Colorado Proposition 122 has passed! What does this mean?

The people of the state of Colorado have spoken. According to the New York Times, Proposition 122 passed by a 53.4 percent to 46.6 percent margin! What does this mean? In short, if ratified, citizens in Colorado will be able to possess and utilize certain fungi and plants of a psychedelic origin—such as the infamous Magic Mushrooms and Mushroom Spores—for medicinal use.

The substances covered by Proposition 122 are currently illegal under Colorado law, though this vote will begin the process of changing the law. Qualified people must be at least 21 years old, and the entire process will be heavily regulated by Colorado officials.

Photograph by Sam Moqadam via Unsplash

People on both sides of the aisle have been calling for such legalization for a long time—not just in Colorado but across the country. The left has naturally led the charge on this issue, though many right-leaning voters approved of the legislation as well. However, most of the resistance came from the right.

This post will dive deeper into Proposition 122, including specifics on the actual legislation. It will also outline the substances in the proposition, the politics behind the debate, a breakdown of the results, and what the future has in store as it relates to Proposition 122—both for Colorado and the country as a whole. Let’s get into it!

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A Closer Look at Proposition 122

According to the official website of Denver, Colorado, Proposition 122 will “[Create] a natural medicine services program for the supervised administration of dimethyltryptamine, ibogaine, mescaline (excluding peyote), psilocybin, and psilocin; creates a framework for regulating the growth, distribution, and sale of such substances to permitted entities; creates the Natural Medicine Advisory Board.”

Let’s examine each of these items further.

Natural Medicine Services Program

This program, or, rather, a series of programs, will allow licensed professionals to distribute and regulate the substances listed above. The key word, of course, is “natural”—this is not for synthesized substances such as LSD, but rather for the kind of substances found in nature that are not likely to cause severe side effects.

Dimethyltryptamine, ibogaine, mescaline (excluding peyote), psilocybin, and psilocin

All of these substances are natural. Dimethyltryptamine is found in nature and has been used in religious ceremonies for spiritual and medicinal reasons for hundreds of years. It is also used to treat depression by some. Ibogaine is used for its anti-addictive properties and scientists are optimistic that it can treat alcoholism. Mescaline, a hallucinogen similar to amphetamines, has more dubious medical uses but is common in Native American culture in regions that overlap Colorado jurisdiction. Peyote is excluded due to its potency and lack of medicinal use.
(Source: Science Direct)

We will cover psilocybin and psilocin in a later section!

Framework for regulating the substances

One of the major threats from illegal substances is that the entire process of manufacturing and distribution is subject to tampering and corruption, as well as unstable prices. The medicine can be tainted, and people’s lives are at risk. By decriminalizing it and regulating it on a state level, Colorado will ensure that customers receive only the purest form of medicine possible at affordable and stable prices. The Natural Medicine Advisory Board will help the regulatory process and routinely examine other potential substances for inclusion.

What are Psilocybin Mushrooms (aka “Magic Mushrooms”)?

Perhaps the most notable (or infamous, depending on one’s perspective) aspect of this proposition is that it will legalize psilocybin (aka Magic Mushrooms or Psilocybin Mushrooms) for medicinal use. Mushroom spores, such as those found in psilocybin can have both potent medicinal and psychoactive properties.

Psilocybin, a natural drug, is similar to synthetic LSD (and natural mescaline) on a chemical level and in terms of some of the psychoactive effects. The compound is in mushrooms (hence the term “Magic Mushrooms” or “Mushroom Spores”) such as the highly potent Penis Envy Mushrooms. Psilocybin’s effects are hallucinogenic, with dried mushrooms containing a high amount of the compound.

It should be noted that large doses can be harmful, so regulation is key—another reason why this proposition will help ensure the safety of the consumption of these substances, especially for medicinal use. Overall, the most effective dose seems to be less than 10 mg. Results may vary, of course. Moreover, some mushrooms containing the compound are highly toxic, further underscoring the need to regulate Magic Mushrooms and the related families of drugs.
(Source: Science Direct, Wikipedia)

The Politics of Proposition 122

Advocates of Proposition 122 have primarily been on the left side of the political spectrum, which is normal. Generally speaking, the left seeks to loosen regulations while the right wants to maintain the status quo. This natural tug of war helps ensure that progress is careful and subject to intense scrutiny and the establishment of consensus. But this is not a political science lecture! Let’s dive into the politics of—or, more specifically, the arguments for and against—Proposition 122.

