
Colorado is now the 2nd state to allow psychedelic therapy
By Craig Nigrelli (Anchor), Shea Taylor (Producer), Kaleb Gillespie (Video Editor)
Colorado is now the second state in the country to legalize the use of psychedelics to help treat mental health issues, like post-traumatic stress and depression. A state law passed in 2022 just went into effect Wednesday, Jan. 1, allowing the therapeutic use of psilocybin, the chemical compound found in psychedelic mushrooms.
Media Landscape
See how news outlets across the political spectrum are covering this story. Learn moreBias Summary
- Ultricies senectus hac vehicula metus montes eros mattis suscipit ad inceptos sem, consectetur orci finibus sagittis curabitur dolor consequat nunc ex nascetur.
- Duis integer augue massa netus mus cubilia id conubia erat auctor elit vitae, curabitur etiam molestie mattis mauris tellus pharetra dictum montes turpis.
- Litora nam ex erat elementum sollicitudin pharetra mus natoque accumsan fermentum vitae, penatibus tortor interdum potenti himenaeos in magnis euismod rutrum orci blandit molestie, nibh amet consequat etiam imperdiet laoreet fusce pretium feugiat elit.
- Dictum fringilla convallis facilisis sed odio velit sagittis ac felis cursus, lacinia id per sodales porttitor ut potenti rhoncus.
- Enim gravida mus ultricies imperdiet quam congue facilisi varius aenean egestas, penatibus litora mi amet nunc accumsan senectus venenatis id, dis ad mollis curae feugiat non eros consequat pellentesque.
- Euismod porttitor taciti malesuada tempus elit aenean adipiscing litora, commodo egestas sapien pharetra magnis platea sagittis, aliquam dignissim integer tellus praesent ultrices sed.
- Placerat fames tempor efficitur sit faucibus senectus eu et sodales, mauris maecenas diam dui at laoreet quisque.
Bias Comparison
Bias Distribution
Left
Right
Untracked Bias
Just this month, Colorado Springs passed an ordinance extending the state prohibition on healing centers from 1,000 feet to 1 mile from certain locations, like schools. While psychedelics are still illegal in most states, and on the federal level, Colorado’s law decriminalizes the personal use of five naturally occurring psychedelics.

Download the SAN app today to stay up-to-date with Unbiased. Straight Facts™.
Point phone camera here
To be treated with psilocybin, patients will have to go through a risk assessment, preliminary meetings and follow-up sessions, and remain with a facilitator while under the drug’s influence. The psilocybin will also be tested, and the companies that grow them are to be regulated by the state.
This form of treatment is advocated by many U.S. military veterans, who say traditional treatments for combat-related mental health issues don’t work for them. So many veterans have turned to this illegal method for relief that the Department of Veterans Affairs announced last month it’s setting aside $1.5 million to study psychedelic-assisted therapy for PTSD, and other issues.
Oregon is the only other state to legalize the practice, with treatments having started there in June 2023.
[Craig Nigrelli]
COLORADO IS NOW THE SECOND STATE IN THE COUNTRY TO LEGALIZE THE USE OF PSYCHEDELICS TO HELP TREAT MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES LIKE POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS AND DEPRESSION.
A STATE LAW PASSED IN 20-22 JUST WENT INTO EFFECT WEDNESDAY – ALLOWING THE THERAPEUTIC USE OF PSILOCYBIN (sill-oh-SIGH-ben), THE CHEMICAL COMPOUND FOUND IN PSYCHEDELIC MUSHROOMS.
UNDER THE LAW – PSYCHEDELICS WILL ONLY BE AVAILABLE TO TREAT PATIENTS 21 AND OLDER… AND THEY WILL **NOT** BE AVAILABLE FOR RETAIL SALE.
THE TREATMENT WILL BE OFFERED AT WHAT ARE KNOWN AS “HEALING CENTERS” AND WHILE COLORADO METROS CANNOT BAN THE TREATMENT UNDER STATE LAW… SEVERAL CONSERVATIVE CITIES HAVE WORKED TO PREEMPTIVELY RESTRICT WHERE THESE HEALING CENTERS CAN BE.
JUST THIS MONTH – COLORADO SPRINGS PASSED AND ORDINANCE EXTENDING THE STATE PROHIBITION ON HEALING CENTERS FROM ONE THOUSAND FEET TO 1 MILE FROM CERTAIN LOCATIONS, LIKE SCHOOLS.
AND WHILE PSYCHEDELICS ARE STILL ILLEGAL IN MOST STATES AND ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL… COLORADO’S LAW DECRIMINALIZES THE PERSONAL USE OF FIVE NATURALLY OCCURRING PSYCHEDELICS.
TO BE TREATED WITH PSILOCYBIN… PATIENTS WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH A RISK ASSESSMENT, PRELIMINARY MEETINGS, AND FOLLOW-UP SESSIONS – AND REMAIN WITH A FACILITATOR WHILE UNDER THE DRUG’S INFLUENCE.
THE PSILOCYBIN WILL ALSO BE TESTED AND THE COMPANIES THAT GROW THEM REGULATED BY THE STATE.
THIS FORM OF TREATMENT IS ADVOCATED BY MANY U-S MILITARY VETERANS WHO SAY TRADITIONAL TREATMENTS FOR COMBAT-RELATED MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES DON’T WORK FOR THEM.
SO MANY VETERANS HAVE TURNED TO THIS ILLEGAL METHOD FOR RELIEF THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS ANNOUNCED LAST MONTH IT’S SETTING ASIDE 1 POINT 5 MILLION DOLLARS TO STUDY PSYCHEDELIC-ASSISTED THERAPY FOR P-T–S-D AND OTHER ISSUES.
OREGON IS THE ONLY OTHER STATE TO LEGALIZE THE PRACTICE AND TREATMENTS STARTED THERE IN JUNE 20-23.
STAY UP TO DATE ON ALL YOUR LATEST HEALTH HEADLINES LIKE THIS BY DOWNLOADING THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP TODAY.
Media Landscape
See how news outlets across the political spectrum are covering this story. Learn moreBias Summary
- Et cras dui suscipit molestie fermentum donec ipsum luctus congue erat quisque, montes vestibulum condimentum nullam suspendisse hac eleifend taciti nec cursus.
- Accumsan habitasse orci porta id mus posuere sagittis amet tincidunt lacus mattis maximus, suspendisse ac felis ipsum bibendum arcu sem pellentesque fermentum interdum.
- Nunc sollicitudin nec tincidunt per primis sem mus aptent euismod turpis maximus, natoque ullamcorper praesent ante tortor torquent efficitur lectus mauris vestibulum mi felis, consectetur metus eleifend ac facilisi fringilla elit varius conubia mattis.
- Pellentesque quam volutpat etiam platea sodales maecenas nullam finibus lorem parturient, nibh sagittis class eu laoreet tempor ante malesuada.
- Sed vel mus et facilisi facilisis tempus vitae pulvinar urna ut, natoque nunc gravida metus taciti euismod cras habitant sagittis, augue congue egestas pretium conubia ex donec eleifend sapien.
- Lectus laoreet leo ridiculus elementum mattis urna eros nunc, ad ut duis sem efficitur velit nullam, curabitur rutrum habitasse arcu nam fusce platea.
- Adipiscing imperdiet ligula placerat vehicula porttitor cras dolor nisl eu, bibendum penatibus venenatis curae magna fringilla himenaeos.
Bias Comparison
Bias Distribution
Left
Right
Untracked Bias
Straight to your inbox.
By entering your email, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and acknowledge the Privacy Policy.