The Colorado world of politics has seen the recent formation of the Psychedelic Medicine Advisory Board and the naming of board members. This move on the political front shows how Colorado is leading the way in psychedelics, with much planned by the board, including a psychedelic program in the future.
Notable Board Members Announced
The esteemed 15-member board comprises researchers, academics, scientists, and individuals well versed in the world of law enforcement and psychedelic medicine and law enforcement.
While every member is versed in a designated area of expertise, members’ backgrounds, and specialties within and around the psychedelic space complement each other. Some designated areas of expertise include specializations in emergency medicine, criminal justice, indigenous use, veterans issues, health care disparities, harm reduction, mycology, and other specializations.
Notably, the board complement includes top researcher Dr. Sue Sisley and former cannabis journalist and Grasslands owner, Ricardo Baca.
According to news reports, Sisley “is well known for her controlled substances research, particularly involving cannabis. Also an advocate for psychedelics research, Sisley supports an Arizona bill to fund clinical trials with psilocybin.” Sisley will fulfill the role of representative of mycology and natural medicine cultivation.
The new report continues to detail Baca, “According to his LinkedIn profile, Baca was the Denver Post’s first marijuana editor from 2013 – 2016. In 2017, Fortune Magazine named Baca one of the seven most powerful people in America’s marijuana industry.” Baca will focus on harm reduction, drug policy, and indigenous use.
Other members include William Dunn, NRP, FP-C; Billy Wynne, JD; Sofia Chavez, Ph.D.; Bradley Connor, Ph.D.; Wendy Buxton-Andrade; Skippy Leigh Upton Mesirow; Ernestine Gonzales, Ph.D., MA, MS; Heather Lundy Nelson, MA; Katina Banks, JD; Alisa Hannum, Ph.D.; Clarissa Pinkola Estés, Ph.D.; Joshua Goodwin, Ph.D., and Sheriff David Lucero.
New Hopes For The Board
The Natural Medicine Advisory Board will not only inform psychedelics policy, following voters’ approval to legalize entheogens and healing centers, but board members will manage the studies and recommendations relating to numerous psychedelic laws.
Regarding psychedelic law, members will focus on issues including permits, the cultivation and sharing of certain psychedelics, and the establishment of psilocybin “healing centers” in Colorado.
Regarding recommendations, cover topics will include promoting public education about the reform and natural plants and fungi regulations. They will also include affordable, equitable, ethical, and culturally responsible access to natural medicines. Lastly, recommendations are said to include new substance additions to the program. The policy recommendations, and the report therein, will be submitted by September 30, 2023.
The Board Emerges At A Prominent Time In Colorado
The Natural Medicine Advisory Board has emerged at a busy time in the local psychedelic scene. Effective provisions have been made for the legalization of psilocybin, ibogaine, mescaline, DMT, and psilocyn personal use and possession, cultivation, and sharing for adults 21 and older. Regulators are establishing rules for trained facilitators at psilocybin healing centers with therapeutic programs and licensing applications starting September 30, 2024.
Also in the industry, healing centers may, come June 1, 2026, add other psychedelics such as ibogaine, mescaline, and DMT to their list of substances used at the facilities. Recent votes have shown psychedelics as a promising treatment option with the approval of the psychedelics ballot measure seeing praise. In other news, certain psychedelics reform advocates have been actively pushing for alternative legalization measures and removing regulations for entheogenic substances. All this, plus the formation of the Natural Medicine Advisory Board shows how Colorado is leading the pack regarding psychedelic medicine.
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