Psychedelic policy passes in Colorado

With the passing of Prop. 122 (Natural Medicine Health Act), Colorado joins other states with shifting policies on psychedelic substances.

What does this mean for veterinary practitioners?

Increased interest in and access to psychedelic substances by human users increases the risk and frequency of exposures in animals and the veterinary industry should be prepared.

Similar to the increases in animal exposures that occurred in parallel to cannabis access policies in 2021, the veterinary community should prepare to see rises in animal exposures to psychedelic substances post-2022.

VeterinaryPsy has been in touch with multiple community groups providing recommendations to selection of members for the Natural Medicine Advisory Board to discuss veterinary patient advocacy and the role of veterinary professionals in both human and animal health.

Both state veterinary professional organizations (CVMA, CACVT) have been asked to be active in advocating for animal patients and veterinary professionals in this changing legal environment. Professional associations - groups of like-minded colleagues - are the ideal organization to provide best practices and interim guidelines for veterinary professionals until more information is available from the research and boots-on-ground reports.

Are you a Colorado veterinary professionals? - reach out to your state association and ask about their stance on psychedelic policy for animals!

Harm and Risk Reduction Education (HRRE)

Harm reduction principles developed to safeguard animals from accidental overdoses and guide effective research in the veterinary cannabis industry are applicable to the growing psychedelic industry.

Whether exposures are intentional (research or therapeutic) or accidental, veterinary medicine practitioners must be aware of the potential for and prepared to respond to these exposures in our patients.

All harm and risk reduction education should include statements of caution for households that contain animals (just as for children). Experience in the midst of the cannabis industry over the past 6 years has well-prepared us to anticipate risk factors as the psychedelic industry emerges.

View a pet parent-friendly version of a harm reduction education infographic.

What about therapeutic applications?

Did you know that animals are affected by emotional disease... just like humans? Could psychedelic medicine offer novel solutions to animal behavioral conditions such as canine PTSD or canine separation anxiety?

As you watch and participate in the emerging psychedelic ecosystems...keep your best friend's mind in mind.

Just as access to psychedelic medicine offers human patients novel options for intractable emotional diseases and clinical symptoms, psychedelic medicine for animals also offers novel solutions for veterinary patients.

Conditions such as canine PTSD or those seen in animal victims of sexual abuse do not currently have available treatment options - euthanasia is frequently the consequence. What could Healers do with a novel solution to emotional disease in animals?

Care for the Healer

Exploring the Evolutionary, Developmental & Therapeutic Effects of MDMA in Animals

Join our June webinar to discuss the evolutionary, developmental, and therapeutic effects of MDMA in animals. Care for the Healer (CFTH) is thrilled to host Dr. Gül Dölen, M.D., Ph.D., and associate professor at the Johns Hopkins Department of Neuroscience for our June One Health Discovery Series episode…

2 years ago · 1 like · Dr. Casara Andre

Have you observed an animal exposure… contribute to our data collection project with this anonymous survey.

Cultivate Wellbeing

Prop. 122 in Colorado... decriminalized…