One Colorado town has limited psilocybin healing centers

Five psilocybin natural medicine healing centers have now been licensed in Colorado, one standard and four micro. But others are coming up against local roadblocks.

Unlike with marijuana, towns can't say no to natural medicine businesses, but they can put regulations in place.

The state mandates that healing centers may not be within 1,000 feet from child care centers or schools, but localities can put more restrictions on them.

"I've studied plant medicine," said naturopathic doctor and licensed acupuncturist Adam Graves. "Nothing has this dramatic results and life changing results as psilocybin and mushrooms."

Graves owns Colorado Natural Medicine in downtown Castle Rock.

"Holistic family care, natural medicine, functional medicine, acupuncture, herbal medicine, plant medicine," said Graves.

When Coloradans voted to allow psilocybin healing centers, Graves was thrilled.

"Whoa, this is, this is an amazing opportunity. I mean, as I'm sure, you know, people's mental health is not getting any better faster. You know, in the amount of anxiety, depression, PTSD, we see, you know, it's a, it's a safe, in my opinion, affordable, very viable option when done correctly," said Graves.

The town of Castle Rock began considering local restrictions, drafting an ordinance which would restrict healing centers to industrial-zoned areas, 1,000 feet from residences and schools, and limit their hours of operation to Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Neighbors weighed in at town meetings.

"To me this sounds like a self-injection site more than a healing center and we don't even have nurses or doctors who are overseeing this," said a community member during a town council meeting.

Graves showed up to speak to the town council, too.

"I'm interested in this. I'm doing this in a safe, legal manner. I'm in a commercial space, you know, I meet all the state guidelines. Why is it even necessary to create any more guidelines?" said Graves.

Council considered an amendment that would allow existing businesses to seek an exemption.

But ultimately, Council approved the ordinance, 5–2, as is, in December.

"I think this would be a disaster to have anything like this downtown. I think it would bring in salacious unscrupulous things," said Tim Deitz, Castle Rock town councilmember, during the final vote.

"That kind of set me back. And kind of now I'm back to square one," said Graves.

It means Graves can't seek a healing center license at his practice. For now, he refers patients elsewhere and helps counsel them after receiving the treatment. Graves hopes one day attitudes toward psychedelic healing will change.

"I'm ready to help people with their mental health, you know, and do it as safe, legal as quickly as possible, and whenever and wherever we can get that figured out," said Graves.

So far, no healing centers have been licensed in Douglas County.