Crystal Romero had battled darkness for over a decade, struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression after a long career in the New Mexico Army National Guard. She was treated with antidepressants but didn’t find solace and healing until she was introduced to psilocybin mushrooms in Jamaica.
The Albuquerque mother of three believes the use of psychedelic drugs — at low doses and in a controlled environment — can do tremendous good for people in New Mexico, a state that long has seen high rates of poverty and addiction. Now she wants others to have access to psilocybin-assisted therapy.
“Working with psilocybin has really allowed me to sit with my grief,” Romero said. “Depression doesn’t have to consume your life. I was able to reconnect with myself, reconnect with kids, reconnect with my community.”
Advertisement
Under new legislation, New Mexico is following the path of Oregon and Colorado in preparing to roll out a tightly regulated medical psilocybin program by late 2027. Proponents of psilocybin, the naturally occurring psychoactive ingredient in “magic mushrooms,” celebrated in April when Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the legislation allowing the program into law.
Some studies on psilocybin-aided treatment have been promising, they point out, and there is a new wave of interest in popular culture.
The practice of microdosing, or using very small amounts of a psychedelic for treatment, has hit the mainstream. News outlets recently reported Dr. Casey Means, President Donald Trump’s pick for surgeon general, suggested in a newsletter her use of magic mushrooms helped her find a romantic partner.
New Mexico’s Senate Bill 219, known as the Medical Psilocybin Act, establishes a regulated program for the medical use of psilocybin to treat qualified medical conditions such as major treatment-resistant depression, PTSD, substance use disorder and end-of-life care. It soared through both the House and Senate with wide bipartisan support.
The program, set to be fully launched by Dec. 31, 2027, calls for psilocybin to be administered to patients by a New Mexico-licensed health care provider in an approved clinical setting.
Advertisement
State Rep. Angel Charley, D-Acoma, outside the San José de la Laguna Mission Church in Laguna Pueblo in May 2023. Charley noted in her speech about the bill on the Senate floor that psychedelic healing is no novel concept for Indigenous communities in the Southwest. “This medicine is not groundbreaking,” she said. “It is only new to Western modalities of healing.”
Advertisement
Michael Benanav/Searchlight New Mexico
Psychedelic healing is no novel concept for Indigenous communities in the Southwest, state Sen. Angel Charley, D-Acoma, noted earlier this year when she addressed colleagues about the bill on the Senate floor.
“This medicine is not groundbreaking,” she said. “It is only new to Western modalities of healing.”
Charley recognized legendary Oaxacan curandera María Sabina during her floor speech.
Advertisement
“And so I ask those voting today that we carry this knowledge forward,” she said. “This is something that our communities have offered people for hundreds of years.”
Guardrails for safe delivery
Oregon and Colorado established their medical psilocybin programs by way of ballot initiatives, so New Mexico became the first state in the U.S. to approve a program through legislation. According to the online network Psychedelic Alpha, legislation related to “psychedelic medicines” has been introduced in at least 15 states.
Still illegal under federal law, however, psilocybin is listed as a Schedule 1 drug — defined as a substance “with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.”
Advocates and lawmakers have pointed to the stiff guardrails New Mexico’s program would have to prevent abuse of the substance.
Sen. Craig Brandt, R- Rio Rancho, one of the sponsors of SB 19, said, “I think we put the guardrails in there the right way to where it’s not like the medical marijuana program. It’s a very limited application. So, there’s very few things that it can be used for.”
Advertisement
Sen. Craig Brandt, R-Rio Rancho, speaks on the Senate floor in February 2024. Brandt was one of the sponsors of Senate Bill 19, which was approved with wide bipartisan support.
New Mexican file photo
Advertisement
He noted patients could only receive psilocybin treatment in an approved clinical setting, without an option of taking the substance home.
Psilocybin research has shown benefits for those struggling with PTSD, Brandt said, adding lawmakers heard testimony from veterans in committee hearings.
“I do think New Mexico has a chance to do this somewhat differently, with more integrity. I would put it that way,” said Janine Sagert, a retired psychologist in Santa Fe who has advocated for psilocybin since the 1970s. “I’m very hopeful about that.”
Those who have advocated for New Mexico’s medical psilocybin program are quick to point out treatments have nothing to do with hallucinating or getting high, and magic mushrooms are not legal for recreational use in the state.
Advertisement
Adele Getty — director of the nonprofit organizing The Enchanted State, a September conference on the psychedelic movement at the Lensic Performing Arts Center, believes this is a good idea.
