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Psilocybin Mushrooms in Colorado | Is It Legal & Where You Can Get Some
Colorado voters recently voted to legalize magic mushrooms. Though Colorado isn’t the first state to do so (that distinction goes to Oregon) it is safe to say that the state is venturing into largely uncharted territory.
Psilocybin isn’t like cannabis. It doesn’t enjoy ever-increasing legal access across the fifty states. It doesn’t even have the same level of de-stigmatization that has led to cannabis’s wide embrace.
What does the Colorado magic mushrooms situation mean for discerning users? In this article, we answer the question of where can you get psychedelic mushrooms in Colorado, and explore all of the unique aspects of the recent voting decision.
What are Psilocybin Mushrooms? A.K.A Magic Mushrooms
Psilocybin, known also as “magic mushrooms,” is a natural chemical compound found in certain species of mushrooms. Known for their psychedelic effect, magic mushrooms are often used to induce altered perceptions and states of euphoria.
Upon ingestion, psilocybin binds to your serotonin receptors, which in turn causes the psychoactive response. While used primarily recreationally now, magic mushrooms have long been used for spiritual purposes in ancient cultures dating back centuries.
More recently, it has also been embraced for therapeutic purposes. Due both to its euphoric properties, and its ability to induce a dissociative state, people have used it to cope with PTSD, terminal illness, and grief.
The effects of magic mushrooms usually take around an hour to set in. Once established, the psychoactive experience can last for up to six hours. Many users experience changes in the perception of time, as well as visual and auditory hallucinations.
Most experts agree that psilocybin is safe in moderation. However, the way the user approaches psilocybin will have a big impact on their ultimate experience. It is important to experience magic mushrooms in a controlled environment, ideally in the presence of someone that you are acquainted with and trust.
Your pre-existing health can also influence how advisable it is to experiment with psilocybin. Consider speaking with your doctor before experimenting with any new drug.
Legal Status of Psilocybin Mushrooms in Colorado
Colorado voters took to the polls to legalize magic mushrooms back in November of 2022. The decision, though historic, will result in a gradual rollout that is scheduled to take two years in total to unfold.
The first phase is already in effect. Magic mushrooms are now decriminalized, which means that individuals 21 and older are allowed to possess the drug and give it away, but it is not yet legal to sell it.
Colorado residents are allowed to grow and share magic mushrooms, along with other psychedelics like DMT and mescaline. They are also able to begin selling what the law describes as “harm reduction services.”
Interestingly, the law does not define exactly what this means. However, it seems that this aspect of the law is meant to allow people to help guide individuals through their experiences with psilocybin. Harm reduction professionals are even allowed to share magic mushrooms with their clients as part of their services, though this aspect of the transaction is not allowed to be advertised in any way.
Magic mushroom users are also legally required to use the substance in private. Public consumption will result in a $100 fine.
The current trajectory of this law is not to allow for magic mushrooms to be available in dispensaries. That would take a separate ballot initiative. However, mushrooms as a healing initiative do seem to be on the table.
There are already plans for “healing centers,” that will focus on the use of mushrooms to provide a medicinal experience.
It is worth noting that this is not the first time Colorado has made moves toward mushroom legality. The effort began in earnest back in 2018 when a group called Denver for Psilocybin began making a public campaign to decriminalize the use of mushrooms in Denver.
That effort passed in 2019, which made Denver the first city in the country to decriminalize mushrooms. When the effort worked out well, it was scaled to the entire state, leading directly to the recent ballot decision.
Where to Find Psilocybin Mushrooms in Colorado
As already mentioned, it is not currently legal to purchase psilocybin. However, Colorado residents have a number of ways to obtain psilocybin magic mushrooms.
Receive mushrooms as part of a prepaid service
For example, earlier above we described that harm reduction services. mental health physicians or therapist are able to give mushrooms away for free. In this situation, the customer pays for guidance from the professional and receives mushrooms as a free gift.
Be given mushrooms by friends
It is legal for people to share magic mushrooms with each other, assuming that all parties are over the age of 21.
Grow your own mushrooms
Colorado residents are also legally permitted to grow their own mushrooms—though there are legal strings attached to this arrangement that we will discuss in a later section.
As mentioned earlier, dispensaries are not currently allowed to sell magic mushrooms, though that may change in the not-so-distant future as attitudes toward magic mushrooms grow increasingly more positive.
Magic Mushroom Tours in Colorado
Naturally, legalization efforts for magic mushrooms in Colorado have and will continue to lead to many entrepreneurial opportunities. One such business is “magic mushroom tours.”
Colorado is already well known for its cannabis tours. These events unfold in much the same way that winery tours do in California, providing patrons with an opportunity to have an intimate experience with an industry they support, while also getting to sample its wares.
We are going to describe to you what a magic mushrooms tour may look like here in Colorado soon.
Patrons are picked up. Depending on the package they selected, their ride might be a large bus filled with a sizeable group of tourists, or a luxury car, there for only their private group.