Pro-Proposition 122 Stance: Those in support of Proposition 122 cite the exhaustive studies performed by scientists that prove the medicinal benefits of these families of psychoactive substances. A dive into the sources listed above will verify these claims.

Some supporters of the proposition also claim that the decriminalization of medicinal psychoactive compounds will benefit the process of criminal justice reform. In other words, it will get more nonviolent criminals out of the costly prisons and into the larger society where they can be more productive.

People who endorse this regulation also cite the rising mental health crisis in this country. These types of drugs are particularly effective against mental illnesses such as depression and addiction, both of which are seeing unprecedented highs due to our rapidly changing society. It will take many generations for our minds to cope with this new world we have created—our brains just aren’t wired for it.

Plus, mental health problems may have very well existed in large numbers before modern times; it’s just that people were not fully aware of what they were experiencing or were socialized to internalize such problems. Pro-prop 122 individuals claim that we need greater firepower in the fight against mental illness, and this is the first step toward arming ourselves against it.

In short, proposals like Proposition 122 will help improve the quality of life of individuals suffering from mental illness while also getting nonviolent criminals out of prisons so they can be more productive (and our taxpayer dollars can be better spent).

Anti-Proposition 122 Stance: Many people on the right opposed this legislation, feeling that the reasoning was not ironclad enough. One counterargument is that these drugs can cause massive hallucinogenic effects. Those against Proposition 122 are concerned that these side effects may be far worse than the ailments they are attempting to treat.

Naysayers are also concerned that this proposition may create a slippery slope that leads to widespread addiction and recreational drug use. In short, they feel that the benefits, while potentially there, may not outweigh the risks. They feel the prudent course is to hold off on legalizing these drugs for recreational use.

Some have also criticized the language of the bill, though they still consider the overall idea to be beneficial for medicinal purposes.

We are not here to prove or disprove any of these points; after all, the people have already spoken, and now we’ll dive into the results a bit more!

Results Breakdown

Many of the more populated counties, such as Denver and Boulder, voted overwhelmingly in favor of the bill. The margin in these regions was upwards of 10 percent, whereas the opposite was true in rural areas like Moffat and Custer Counties. This is a common trend in elections – urban centers tend to vote more liberally, whereas rural regions take a more conservative stance.

Overall, Proposition 122 passed by a final vote tally of 1,271,278 to 1,108,831 – in other words, the final margin was 53.4 percent to 46.6 percent in favor of the legalization of these specific psychoactive substances for medicinal use.

The Future Under Proposition 122

Now that the vote has passed, the use of Magic Mushrooms, Mushroom Spores, and – in particular, Psilocybin Mushrooms is likely to increase, especially for medicinal use. Prisons may see a decrease in the overall population as specific crimes related to the possession and distribution of these substances will no longer apply. Many people who had been dealing in this trade illegally now have a way of obtaining a legal license and going “legitimate”.

The overall trend may be similar to the decriminalization of marijuana, though we will have to wait and see.

Similar Legislation and Conclusion

This proposition is likely to shake things up massively, not just in the state of Colorado but across the country. Marijuana is no longer alone; other drugs are being seriously considered for their medicinal properties, and this could help usher in a new area of natural medicine that can lead to a much higher quality of life for everyone involved. It will be interesting to see how Colorado handles this process!

Colorado is not the first state to succeed in this decriminalization process: Oregon had similar legislation passed in 2020, and some other states have since followed. Colorado is another fallen domino in this trend that may soon cover the entire country and beyond. One thing’s for sure: It’s another big win for advocates of these drugs.

If you are interested in purchasing magic mushroom spores, please take a look at the mushroom spores we have for sale in our shop.