell you about how your generation is ruining America. A 5-20 milligram dose of THC, though, will have them too occupied giggling about how their fingers are kind of funny looking.

I present the following hypothetical to demonstrate my point: It’s Thanksgiving Day, and your family gathers around. The family opens a bottle of wine or maybe some beers. Maybe you even turn on the big game — I think that’s what people call it. Everything is vaguely peaceful. No one has talked about “those damn liberals” or “the gay agenda.” Things are good.

Inevitably, though, your slightlymore-vocal-and-liberal sibling remarks on something relatively benign that Uncle Carl disagrees with vocally. The rest of the family tries to smother the flame, but the tension is already building. There will be a fight at the dinner table.

Enter the hashed potatoes. Assuming everyone takes a reasonable amount and tucks in, the high should start hitting around the same time political tensions would otherwise bubble over. Just as the F-slur starts to leave Uncle Carl’s lips, he will be suddenly overtaken by giggles and think to himself, “Wouldn’t it be better to just chill?”

As dinner continues, your chemical companion elevates everyone’s spirits. Your disapproving grandmother even cracks a smile. The inevitable game of Monopoly after dinner turns into a fun socialist romp wherein people realize money doesn’t matter and Monopoly is a terrible board game.

What happens, though, if someone can’t eat the hashed potatoes? Worry not — we have some other ideas too. Why not sauce up the cranberry sauce or add something special to the pumpkin pie? You could even make “baked” turkey, and no one would be the wiser. In fact, they’d probably be delighted because for the last four years, you only brought napkins to the Thanksgiving potluck.

The hashed potatoes — or sauced sauce, high pie or baked turkey — come with ancillary benefits too.

As everyone settles into a comfortable stupor, the munchies start taking hold. Everyone in the family will get seconds, thirds and fourths, enjoying as much food as they want. Somebody might even take some of the suspicious potato salad your great aunt brought, saving everyone the hassle of haggling over who has the responsibility to take that leftover. It’s a win-win all around.

It’s important to be careful about what strain you choose, though. Aggressive sativas can be a fun time with friends, but making your dad even more paranoid about his election conspiracy might prove counterproductive to your initial goal. A mellow indica with a light scent profile will take the edge off while remaining easily disguised.

If anyone asks why they’re feeling funny, just blame the turkey. I hear it has something in it that makes people sleepy.

It’s time we retake Thanksgiving and make it the holiday it can be. Thanksgiving should not be about confronting your family about whatever backward beliefs they happen to hold. It definitely shouldn’t be stressful; it should be a time where you visit your whole family and everyone has an amiable enough time that they forget for a little bit how different they often are.

Reach Paul Brull at cannabis@ collegian.com.

“Aggressive sativas can be a fun time with friends, but making your dad even more paranoid about his election conspiracy might prove counterproductive to your initial goal. A mellow indica with a light scent profile will take the edge off while remaining easily disguised.”

FRAME BY FRAME

Border War football game comes down to the wire

On Nov. 12, the Colorado State University football team took on the University of Wyoming Cowboys at Canvas Stadium for this year’s edition of the annual Border War. The Rams and Cowboys have been playing against each other since 1899, and the game this year was the 114th meeting between the two teams, with the all-time record going in favor of Colorado State at 59-50-5 (including one controversial game that CSU doesn’t recognize as completed). Since 1968 the teams have fought over control of the Bronze Boot trophy, an actual boot that was worn by Vietnam veteran and former Colorado State ROTC instructor Capt. Daniel J. Romero. The boot was cast in bronze and goes to the winner of each Border War along with the bragging rights that come with the territory of a rivalry game. This year’s game was a low-scoring defensive affair that the Rams narrowly lost to the Cowboys 14-13, keeping the Bronze Boot in Laramie, Wyoming, for another year.

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1. Colorado State University linebacker Dequan Jackson (5) tackles University of Wyoming running back Titus Swen (2) Nov. 12. Jackson led the Rams with 13 total tackles, including five solo tackles in the Rams’ 14-13 loss. 2. Members of the Colorado State University Marching Band perform during the Ram Walk before the Border War Nov. 12. 3. Colorado State University tight end Peter Montini (44) runs after catching a pass in their game against the University of Wyoming Nov. 12. 4. Colorado State wide receiver Justus Ross-Simmons (85) gets tackled by a Wyoming defender Nov. 12. 5. CAM the Ram leads the Colorado State football team’s run onto the field before the Border War game Nov. 12. 6. Colorado State University wide receiver Justus Ross-Simmons (85) runs after catching a pass in the Border War Nov. 12. 7. A Colorado State University defender tackles University of Wyoming running back Titus Swen (2) during the Border War football game Nov. 12. The Rams’ defense held for most of the game but ultimately gave up the touchdown that won the game, leading to a 14-13 loss for the Rams. 8. Colorado State University defensive lineman Mohamed Kamara (8) celebrates getting a sack against the University of Wyoming Nov. 12. Kamara had two tackles in the game.