Gov. Jared Polis pardons Coloradans convicted of psilocybin possession

Gov Jared Polis on Wednesday pardoned Coloradans with state-level criminal convictions for possession of magic mushrooms Related Articles Psychedelic renaissance may take longer than expected Risks of psychedelic use aren t widely known Colorado campaign hopes to change that Colorado licenses its first psilocybin healing center Feeling overstimulated at Meow Wolf in Denver Find a stairwell Speaking at the Psychedelic Science conference in Denver the governor disclosed he had pardoned four people in light of changes to the law that no longer make possession a crime In Coloradans voted in favor of decriminalizing psilocybin and psilocin two psychoactive compounds exposed in magic mushrooms making it no longer a crime to use possess and share the substances Granting these pardons is an significant step forward of program for the individuals who will now have this cleared from their record but also to really acknowledge the error in constituents initiative that led to to their conviction creating a more just system to break down walls and help them move on with their lives Polis noted The governor s pardon via an executive order applies to anyone convicted of possession of psilocybin or psilocin at the state level People with such convictions don t need to apply for pardons the governor s office mentioned in a report and Polis did not conduct individual reviews of the four convictions the state identified as qualifying under the order In his remarks Polis also encouraged local jurisdictions to follow the state s lead because the vast majority of convictions happen at the local level The pardons are similar to the ones Polis made in concerning cannabis possession Those convictions were more widespread with Polis issuing more than pardons to Colorado residents Stay up-to-date with Colorado Politics by signing up for our weekly newsletter The Spot