Colorado regulators have issued the first licenses to individuals looking to enter the state’s emerging psilocybin industry.
Psilocybin mushroom.
The Department of Revenue’s Natural Medicine Division has approved seven applications for individuals seeking to cultivate psilocybin mushrooms or operate healing centers. The division also granted one license to a local applicant aiming to work in the industry.
While some individuals have received state approval, each business must secure an official license before beginning operations. According to state data, no business licenses have been finalized yet, but regulators expect the public could have access to psilocybin-assisted therapy as early as spring.
This development follows Colorado’s voter-approved Proposition 122, known as the Natural Medicine Health Act, which passed in November 2022. The act decriminalizes the personal use and possession of certain psychedelic substances, including psilocybin, for adults aged 21 and over. It also establishes a regulated framework for psilocybin-assisted therapies and licensed healing centers, making Colorado the second state in the U.S., after Oregon, to legalize and regulate such treatments.
Under this law, adults are allowed to possess, cultivate, and share psilocybin and other specified natural medicines, but commercial sales remain prohibited outside of licensed facilities. The act also outlines the creation of a regulated system for the cultivation, manufacturing, testing, and secure storage of psilocybin mushrooms, with oversight delegated to the Department of Regulatory Agencies and the Department of Revenue.
