Colorado holds its final hearing on natural medicine rules as August emergency rules near their limit

The November 4 hearing

Colorado's Natural Medicine Division lists a "Final Rulemaking Hearing" for Wednesday, November 4, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. Mountain time, in person at the Division's office in Lakewood and on Zoom. Written comments are accepted until 5 p.m. on November 4.¹ The State Licensing Authority is considering revisions to the natural medicine rules (1 CCR 213-1) to implement HB26-1325, covering temporary premises permits, limited sales licenses and a process for waiving or adjusting testing requirements, and to clarify application requirements. Stakeholder meetings were held September 30 and October 14.¹ In the Division's words, "While the Division facilitates the rulemaking process, the State Licensing Authority is the final decision-maker."¹

The emergency rules and their 120 days

HB 26-1325 was signed into law on June 3, 2026 and took effect August 12, 2026. In an order dated August 11, the executive director of the Colorado Department of Revenue, acting as the State Licensing Authority, adopted emergency rules to carry it out, effective August 12.² Alongside amendments to existing rules, the order adds a new Rule 8006, the Limited Regulated Natural Medicine Sales License. It requires common ownership with a co-located healing center and lets the license holder invoice a participant for regulated natural medicine used solely in an administration session at that healing center.² The rule text allows sales "immediately preceding Administration Sessions" and bars repackaging or relabeling.³

The adoption order says the emergency rules "remain in effect for 120 days from the date of adoption or until repealed," citing section 24-4-103(6) of the Colorado Revised Statutes.² The Secretary of State's guide to emergency rulemaking puts it the same way: "Emergency rules expire 120 days after adoption."⁸ The order doesn't print an end date. By this desk's count, 120 days from the order's August 11 adoption date is December 9, 2026 (December 10 if counted from the August 12 effective date instead). The November 4 rulemaking lists limited sales licenses among its topics, so permanent rules on the same subject are in progress.¹

HB26-1325 does more than sales licenses. It also creates an ibogaine research pilot in the state's Behavioral Health Administration, with up to five sites, and limits on facilitator liability.⁴ Federal regulators are working on ibogaine trial design too; see our post on the FDA's request for comments.

Why Washington watches Colorado

Colorado and Oregon both run voter-approved, state-licensed psilocybin programs. Colorado voters approved Proposition 122, the Natural Medicine Health Act, on November 8, 2022, with 53.64 percent, two years after Oregon voters adopted Measure 109; Washington's own legislative staff noted both votes when lawmakers took up psilocybin in 2023.⁵ As of October 30, 2026, the Division counted 47 approved healing center licenses (12 standard, 35 micro).⁶

Colorado's rules stop at its border. In Washington, psilocybin is a Schedule I substance.⁷ Our visitors' entry covers the Oregon and Colorado programs alongside Washington law, and the timeline dates the Oregon and Colorado votes that Washington's debate keeps returning to.