“Oregon did a massive [decriminalization]. That was not beneficial for Oregon; Portland in particular,” Getty said. “I think Colorado is doing a better job in terms of implementation. And Oregon has actually learned and, I would say, upgraded its whole system.”
Despite the popularity of SB 19, a handful of state lawmakers opposed the program.
“My opposition to [SB] 219 is strictly due to the very little we know about this drug,” Rep. Luis Terrazas, R-Santa Clara, wrote in a text message. “While I am always supportive of therapies to help alleviate symptoms of depression and PTSD, I was not comfortable with the information provided in the debate to support it.”
Still, Terrazas hopes the therapy will be safe for those who use it and that it “truly provides relief where traditional drugs have failed.”
Advertisement
“Working with psilocybin has really allowed me to sit with my grief,” Crystal Romero said. “Depression doesn’t have to consume your life. I was able to reconnect with myself, reconnect with kids, reconnect with my community.”
Gabriela Campos/The New Mexican
Advertisement
How the program will take shape
SB 19 calls for the establishment of the Medical Psilocybin Advisory Board, with nine members “knowledgeable about the medical use of psilocybin,” including at least one who is enrolled in a tribal nation, one veteran and one behavioral health advocate.
Applications will open soon for this panel, which will be tasked with recommending patient qualifications and assisting the state Department of Health in developing, monitoring and evaluating best practices for producers and clinicians.
Aspects of the program will take shape over the next two years with input from stakeholders, said Dominick Zurlo, director of the Health Department’s Center for Medical Cannabis; the agency’s title will soon be expanded to include the word “psilocybin.”
“That’s what these next two years are about, about making sure that we are setting up the best requirements for those providers in the clinics,” Zurlo said.
Advertisement
Brandt noted patients will spend a substantial amount of time with a clinician while treatment is administered. For proponents like Romero, this is an important aspect of the program.
Before her first experience with the treatment in Jamaica, Romero worked with a coach to prepare. There also were people at her side to coach her through the treatment, she said.
Crystal Romero holds a small glass mushroom made for her by her friend after New Mexico’s Senate Bill 219, known as the Medical Psilocybin Act, was signed into law this year. The program, set to be fully launched by Dec. 31, 2027, calls for psilocybin to be administered to patients by a New Mexico-licensed health care provider in an approved clinical setting.
Advertisement
Gabriela Campos/The New Mexican
The Health Department is now developing the process for implementing the program, including treatment protocols, safety guidelines, clinician and producer training requirements and data-collection methods to evaluate the program’s effectiveness.
State funding will be funneled toward the nascent program, starting with $1 million in fiscal year 2026 to add new employees to the Health Department, Zurlo said.
Advertisement
The psilocybin law calls for a new Medical Psilocybin Treatment Fund to aid qualified low-income patients and a Medical Psilocybin Research Fund to support studies by universities and health care providers.
The University of New Mexico’s Health Sciences Center launched new psilocybin-related research last summer, including a study on RE104 — a novel compound related to psilocybin — for postpartum depression.
The Health Department will be responsible for overseeing producers in New Mexico, as psilocybin administered by clinicians must be cultivated and produced within the state.
“We need to ensure it is actually grown and produced [here] so we are not putting anybody at risk on a federal level with crossing state lines,” Zurlo said.
A Legislative Finance Committee analysis found an estimated 1,748 New Mexicans might use the program each year, based on numbers of patients in Oregon, a state with a 5-year-old medical psilocybin program.
Advertisement
“That’s going to depend a lot on how many clinics we end up permitting,” Zurlo said. “We’re really going to be evaluating that over the next two years to help determine how many can be served within those first several years.”
It is difficult to predict how many providers will become certified to participate, he said. Oregon, with a population about twice as large as New Mexico’s, had around 32 clinics permitted in its program’s first year, he noted.
Romero, who was raised around the state in Taos, Las Vegas and Mora, is optimistic about the program. “It’s really going to bring some healing in the state,” she said. “If we can rebuild ourselves, we can rebuild our communities.”
Mountain West Indoor Track & Field Championship Central | Live Results
RENO, Nev. – The 2026 Credit Union 1 Mountain West Indoor Track & Field Championships opened competition Thursday with six events at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center.
New Mexico raced out to day one leads on both team leaderboards thanks to dominant efforts in Thursday’s distance events. Both Pamela Kosgei and Habtom Samuel won repeat 5,000-Meter gold and broke their respective Mountain West Championships records.
