Colorado Governor Issues Mass Pardons for Psilocybin Possession Following New Law

The announcement came Wednesday during the Psychedelic Science 2025 conference, just two weeks after Governor Polis signed legislation granting himself and future governors the authority to issue clemency for offenses involving substances that have since been legalized. The new law, backed by State Senator Matt Ball and Representative Lisa Feret, allows pardons for low-level possession convictions involving psilocybin, psilocyn, DMT, and ibogaine.

Under the executive order, anyone convicted at the state level for possession of psilocybin or psilocyn is now eligible for a pardon. Governor Polis called the measure part of Colorado’s ongoing shift “towards a fairer future,” echoing his support for reform since the state approved natural medicine legalization in 2022. This move mirrors Polis’s previous mass pardon action for marijuana possession, and further aligns Colorado’s justice system with its evolving drug policy. In addition to the clemency provision, the law mandates that the state’s Department of Public Health and Environment, Department of Revenue, and Department of Regulatory Agencies collect and report data on psychedelics. That includes tracking enforcement trends, adverse health outcomes, consumer safety claims, and behavioral effects related to psychedelic use.