Although it picked up votes as the night progressed, a ballot measure that would make Denver the first city in the nation to decriminalize psychedelic mushrooms was still trailing as counting continued into the wee hours of Wednesday morning. As of 1 a.m., when elections officials stopped counting for the night, Initiative 301 was behind 48.3 percent, or 68,711 votes, to 51.7 percent, or 73,450 votes. Many ballots cast Tuesday — votes that tend to skew younger — remain to be counted when Denver Elections resumes work Wednesday. (Update: Final unofficial results released later Wednesday showed Initiative 301 narrowly passing.) Even if the measure passes, it will remain illegal to buy, sell or possess psilocybin mushrooms. Possession of psychedelics is a felony and can carry a punishment of up to a year in prison and a fine. However, the initiative, if approved, would decriminalize the drug in Denver by telling police that enforcing laws against the possession of “magic mushrooms” should be their lowest priority. If approved, Denver will create a panel to oversee the effects of the ordinance. On Tuesday evening, the Centennial Institute released a statement saying it “applauds the voters of Denver for opposing the decriminalization of psychedelic mushrooms.” The institute is a think tank at Colorado Christian University. “Since the legalization of marijuana in 2012, there has been a tripling of the amount of people in hospital emergency rooms and millions spent in law enforcement efforts for public safety,” said Jeff Hunt, director of the institute, in a statement. “Voters took an important step back from embracing yet another illicit drug.” The effects of psilocybin depend on various factors — such as age, type and dosage of mushroom — but include heightened sensory experiences, hallucinations and altered perceptions of space and time, according to the Center for Substance Abuse Research. Backers of the measure say decriminalizing the drug will reduce arrests of nonviolent criminals and therefore save taxpayers money. Tamar Rosenberg, who was dropping off her ballot at the William Scheitler Recreation Center in the Berkeley neighborhood Tuesday afternoon, said she gave a thumbs up to Initiative 301. “I read some article on micro-dosing and how that can help with PTSD,” she said. Sunni Nucci, a longtime Denver resident, said it made a difference that the measure called for the decriminalization of psychedelic mushrooms as opposed to their legalization. She voted in favor of 301. Nucci said she doesn’t foresee “people tripping all over the place” if the measure were to pass. “I’m more interested in the research potential (to treat PTSD),” she said. While supporters say mushrooms can reduce stress and opioid use, some researchers say individuals should not use them if they are at risk for serious mental disorders. But opponents say decriminalizing psychedelic mushrooms could increase drug use in a city where recreational and medical marijuana is already legal. Denver resident Trieu Gentry, 50, said she opposed the measure. “We already have legalized marijuana,” she said. “We don’t need to add more drugs to the list.” Staff writer John Aguilar contributed to this report.<doc-sep>'Not A Monster': Devon Erickson's Defense Attorney Says STEM School Shooting Suspect Was 'Confused Kid'Devon Erickson has pleaded not guilty to murder in the deadly shooting at STEM School Highlands Ranch on May 7, 2019. 6 hours ago Trail Ridge Road Could Reopen As Soon As Friday At Rocky Mountain National ParkTrail Ridge Road could reopen as soon as Friday in Rocky Mountain National Park, if weather and conditions allow. 7 hours ago DICK's Sporting Goods Park To Operate At Full Capacity Starting July 4DICKS's Sporting Goods Park will hold Colorado Rapids games at full capacity starting July 4. The club made the announcement on Thursday ahead of their home match on the Fourth of July against Seattle Sounders FC. 7 hours ago Vaccinated Veterans May Not Be Entered To Win $1 Million PrizeSome veterans are not currently among those who will get a chance at the $1 million Colorado lottery prizes. 7 hours ago Video: Bag Piping Thornton Police Officer Leads 5th Grade 'Eagle Flight' At Silver Creek ElementaryStudents finishing fifth grade at Silver Creek Elementary in Thornton had a special escort as they took off of for the next chapter of their lives. 7 hours ago Vaccinated And Entered To Win? Make Sure You're Eligible To Win $1 Million From ColoradoAs Coloradans started researching their own records, many noticed their vaccinations were either not listed on the state’s website, or they were not listed as a known resident of Colorado. 