The governor of Colorado has announced a first-ever round of mass pardons for people with psilocybin-related convictions.
Just about two weeks after Gov. Jared Polis (D) signed a bill into law empowering him and future governors to issue clemency for people who’ve committed psychedelics offenses, he announced during a speech at the Psychedelic Science 2025 conference on Wednesday that he’s exercising that authority.
The pardons he’s granting through executive order will provide relief to anyone with a state-level conviction for psilocybin and psilocyn possession.
Shortly after signing the legislation that now allows him to grant the pardons, Polis said the reform represents another step “towards a fairer future.” He’s advocated for the policy change since the state legalized certain entheogenic substances in 2022.
“Governor Polis is showing exactly the kind of courage and compassion that we hope to see from all governors across the country by using his executive authority to right the wrongs of prohibition and calling on Colorado municipalities to do the same,” Jason Ortiz, director of strategic initiatives for the Last Prisoner Project (LPP) told Marijuana Moment.
“I look forward to working with his office to support and empower local municipalities to carry the torch of freedom forward until there is no one burdened by a criminal history for actions that are now generating tax revenue across the state of Colorado,” he said.
The psychedelics clemency move comes several years after Polis issued mass pardons for people with prior marijuana convictions.
The recently enacted psychedelics legislation from Sen. Matt Ball (D) and Rep. Lisa Feret (D) authorizes governors to grant clemency to people with convictions for low-level possession of substances such as psilocybin, ibogaine and DMT that have since been legalized.
It will also require the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), Department of Revenue (DOR) and Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) to “collect information and data related to the use of natural medicine and natural medicine products.”
That must include data on law enforcement activities, adverse health events, consumer protection claims and behavioral impacts related to psychedelics.
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