34. Legalization of Psychedelics In Colorado: Are indigenous Voices and Wisdom Being Considered? with Ana Medina & Andrea Valeska

Can we truly understand the value of sacred plant medicines without understanding the indigenous cultures who have been holding them for millena? Listen in as the Psychedelic Mom, Michaela Carlin, explores this question and more with Andrea Valeska and Ana Medina, two women of indigenous ancestry who are deeply embedded in the movement for the decriminalization of sacred plant medicines in Colorado. The pair express disappointment about the lack of consultation with indigenous people in the development of Colorado’s Proposition 122, “Access to Natural Psychedelic Substances”. They underscore the need for awareness, inclusivity, and respect for indigenous traditions in the psychedelic renaissance, urging listeners to reconnect with the land and develop decriminalization and legalization policies from a place of love and connection to the earth. This episode can be considered a wake-up call to the importance of respecting indigenous voices and seeking permission when working with sacred plant medicines. Ana and Andrea help us see the need to decolonize our thinking, slow down, and learn from indigenous elders before attempting to work at scale with “natural psychedelic substances”.