By: Micah Smith
Photographer: Jacob Curtis
DENVER — Colorado psilocybin activists are questioning how equitable Proposition 122 is for communities of color.
Proposition 122 would decriminalize psychedelic mushrooms and regulate access in the state.
“Some of my equity concerns start at the very foundation of how the policy is built. If it's supposed to be equitable, diverse and inclusive, you would think that those folks and those perspectives were also in the room from day one when this policy was developed. So my top concern is that people of color were left out in this entire process,” said Melanie Rose Rodgers, psilocybin activist.
Rodgers said Proposition 122 does not include enough equity provisions.
“Could we learn from the mistakes of cannabis? Social equity was an afterthought, where even right now, social equity applicants are struggling to even succeed in this $5 billion Colorado industry. That was because it wasn't built with them in mind,” Rodgers said.
Rodgers is also concerned with the out-of-state money coming into Colorado to support Proposition 122.
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“I think that Coloradans need to know that this is funded, $2.8 million from a cannabis-led legalization, D.C. PAC, political action committee called New Approach,” Rodgers said. “Anyone can come to Colorado and open up a licensed healing centers, it doesn't prioritize Colorado residents first.”
Rodgers said there are some equity measures included in the proposition called “side bars,” but she questions the impact they will have.
“One of the sidebars included is there's going to be discounted licensing fees for BIPOC folks… there's a record sealing aspect,” Rodgers said.
But Rodgers said the proposition would still require those with psilocybin convictions to initiate record sealing on their own. Rodgers said automatic expungement would be more equitable.
But Veronica Lightning Horse Perez said the proposition was crafted with equity in mind.
“We spent quite a bit of time looking at equity. There were a lot of community members that were present to look at the importance of equity, and how many places and other legislation that had been overlooked, and how it is especially important since we're dealing with medicines that are very old and are cornerstones in many different cultures,” Perez said.
Perez said the proposition also includes a fund to help cover costs associated with accessing psychedelic mushrooms.
“We want to make sure that people who have a low economic status can come in and access these measures,” Perez said.
Perez said she thinks the equity criticism isn’t fair.
“Could there be more? I'm sure there could. But we, we did listen to a lot of input and really looked at making sure, I mean, down to the fees for licensing and healing centers cannot outweigh what it costs to get the regulated model up and going, “ Perez said. “I am of mixed Indigenous ancestry, but I don't speak for Indigenous people. There are many different voices from many different tribes and many different communities, that all have different feelings... and to me, this measure is about personal healing, and being able to choose for yourself how you want to heal, and whether that is with plant medicine, or whether that is not. You should have that right to choose.”
