Power Struggles and Party Divisions: A Deep Dive into the Nation's Political Landscape
In Colorado, a variety of psychoactive substances, including Amanita Muscaria mushrooms, nitrous oxide, Mad Honey, synthetic cannabinoids, and poppers, are subject to varying health concerns and regulatory gaps, particularly at the retail level.
Amanita Muscaria, commonly known as fly agaric mushrooms, are legal in Colorado but are not permitted to be added to food products due to their psychoactive compound muscimol. These mushrooms sold for ingestion, however, are often adulterated with synthetic psychoactive substances or mislabeled, raising safety concerns. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment oversees safety at the distribution level, but lacks the authority to enforce regulations at retail points of sale, which often purchase these products from out-of-state suppliers. This leads to limited oversight and potential access by minors, especially in vape and smoke shops in cities like Aurora.
Nitrous oxide, often sold with balloons for inhalation, is another substance included in local regulatory crackdowns. It is sold as an under-regulated psychoactive product frequently found in vape and smoke shops. The Aurora City Council has already banned the sale of nitrous oxide canisters for inhalation due to concerns about misuse and health impacts.
Mad Honey, a honey containing grayanotoxins from certain rhododendron species, is mentioned as another under-regulated psychoactive product but with little detailed regulation or enforcement data available specifically for Colorado.
Synthetic cannabinoids and other hemp-derived THC products like Delta-8 are widely regulated at state and federal levels. Many vendors, such as Carolina Hemp Hut, do not ship Delta-8 THC or Amanita Muscaria products to Colorado given local restrictions and compliance policies. Synthetic cannabinoids are often associated with health risks including toxicity and overdose, prompting both state and local efforts to restrict their sale, although comprehensive enforcement is challenging.
Poppers, commonly used recreationally for vasodilation and brief euphoria, are generally legal but face scrutiny in specific jurisdictions. Aurora's ordinances aimed at banning sales of illegal drug paraphernalia and unregulated psychoactive substances may affect availability at local smoke and vape shops, although explicit bans on poppers in Colorado are not detailed in available recent data.
Health effects and concerns related to these substances include:
- Amanita Muscaria: psychoactive effects from muscimol cause hallucinations but are unpredictable and may be toxic due to ibotenic acid; adulteration with synthetics increases risks.
- Nitrous oxide: inhalation can cause short-term euphoria but long-term or heavy use risks neurological damage and oxygen deprivation.
- Mad Honey: can cause serious cardiovascular and neurological effects due to grayanotoxin poisoning.
- Synthetic cannabinoids: linked to severe adverse effects including psychosis, seizures, and cardiovascular problems.
- Poppers: cause vasodilation and brief dizziness but can pose health risks especially with frequent use or cardiovascular disease.
Colorado recognizes the risks of these substances, especially adulterated Amanita Muscaria and nitrous oxide, and local governments like Aurora are moving to ban sales of unregulated psychoactive products and paraphernalia. Enforcement gaps exist, particularly at retail levels where products are often sourced out of state. Monitoring is typically done at distribution or by health inspectors with limited authority over retail.
This regulatory patchwork reflects ongoing challenges balancing legality, health risks, and enforcement capacity regarding these increasingly popular but risky psychoactive substances. The city of Aurora issued a warning last month about edible products made with psilocybin mushrooms for sale at local gas stations and vape stores. Roses in a glass and distinctive bulbed pipes called oil burners are often used as drug paraphernalia. Nitrous oxide abuse is soaring, causing health concerns, and Aurora's city headquarters has confiscated hundreds of nitrous oxide products in recent weeks. If Aurora's ban on the sale of nitrous oxide products passes on Monday, it will go into effect in early September.
When outlets that sell these products are clustered in close proximity to one another, it often results in "elevated crime rates and open-air drug use" on the block. Nearly 3 million Americans 12 and older used inhalants, including nitrous oxide, in the past year. The Aurora City Council is expected to approve a ban on the sale of nitrous oxide canisters, and Aurora Councilwoman Alison Coombs said state health authorities don't have the capacity to do regular inspections in the city, making it a health and safety issue. Aurora's staff of four will carry out inspections to ensure compliance with the new law.
The use of nitrous oxide for recreational purposes has significantly increased in Colorado over the past year. From 2019 to 2023, the United States saw a 110% increase in deaths due to hypoxia, or oxygen deprivation to the brain, stemming from nitrous oxide abuse. The Aurora City Council unanimously approved a ban on the sale of certain "gray market" substances and paraphernalia on August 12, 2025. Many of the seized nitrous oxide products did not comply with Colorado's labeling regulations, and Vapor Maven in Aurora has no license to sell cannabis.
In summary, Colorado is taking steps to address the risks associated with these substances, particularly adulterated Amanita Muscaria and nitrous oxide. Local governments are moving to ban sales of unregulated psychoactive products and paraphernalia, but enforcement gaps exist, particularly at retail levels where products are often sourced out of state. Monitoring is typically done at distribution or by health inspectors with limited authority over retail. The challenges in balancing legality, health risks, and enforcement capacity regarding these increasingly popular but risky psychoactive substances are ongoing.
