Colorado is an interesting state. Despite having some of the most unspoiled lands in the country, the residents of the state make some very unique choices, and on November 8th, the Centennial State decided to keep that trend going as they stepped into the voter booths. With recreational psilocybin mushrooms and three alcohol-related bills on the block, there was something for everyone to choose from.
Psilocybin mushrooms or “magic mushrooms” or “shrooms” were on the ballot to allow residents legal, regulated access to buy and to grow their own. Proposition 122 as it’s more regularly known was able to pass 51-49%. Coming in second after Oregon in this passage, they are stepping into a market that has had some financial success in Oregon. With Colorado’s infrastructure from their market-leading recreational marijuana program, they should be up and running rather quickly.
Meanwhile, wine sales in grocery stores were voted down. Unlike the initiative for shrooms, this measure failed by a mere 7,000 votes or 0.4%. Given the high percentage of wine sales thanks to places like Aspen, Vail, and the newly upgraded sections of Denver, this program would have been a great success for grocery stores. However, Coloradans have indicated their fear of large out-of-state competition could put smaller local grocers and wine liquor stores out of business.
Prop 124 would have increased the number of liquor licenses an individual could personally have. If passed it would have allowed for a gradual increase in licenses. This would result in someone having up to eight licenses by December 31, 2026. Then, 13 licenses by December 31, 2031, before jumping to 20 licenses by December 31, 2036; and at the end an unlimited number of licenses on or after January 1, 2037. This idea absolutely tanked, missing the requirement by 25%.
Alcohol delivery services like Grizzly and now even Uber Eats were also on the ballot as Prop 126. Again, another service is more with big cities in mind and does very little for the more rural resident. Yet, this one was shockingly closer. Failing by only 5.5%, the potential saving grace that got it this close was the allowance for bars and restaurants to allow alcohol takeout and delivery.
These three propositions failed in a state that is changing the old guard in some ways but keeping parts of it, too. As a moderate state, they could do so much more with the Republican interests. These failed bills are a sign that they are close to accepting the right more and more. Had this been back in 2016 or even 2012 they would haven’t gotten this close. Getting them through will take some effort if they go for it again in 2024, but they would be a great sign for the state.
By passing the shrooms bill, Colorado is bringing the state in line with Oregon and will likely become a research mecca for psilocybin research. With recent studies linking it with great success for patients with depression, studying the impact at higher altitudes would be a tremendous feat and likely would be widely successful. With over 1/3 of cases getting remarkable improvement in a single dose, this could be an answer to the problems in the country.
By getting people out of depression in one fellow swoop, the younger generation would have fewer reasons to remain in depression and look to the left for the answers. The depression is fixed by “free” stuff that the left promises would be limited. So test away CO, people would be smart to get back into the right mind frame!!