8 hours ago<doc-sep>Kathleen Foody ASSOCIATED PRESS DENVER – Voters decide this week whether Denver will become the first U.S. city to decriminalize the use of psilocybin, the psychedelic substance in “magic mushrooms.” A citizen-led initiative appearing on ballots Tuesday follows a path that led to marijuana’s legalization in Denver and later in Colorado. Campaign organizers, though, say their only goal is to prevent people from going to jail for possessing or using mushrooms. Here’s a look at the effort and the history of the drug: WHAT ARE “MAGIC MUSHROOMS”? Varieties that contain psilocybin are often referred to as “magic mushrooms.” The psychedelic substance, federally illegal since 1968, became more commonly associated with recreational use than medical purposes. Legendary rock bands like the Grateful Dead and Allman Brothers Band frequently used images of mushrooms in their logos, T-shirts and other paraphernalia. The federal government still classifies psilocybin as a Schedule I drug, defined as having no medical purpose and a high potential for abuse. The decision stymied research into its medical use for decades but small studies have resumed in recent years. IS IT SAFE TO USE MUSHROOMS? Medical researchers have found the substance can help treat anxiety and depression in cancer patients. Those studies were small and closely supervised but the preliminary results gave researchers hope that psychedelic drugs could be used to treat cancer anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. But researchers warn that psilocybin should only be used under medical supervision and can have negative effects, including anxiety and paranoia. WHY DO PEOPLE USE THEM RECREATIONALLY? Psilocybin is among the substances described as psychedelics or hallucinogens. Researchers say they have been used in religious practices for decades for their effects on users’ perceptions and spiritual experiences. The effects also appealed to recreational users, whose 1960s “hippie” culture continues to dog researchers seeking funding for medical work on psilocybin and other substances. Participants in recent medical studies using psilocybin have described seeing vivid colors and geometric patterns and experiencing powerful spiritual connections and emotions. WHAT ARE DENVER VOTERS BEING ASKED? Denver’s initiative would effectively decriminalize use or possession of psilocybin by people 21 and older, making it the lowest enforcement priority for local police and prosecutors. The proposed ordinance also prevents city funds from being used for criminal penalties on possession or use and creates a panel of officials to study the effects of the change. The initiative does not legalize psilocybin or permit its sale by Denver’s cannabis businesses. WHO OPPOSES THE IDEA? The city’s mayor and district attorney have publicly opposed the proposal. District Attorney Beth McCann, whose office handles all criminal charges in Denver, has said she appreciates the inclusion of a panel to study the effects of the change. But there is almost no organized opposition to the pro-psilocybin campaign, Decriminalize Denver. HOW OFTEN ARE PEOPLE PROSECUTED NOW FOR MUSHROOM USE OR POSSESSION? According to McCann’s office, only 11 of more than 9,000 drug cases referred for possible prosecution between 2016 and 2018 involved psilocybin. Prosecutors filed charges of possession with intent to manufacture or distribute in three of those cases. HAVE THERE BEEN SIMILAR CAMPAIGNS ELSEWHERE? A California effort to decriminalize the use, possession, growth, sale and transportation of psilocybin failed to qualify for the statewide ballot in 2018. Organizers in Oregon are trying to gather enough support to put a similar initiative to a statewide vote in 2020. Voters in California, Colorado and Oregon all have voted in favor of broadly allowing marijuana use in recent years, both for medical and personal use.<doc-sep>
Denver voters will decide whether psychedelic mushrooms should be decriminalized Tuesday. The unprecedented vote comes after the Denver Psilocybin Mushroom Decriminalization Initiative gathered enough signatures for the question to be added to the election ballot. The group needed 4,726 signatures — of the more than 8,000 submitted, 5,559 were valid, CBS Denver reported. The issue was then added to the May 7 vote. If it passes, Denver would become the first city in the U.S. to decriminalize the psychedelic drug some call "magic mushrooms." If the initiative passes, the use and possession of psilocybin mushrooms by adults 21 and older would be at the lowest law enforcement priority in Denver. This would prevent the city from using resources to impose penalties. The drug cannot be sold — but can be grown by users. Opponents are ready to fight the ballot measure. Jeff Hunt, Vice President of Public Policy at Colorado Christian University and Director the Centennial Institute, called it a "serious problem," and said "Denver is quickly becoming the illicit drug capital of the world," CBS Denver reported. The Denver Elections division announced in February that the Denver Psilocybin Mushroom Decriminalization Initiative submitted enough signatures for the question to be added to the Municipal Election ballot on May 7. CBS Denver "When you look at all the things that we're dealing with, you have high-potency pot, you have proposals for supervised needle infection sights," Hunt said. "The psychedelic mushroom folks are following the same playbook that marijuana did. They're starting with decriminalization and then they're going to move on to commercialization." However, those who already use mushrooms for medical reasons are ready for the drug to be decriminalized. "I don't think that people should be criminalized or looked upon differently because they are required to take something that can make them feel this much better," one 54-year-old patient currently using psilocybin mushrooms told CBS Denver. The ballot does not differentiate between the medical and recreational use of mushrooms.