They are taken to a place where psilocybin is grown. The goal, of course, is to see all sides of the mushroom industry. Some tours may go to growing and processing exhibitions and maybe even a testing lab.
The tour attendees are often given the chance to sample the products in a safe and controlled environment.
These guided experiences are prized by tourists both for their flexibility—the many package options allow users to design a custom experience that suits their interests and their budgets—and its comprehensiveness.
Soon, these experiences will be available for individuals 21 and up. In fact, the business Colorado Cannabis Tours is already working on creating a psilocybin-themed tour experience that will give customers a comprehensive and personalized look at the local offerings.
Psilocybin Mushroom Cultivation and Growing
Currently, the law allows Colorado residents to grow and harvest their own mushrooms on a plot of land no larger than 12 by 12 feet—essentially the size of a small bedroom.
Growing psilocybin is a complicated process but can be broken down into several steps.
Get spores
Magic mushrooms, like all fungi, begin with spores, which can now be obtained legally in Colorado. Note that it is important to always get your spores from a trusted source to ensure quality and safety.
Prepare your space
Growing mushrooms safely and effectively requires a clean and well-maintained space—in this case not to exceed 144 square feet. For best results, you will want to establish an area with a consistent temperature of around 76 degrees Fahrenheit.
Inoculate your growing medium
Basically, this will involve applying the spores to a rich source of nutrients—for example, well-fertilized soil, or other forms of organic matter. This is where your fungus will grow.
Wait for the fungi to “fruit”
As the magic mushrooms begin to adjust to the growing medium, a fruiting phase will take place. In other words, you will begin to see the mushrooms sprout.
Harvest and dry your crop
Once the mushrooms have matured, it is time to harvest or dry them. You can accomplish this by carefully twisting and pulling on the sprouted fungi at its base. There are multiple approaches to drying out mushrooms. Some people simply air-dry their harvest, a process that can take days or weeks. Note that this process does create the risk of mold growth, and may not be possible in humid environments.
It is also possible to use dehydrators to dry your mushrooms. This is a faster and more precise process but does require the purchase of an additional product.
A properly dried batch of magic mushrooms can be safely stored for up to a year in an air-tight container. However, you should note that your harvest may lose potency over time.
Mushrooms that have not been dried out will only remain safe for consumption for up to two weeks—assuming they have been carefully stored in a refrigerated environment.
Microdosing with Psilocybin Mushrooms
Microdosing mushrooms is a concept that has been gaining mainstream acceptance at a relatively fast rate. The idea behind microdosing is to take enough psilocybin to generate a euphoric response without experiencing the psychedelic effects.
The mushrooms are usually ingested through pre-sized capsules that help the user measure out their doses carefully.
There is also typically a schedule in place for when you dose, and how big your doses can be. The idea isn’t just to create eh euphoric response, but to sustain it over time. Keep in mind that your body will develop a tolerance to psilocybin over time.
Microdosing schedules are planned specifically to navigate that tolerance without ever creating the experience of being “high.”
Many microdosers use magic mushrooms as part of a highly productive life, still attending work and social obligations during their microdosing periods. There are similar treatment schedules used with cannabis products, again with the idea of avoiding a psychoactive response.
Microdosing is available legally in several places throughout the world, and there are many online resources available to help people learn how to successfully microdose even in places where the law isn’t quite as accommodating as it is in Colorado.
Microdosing has been used to treat everything from depression and anxiety to insomnia. Though not recommended officially by any government entities, it is continuing to be explored in medical research as a way to cope with a wide range of mental health disorders.
Psychedelic Art and Immersive Experiences
Creativity has often been associated with psychoactive experiences. From artists who have used cannabis and mushrooms for inspiration, to a consuming public that uses drugs as a way to alter or elevate their perceptions, the two things often go hand in hand.
In fact, Colorado already has several art-related experiences that are filtered through a decidedly psychoactive lens. Perhaps most notable of these is an art installation in Denver known as “Meow Wolf.”
Convergence Station is a permanent art installation exhibit that replicates the landscape of a “multiversal transit station.”
The showcase depicts bustling city streets and stores in a display that spans an incredible four floors of sci-fi-inspired creativity.
It’s worth noting that Colorado—most notably, Denver—has a very well-developed arts community. There are constantly new galleries and showcases. Some of them are themed specifically towards enhancing psychedelic experiences, while others are not. However, all can be enjoyed thoroughly by those who are interested in fostering a safe and pleasant experience with magic mushrooms.
Conclusion
While magic mushrooms haven’t quite gotten the cannabis treatment in Colorado, psychonauts are nevertheless entering an uncharted phase of legal liberty. The laws, while not all-encompassing—are permissive enough to make Colorado a safe and enjoyable place to experience magic mushrooms.
Those interested in experiencing a safe, legal psilocybin trip should keep their eyes on what is happening in Colorado. As laws continue to evolve and businesses rise to meet their new terms, there will be an influx of magic mushroom-related opportunities for consumers to enjoy.
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