Colorado Pardons Psilocybin Convictions, Urges Local Reform

Colorado Governor Jared Polis has issued a mass pardon for state-level convictions related to possession of psilocybin and psilocin, aligning with the 2022 voter-approved decriminalization of these substances. The announcement was made during the Psychedelic Science Conference in Denver. Only four state-level convictions were identified for immediate pardon, but Polis encouraged municipal governments to follow the state's example, since most convictions occur at the local level. The pardons are intended to remove barriers for affected individuals and reflect a broader shift in public policy around natural medicines. Colorado, together with Oregon, is at the forefront of legalizing and regulating psilocybin, with licensed healing centers and facilitators already operating. This action mirrors Polis’s earlier mass pardon of cannabis convictions and continues Colorado's progressive approach to drug policy reform.