Kosgei’s time of 15:32.15 led a top-four sweep in the event as she was followed in order by Mercy Kirarei, Christina Nisoli, and Nicola Jansen. The performance paced the Lobo women to 41 points on the night, leading Fresno State (19 points) and GCU (18) early on.
Advertisement
On the men’s side, Habtom Samuel captured the 5,000 Meters in 13:30.40, breaking his own meet record for the second year in a row, for a 14-second victory over Wyoming’s Jacob White. Lobo teammate Evans Kiplagat took third, pacing the New Mexico to 29 points for an early lead over Air Force (13 points) and Utah State (12).
New Mexico also swept both Distance Medley Relays. First up, the Lobo women cruised to gold in 11:02.09, 22 seconds better than runner-up Boise State. The New Mexico men’s DMR held off Utah State and Colorado State at the end, the Lobos’ winning time of 9:39.63 besting the Aggies by 0.69 of a second and the Rams by just over two seconds.
The meet’s first champion was crowned in the women’s pentathlon as Fresno State’s Ella Spaulding took gold, using a second-place effort in the 800 Meters to clinch. Nevada’s Johanna Haas took an early lead with a win in the 60-Meter Hurdles and a fourth place in High Jump, holding on at the end to take silver.
Wrapping up the medals for the night, conference newcomer GCU captured its first Mountain West podium finishes in Pole Vault as Eva Lowder (4.29 meters) and Tatum Moku (4.09 meters) went 1-2.
The men’s Heptathlon will wrap Friday with the 60-Meter Hurdles and Pole Vault. Through four events, Colorado State’s Mateo Munoz, with 3,199 points, holds a 49-point lead over Boise State’s Landon Helms.
Advertisement
The preliminaries for the 200 meters also took place Thursday. Nevada’s Annalies Kalma paced the field with a time of 23.37 to qualify for Friday’s final, while on the men’s side Air Force’s Jett Rose ran a 20.82 to top the eight qualifiers.
Day Two’s competition gets underway at 10 a.m. MT with the men’s heptathlon 60-meter hurdles.
The Mountain West Network will provide live coverage of the 2026 MW Indoor Track & Field Championships. Fans can watch the indoor track & field championships on their phones or connected TVs via the Mountain West app.
Watch every moment of the MW Indoor Track & Field Championships LIVE on your own TV through Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV or Roku. Mobile applications are available through the iOS App Store and Google Play. Visit TheMW.com/app for more information.
For more information regarding the Mountain West Indoor Track & Field Championships, including live results, visit the championship central page or follow the Mountain West on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Advertisement
2026 Credit Union 1 Mountain West Indoor Track & Field Champions – Day One
Women
Pentathlon: Ella Spaulding, Fresno State – 4,022 points
5,000-Meters: Pamela Kosgei, New Mexico – 15:32.15
Pole Vault: Eva Lowder, GCU – 4.29 Meters
Advertisement
Distance Medley Relay: New Mexico – 11:02.09
Men
5,000 Meters: Habtom Samuel, New Mexico; 13:30.40
Distance Medley Relay: New Mexico; 9:39.63
2026 Credit Union 1 Mountain West Indoor Track & Field Team Leaderboards – Day One
DE BACA COUNTY, N.M. (KFDA) – New Mexico State Police have released new details on the capture of both Fort Sumner shooting suspects.
On Feb. 23, NMSP Investigations Bureau agents were requested to investigate an officer-involved shooting involving a NMSP Sergeant on US Highway 285, south of Vaughn in Guadalupe County, New Mexico.
Agents learned that the NMSP Sergeant conducted a traffic stop on a black Kia Sportage on US Highway 285, near mile marker 185, after learning the car was reportedly stolen.
Officials say during the stop, the female driver identified as 26-year-old Makaela Johnson, exited the car. As the Sergeant was placing Johnson in handcuffs, the male passenger, identified as 40-year-old Jovan Martinez, exited the stolen car with a rifle and fired at the Sergeant.
Advertisement
Police say Johnson ran back to the stolen car while still handcuffed and entered the passenger seat as the Sergeant took cover behind his police unit and returned fire with his duty weapon.
Martinez and Johnson fled from the scene and officers lost sight of the car.
While responding to the incident, NMSP officers encountered a couple near mile marker 166, who reported that their car had just been stolen at gunpoint.
The couple stated that Martinez and Johnson were standing in the roadway and Martinez fired a least one shot at the ground, forcing the couple to stop.
According to officials, the couple was ordered out of their car, which was a grey Kia K5 passenger vehicle.
