How to Find Psychedelics in Denver

This year, Colorado decriminalized naturally occurring psychedelics for personal use, consumption, production, and more.

Additionally, Proposition 122 recently decriminalized underground psychedelic therapy (sort of).

Unfortunately, decriminalization and legalization are not the same. Without legalization, it can be hard to locate these substances, even though the state government now says you can legally consume them.

Let’s dive into the legal status of psychedelics in Denver and how you might go about finding some.

Related: Current Psychedelic Drug Laws in Colorado

First Of All, Are Psychedelics Legal in Denver?

As of January 4, 2023, psilocybin-containing fungi, ibogaine, DMT, and mescaline — excluding peyote — don’t carry a criminal penalty in Colorado. The Natural Medicine Health Act (or Prop. 122) created a framework to legalize psychedelic therapy and decriminalize personal use.

While it’s an exciting piece of legislation, it falls short in several areas.

Here are some of the things prop 122 makes legal in Denver:

1. All forms of personal use, including possessing, storing, transporting, obtaining, ingesting, giving away, and processing natural psychedelics.
2. Growing psychedelic plants and fungi for personal use.
3. Trip sitting, providing space, and helping anyone over 21 who is taking psychedelics.

It is, however, still illegal to sell psychedelics in Colorado, so finding them isn’t as easy as walking into a shop. Additionally, starting a psychedelic therapy business is not legal in Denver yet.

However, prop 122 does leave some leeway for clandestine operations:

This provision does not preclude the donation of natural medicine by a person twenty-one years of age or older, payment for bona fide harm reduction services, bona fide therapy, or other bona fide support services.

So, while you can’t charge for the medicine, you CAN charge for your services. This workaround opens up the avenue for potential harm reduction through underground psychedelic therapy.

Unfortunately, keeping these operations in the shadows also does little to answer the concern of shady practices by these practitioners. Psychedelic drugs put the user in a vulnerable, suggestible state, and it would be nice if licensed facilitators with certification could be an option for those with concerns.

Legal Options for Taking Psychedelics in Denver

While legislation has set the groundwork for psilocybin-assisted therapy, it likely won’t be possible until 2024. Prop 122 offers a stop-gap solution for anyone who finds these drugs on their own and decriminalizes much of underground psychedelic therapy. However, until psychedelics are fully legalized, they may be hard to find.

Still, the new law does remove the penalties for giving away psychedelics, so you could theoretically obtain them legally if someone were willing to do so. Alternatively, if you can locate a practitioner with references from people you trust, this avenue is no longer a criminal offense under certain conditions.

Here are some ways to find a source for psychedelics or psychedelic therapy in Denver.

1. Join a Psychedelic Community

Psychedelic communities bring together people who believe in the power and potential of psychedelics. As such, it’s usually a good place to figure out how to get your preferred substance.

However, spending time and earning your place in the community is crucial before you go asking. Showing up on day one and asking everyone where you can buy drugs will only make you seem suspicious, pushy, and inauthentic.

While decriminalization removes many of the risks associated with them helping you, decades of prohibition and CIA infiltration still make it difficult to know who you can trust in these situations. You should only ask friends and family about these things — if they aren’t your friend yet, you probably shouldn’t ask.

2. Make Like-Minded Friends

As you start to befriend people in the city, feel out who you think might be open to psychedelics and ask if they can help you find some. Some may have a source or a practitioner they can recommend or know somebody who does.

Similar to joining a community, take time to learn about your friends and show them you’re interested in more than just their connections.

3. Grow Your Own Psychedelics

Growing mushrooms is easier than you might expect and ensures you get a safe, reliable supply. For under $200, you can legally obtain magic mushroom spores and grow enough for a lifetime.

Even easier still, you can order pre-made magic mushroom grow kits. All you have to do is spray with water every day and wait until your shrooms are ready to harvest.

In addition to mushrooms, it’s now legal in Denver to cultivate, grow, process, and consume all-natural psychedelic plants and fungi. You can create your psychedelic garden and learn to respect and fully understand the substances you are ingesting.

Some other good options include morning glory vine, San Pedro, peyote, or various species of psilocybin-containing mushrooms.

4. Other Legal Psychedelic Options in Denver

Technically speaking, ingesting and receiving any natural psychedelic is legal in Denver but selling them is not.

Since selling psychedelics is still an illegal practice, people often have trouble finding the drug they’re looking for.

Luckily, there are several legal (or semi-legal) psychedelic options you could choose to consume instead if you can’t find the one you’re looking for. These include:

LSA (Lysergic Acid Amide)

Similar in some ways to lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD,) LSA (lysergic acid diethylamide) occurs naturally in the seeds of the Hawaiian Baby Woodrose and Morning Glory plants. Though most who partake describe the experience as less intense than LSD, they also describe the body load and nausea as much harsher.

