“Is it legal?” is one of the questions I hear most often. For adults in Colorado, the short answer is mostly yes for personal use, with some important limits. Here’s what the law allows, what it doesn’t, and what it can’t tell you.
The short answer
For adults 21 and over, Colorado has decriminalized personal use of psilocybin mushrooms and microdosing falls under those same rules. You can possess them, use them, grow them within limits, and share them with other adults without payment. You can’t sell them, and psilocybin is still illegal under federal law.
How we got here
In November 2022, Colorado voters passed Proposition 122, the Natural Medicine Health Act. In 2023, the legislature passed SB23-290 to put it into practice, and that law took effect July 1, 2023. Together they created two paths:
- Personal use: decriminalized possession, use, growing, and sharing for adults 21 and over.
- The regulated program: licensed facilitators provide psilocybin services, including screening, preparation, administration, and integration, at licensed healing centers or other authorized locations.
The law covers five “natural medicines”: psilocybin, psilocin, DMT, ibogaine, and mescaline (not including peyote). The regulated program started with psilocybin and psilocin and has not yet expanded to the other medicines. For now, those all remain under the personal use pathway.
What personal use allows (adults 21+)
- Possessing and using natural medicine. The law doesn’t set a possession limit.
- Growing at home, in a private, secured space no larger than 12 by 12 feet.
- Sharing with other adults without payment.
What it doesn’t allow
- Selling natural medicine, or sharing it in exchange for money.
- Practicing as a facilitator, or calling yourself one, without a state license.
- Growing beyond the 12-by-12-foot limit.
- Possession or use by anyone under 21, which carries a civil penalty.
- Driving while impaired, which is illegal with any substance.
What about microdosing specifically?
Colorado law doesn’t treat microdosing as its own category. A microdose falls under the same personal use rules as any other amount. In the regulated program, all services follow the state’s requirements for screening, preparation, administration, and integration with a licensed facilitator.
What “legal in Colorado” doesn’t cover
- Federal law. Psilocybin remains a Schedule I substance federally. That can matter if you’re a federal employee, work in a safety-sensitive job, travel, or are on federal property.
- Other states. Most states have not decriminalized psilocybin, and carrying it across state lines is risky.
- Your job, housing, and professional license. Employers, landlords, and licensing boards may have their own policies.
- Your medications or contraindications. Legal status says nothing about interactions. Please talk with your prescriber, and don’t stop or change any medication on your own.
Legal isn’t the same as safe
Here’s my own view, and you can decide for yourself. Regulation doesn’t automatically equal safety. A law can tell you what won’t get you arrested. It can’t tell you whether psilocybin fits your body, your medications, your mental health history, or this season of your life. What keeps people safe is ethical screening, realistic information, and support from people with genuine integrity and experience.
That’s also why I encourage people to talk with their therapist before they start, even though many hesitate because they expect their therapist to disapprove or refer them out. I wrote more about that here: Should I Tell My Therapist I Want to Try Psychedelics?
Where to find support
- Clinical support: psilocybin-assisted therapy in Colorado and New Mexico (coming in 2027, with integration support available now), or non-clinical microdose coaching nationwide. Start with a free 15-minute consultation.
- Tracking: if you’re microdosing, a simple daily log helps you notice what’s changing. My cycle-aware microdosing journal includes a free tracker.
- Community: peer spaces like Colorado Sisters in Psychedelics‘ integration and microdosing support group can help you feel less alone in the process.
A note on this article
This is general education, not legal advice. Laws and rules can change, so check the current statutes and Colorado’s Natural Medicine program resources, or talk with an attorney about your situation.