Advertisement
Martinez and Johnson then took the second Kia and continued fleeing.
Officials say the original stolen Kia Sportage involved in the traffic stop was later located near the intersection of US Highway 285 and New Mexico State Highway 247.
The car left the roadway and drove through two barbed wire fences before coming to a rest in an open field.
According to police, the second stolen Kia K5 was found abandoned east of the intersection of River Road and Lone Wolf Road, south of Fort Sumner, New Mexico.
On Feb. 25, following a two-day manhunt, Martinez and Johnson were located hiding in a shed and taken into custody outside of Fort Sumner.
Advertisement
They were booked without incident on the following charges:
jovan Martinez:
Attempt to commit a felony, to WIT: first degree murder(willful or deliberate)
Aggravated assault upon a Peace Officer (deadly weapon)
Receipt, transportation or possession of a firearm or destructive device by a felon
Conspiracy to commit receiving or transferring stolen motor vehicles
Armed robbery
Harboring a felon
Aggravated fleeing a law enforcement officer (no injury or great bodily harm)
Makaela Johnson:
Conspiracy to commit first degree murder (willful or deliberate)
Conspiracy to commit aggravated assault upon a Peace Officer (deadly weapon)
Conspiracy to commit armed robbery
Harboring a felon
Receiving or transferring stolen motor vehicles
Escape or attempt to escape from Peace Officer
Larceny ($250 or less)
Officials say no officers were injured during this incident.
This incident remains under investigation by the New Mexico State Investigations Bureau.
The identity of the NMSP Sergeant will not be released until interviews are completed. The Sergeant has been placed on standard administrative leave.
New Mexico State Police act solely as factfinders in their investigation and conduct an unbiased and impartial investigation. In officer involved shootings, NMSP thoroughly documents the scene, collects evidence, and interviews officers, subjects, and witnesses.
Advertisement
The New Mexico State Police does not determine whether an officer’s actions were justified, this determination rests solely with the district attorney’s office.
Today, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina announced that it filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty against Jaremy Alexander Smith, 35, of Marion, South Carolina, for the 2024 kidnapping, carjacking, and murder of a Marion County EMS Paramedic. A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment on Feb. 24 charging Smith with kidnapping resulting in death, carjacking resulting in death, using a firearm during a crime of violence in a manner constituting murder, possession of stolen firearms, and being a felon in possession of firearms.
Advertisement
Sponsored
According to the federal indictment, on March 13, 2024, Smith entered the home of Phonesia Machado-Fore in Marion, kidnapped her, and forced her to drive to a remote location near Nichols. There, Smith executed Machado-Fore behind an abandoned house.
Investigators reportedly found Machado-Fore wearing slippers and her bedroom clothing with a shock collar around her neck. They located cut zip ties near her body, and her face was covered in blood-soaked material, with plastic tape secured around her mouth. She had a single gunshot wound to the back of her head.
Smith then drove Machado-Fore’s vehicle back to her residence, stole several firearms, and later sold them. Afterward, Smith drove the stolen vehicle to New Mexico, where he killed New Mexico State Police Officer Justin Hare on March 15, 2024.
Advertisement
Federal prosecutors have decided to prosecute Smith for the death of Machado-Fore, a case that initially saw him facing 17 state charges in South Carolina.
On January 17th, 2025, a sea of grey and black New Mexico State uniforms packed the courtroom of U.S. District Judge James Browning for the change of plea hearing for cop and paramedic killer Jaremy Smith. The State Police officers were there to support Officer Hare’s family as Smith sat in the courtroom. On that date, Smith accepted a plea deal proposed by the then-U.S. Attorney for New Mexico, Alexander M.M. Uballez. (Continues below photo)
Smith could be seen smiling and laughing with his attorneys. When Smith’s was asked to answer questions, his answers were smug with a “Yes, sir,” to Judge Browning.
In April 2025, the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico sentenced Smith to life in prison for killing Officer Hare.
New Mexico State Police Officer Justin Hare’s parents wanted the death penalty in their son’s murder.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi authorized federal prosecutors in the District of South Carolina to seek capital punishment in this case. Smith is scheduled for arraignment in federal court on Feb. 26, 2026 at 2:30 p.m. in Florence, South Carolina.
Advertisement
The FBI Columbia Field Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Everett McMillian and Christopher Lietzow are prosecuting the case, with support from DOJ Capital Case Section Trial Attorneys Barry Disney and Julie Adams.
The charges in the indictment are allegations only. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until the government proves guilt beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Discover more from ABQ RAW
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