Research Chemicals

While currently tricky to obtain in the United States, research chemicals like 4-acetoxy-dimethyltryptamine (4-AcO-DMT) and 1-propionyl-lysergic acid diethylamide (1p-LSD) offer a similar experience and are legal (though only for research, not for ingestion.)

Aside from being difficult to obtain in the United States, these drugs also exist in a legal gray area and often come from sketchy lab operations, making them difficult to trust.

There are literally thousands of research chemicals — each with a unique set of effects and risks. The most common groups fall under the arylcyclohexylamine, amphetamine, lysergamide, and 2CX families of drugs.

Note: Research chemicals, by nature, have not been sufficiently tested and carry unknown risks.

Salvia

Salvia divinorum is legal in Colorado and is the most potent psychedelic in the natural world. While users often exacerbate the negative effects of salvia, they are still very real, and you should approach this drug with respect and caution.

Cannabis

Colorado legalized marijuana (Cannabis sativa) years ago, so they have a robust network of dispensaries. While it’s in a different class, THC — especially in high doses or paired with meditation — can provide a profound (and legal) experience. Keep in mind that high amounts of THC can lead to paranoia and anxiety, so be careful.

You may find that the lack of prohibition around these substances makes them less anxiety-inducing.

Kratom

Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) is legal in the state of Colorado. This plant contains a series of alkaloids that share a resemblance to opioid painkillers. In lower doses, its effects are most similar to coffee (they’re, in fact, relatives), but in higher doses, it’s a sedative, euphoriant, and painkiller.

You can order kratom online or step into one of the many kratom shops located throughout Denver.

Kava

Kava (Piper methysticum) is a root herb found only on the tropical islands of the South Pacific. A strong tea is made from dried or fresh roots, which produces effects similar to alcohol. Its active ingredients, the kavalactones, act similarly to benzodiazepine drugs (GABAergic).

Many people are turning to kava as an alternative to alcohol.

A few kava bars are popping up around the United States, including one in Denver called Kavaseutra.

Tips for Taking Psychedelics in Denver

Whenever you plan to take a psychedelic substance, you should first ensure you’re grounded, in a relaxing environment, and with a calm mindset. These are the most critical factors for a good experience with psychedelics.

Here’s a quick checklist to make sure you’re in the right space — physically and mentally — for psychedelics:

1. I understand the importance of treating these compounds with respect 🐍
2. I am familiar with the local laws opposing or supporting my actions ⚖️
3. My dosage is familiar to me, and I’m confident in its amount 🍄
4. I have tested my substances for contamination with a drug-testing kit 🧪
5. I’m not on any other medications, taking other drugs, or drinking alcohol 💊
6. I am safe and in a comfortable environment with people I trust 🏔️
7. Someone in my group is responsible for ensuring my safety who is staying sober (AKA a trip sitter) 🐺
8. My mind is relaxed, and I feel healthy and happy 🧠
9. There are no underlying health conditions my drug use could affect ❤️

These steps do not eliminate the potential for a bad experience with psychedelics, but they do drastically reduce it. Preparation will always pay huge dividends when it comes to a psychedelic experience — the more time you put in, the more you will get out of it.

Risks of Looking for Psychedelics in Denver

Even though natural psychedelics are decriminalized in Colorado, they still aren’t legal. Without legalization in place, it is still possible to get in trouble with the law for seeking and consuming psychedelics.

Don’t decide to take a bunch of mushrooms, go to a public place, and make a spectacle of yourself, or you’re likely to spend the rest of your trip behind bars. Always practice safe habits when consuming psychedelic drugs and know the laws for the area you are in.

While the police can no longer spend money enforcing crimes against natural psychedelic drugs, they can still arrest you if you walk into their hands. Additionally, without legalization and regulation, you should always make sure you test any substance you intend to take.

Decriminalization doesn’t address the concerns of contaminated or poorly-made drugs. As such, it’s still up to the consumer to ensure this isn’t the case.

Conclusion: When Will Psychedelics be Legal in Denver?

There is no sign of full legalization of psychedelics in Denver or Colorado, though some are legal to possess, consume, and grow. If you can get your hands on them, natural psychedelic drugs (from a natural source) become legal pretty much as soon as you possess them.

This says nothing of LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) or MDMA, which are illegal despite mounting research demonstrating their efficacy and safety. Still, Prop 122 may be the first step toward Colorado becoming a big psychedelic state, similar to how it was a forerunner for cannabis decriminalization.

Only time will tell, but for now, the government still maintains some control over psychedelic drugs in Colorado, so if you’re looking for them, tread carefully.