Arapahoe County considers business regulations for ‘natural medicine,’ including psilocybin administers

DENVER ( KDVR ) — Arapahoe County will hold hearings this month as the county considers allowing "natural medicine" businesses in unincorporated areas, including those administering psilocybin.

Colorado will begin issuing licenses for natural medicine in January 2025 after voters approved Proposition 122 in 2022 . The measure decriminalizes psychedelic "natural medicine" like psilocybin mushrooms, DMT, ibogaine and mescaline, for people 21 years and older. It also allows supervised administration of "natural medicine" at state-licensed facilities.

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This month, Arapahoe County will hold hearings where the public can comment on the natural medicine regulations in a proposed amendment to the county's Land Development Code.

"The proposed County regulations identify zone districts where businesses would provide services through a state-licensed facilitator to participants 21 years of age or older. The centers would be allowed in areas zoned for office uses and other types of natural medicine businesses," the county said in a press release .

Businesses would be allowed in most commercial and industrial zones and would be required to stay at least 1,000 feet away from schools and daycare facilities.

Additionally, the proposed regulations would limit in-home mushroom cultivation to the state's maximum plot size of 12 feet by 12 feet.

"The County may regulate the time, manner and place of natural medicine businesses, as long as the regulations are not unreasonable and do not conflict with the state statute," the press release stated.

The public is invited to comment at upcoming hearings:

Nov. 19 at 6:30 p.m.

Arapahoe Board Room at Arapahoe County Lima Plaza, 6954 S. Lima St., Centennial

Nov. 26 at 9:30 a.m.

East Hearing Room at the Administration Building, 5334 S. Prince St., Littleton

The public can comment in person or by calling 1-855-436-3656 and pressing *3 to join the queue.