Will Van Derveer: Election: Proposition 122 legalizes promising mental health treatments
As a Colorado psychiatrist who has been treating people with PTSD and depression for over 20 years, I was dismayed to see Rep. Judy Amabil suggest in a guest opinion: “For your mental health, please VOTE NO on Proposition 122.” Passage of Proposition 122 to create a natural health services program will not have a positive impact on Colorado’s mental health crisis. For many Coloradoans, passage of this bill could change their lives, and even save them.
Proposition 122 provides state-regulated treatments so that adults 21 and older have access to natural psychedelic medicine under the guidance of a licensed and supervised facilitator in designated healing centers, palliative care, and other medical facilities. Create a system. State health regulators have the power to research, approve, and regulate treatments, and it remains illegal to market natural hallucinogens.
Johns Hopkins University, NYU, UCLA, and other leading research institutes around the world break ground showing that psilocybin is an effective mental health treatment for people who have been exhausted by all treatments and have lost hope. Clinical trials have also shown that psilocybin has an excellent safety profile.
Current treatments for serious mental health problems don’t work for too many people. Those who have been unsuccessful should have access to the kind of therapeutic approach that works for them so they can heal. but I am still suffering.
Will Van Derveer, MD, Longmont
Michael Veloci: Library District: Districts Can Become Expensive and Compulsory Library Memberships
I own a small business in Boulder, BOCO Cider, and I vote NO on 6C.
It seems to me that public libraries should answer elected officials and go through the same budgeting process as any other worthwhile service. Ballot 6C seeks to make the public library system an independent backer for renters, homeowners, and businesses through increased property taxes. We already have great libraries, so that unnecessarily hurts the affordability of housing.
Public libraries are now a department of the City of Boulder, along with police, transportation, parks, and more. It is overseen, managed and funded by the City Council and its staff. Funding is primarily derived from sales tax revenues. Ballot 6C seeks to eliminate all of that and create a self-governing board funded by a property tax increase of about $19 million. Commercial real estate will end up paying a 4x increase compared to residential real estate!
Should we create separate districts for Boulder Police and road maintenance next?
The Boulder Library Champion is more than just a good guy. They are great people who have their hearts in the right place. But for them to put the library on a pedestal and prioritize affordability of living and supporting small businesses doesn’t work for me. I regard it as
Michael Veloci, Boulder
Lynne Popkowski: Elections: Weiser has long championed women’s rights
The government does not belong in the doctor’s office with women and their doctors. With Dobbs’ decision, this was no longer an issue, and the state subsequently enacted an abortion ban that endangered the lives of women and girls.
Our Attorney General, Phil Weiser, has long championed Roe v. Wade and women’s constitutional rights to legal and safe abortions.
In the post-Roe world, the Attorney General’s office needs Phil more than ever as he provides an unwavering barrier against the harmful and regressive floodgates opened by the Supreme Court’s recent ruling.
While I appreciate Phil’s pledge that the Colorado Legislature will pass the Reproductive Health Equity Act and defend it, I would like to point out that the Opponents have declared their support for the Dobbs decision to ensure legal and safe constitutional rights. I am afraid that I might end up with Abortion and all its impact on our community.
Phil sued counties seeking to block access to abortions, and promised to protect people sued from another state for giving or receiving abortions in Colorado.
Our rights do not belong to auction blocks sold to the highest Republican bidder.
We’ve witnessed the tragedy of forced pregnancies unfold in states across the country, and seen the devastating effects on girls as young as 10. To ensure that Colorado is never among them, Attorney General Phil Weiser must be re-elected on November 8th.
Lynn Popkowski, Lyttelton
