Psilocybin decriminalization in the United States
Updated: 11/4/2025, 4:14:40 PM Wikipedia source
In the United States, psilocybin is classified as a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act, which prohibits its use, sale, and possession under federal law. Despite this, campaigns to decriminalize and legalize the medical use of psilocybin have succeeded in several jurisdictions since 2019. Denver became the first city to decriminalize psilocybin in May 2019, followed by Oakland in June 2019, Santa Cruz, California in January 2020, and Washington, D.C. in November 2020. Oregon voters passed two ballot measures in 2020, making it the first state to legalize the supervised use of psilocybin and decriminalize possession of all drugs, including psilocybin. Colorado followed with a similar medical use and decriminalization measure in 2022. Since then, reforms have been enacted in more jurisdictions across the U.S.
Tables
Psilocybin decriminalization by state and city · By state
California
California
State or D.C.
California
City
Oakland
Possession
Decriminalized
Medical
Illegal
Effective date
June 2019
Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz
State or D.C.
Santa Cruz
City
January 2020
Arcata
Arcata
State or D.C.
Arcata
City
October 2021
San Francisco
San Francisco
State or D.C.
San Francisco
City
September 7, 2022
Berkeley
Berkeley
State or D.C.
Berkeley
City
July 11, 2023
Eureka
Eureka
State or D.C.
Eureka
City
October 18, 2023
Colorado
Colorado
State or D.C.
Colorado
City
Statewide
Possession
Decriminalized
Medical
Adult use
Effective date
November 2022
District of Columbia
District of Columbia
State or D.C.
District of Columbia
City
Washington D.C.
Possession
Decriminalized
Medical
Illegal
Effective date
March 15, 2021
Maine
Maine
State or D.C.
Maine
City
Portland
Possession
Decriminalized
Medical
Illegal
Effective date
October 3, 2023
Massachusetts
Massachusetts
State or D.C.
Massachusetts
City
Somerville
Possession
Decriminalized
Medical
Illegal
Effective date
January 2021
Cambridge
Cambridge
State or D.C.
Cambridge
City
February 2021
Northampton
Northampton
State or D.C.
Northampton
City
March 2021
Easthampton
Easthampton
State or D.C.
Easthampton
City
October 20, 2021
Amherst
Amherst
State or D.C.
Amherst
City
July 18, 2022
Salem
Salem
State or D.C.
Salem
City
May 2023
Provincetown
Provincetown
State or D.C.
Provincetown
City
December 2023
Medford
Medford
State or D.C.
Medford
City
February 2024
Michigan
Michigan
State or D.C.
Michigan
City
Ann Arbor
Possession
Decriminalized
Medical
Illegal
Effective date
September 2020
Washtenaw County
Washtenaw County
State or D.C.
Washtenaw County
City
January 2021
Detroit
Detroit
State or D.C.
Detroit
City
November 3, 2021
Hazel Park
Hazel Park
State or D.C.
Hazel Park
City
March 22, 2022
Ferndale
Ferndale
State or D.C.
Ferndale
City
February 27, 2023
Ypsilanti
Ypsilanti
State or D.C.
Ypsilanti
City
January 2024
Minnesota
Minnesota
State or D.C.
Minnesota
City
Minneapolis
Possession
Decriminalized
Medical
Illegal
Effective date
July 21, 2023
New Mexico
New Mexico
State or D.C.
New Mexico
City
Statewide
Possession
Legalized with a therapist or licensed facilitator.
Medical
Assisted adult use
Effective date
April 8, 2025
Oregon
Oregon
State or D.C.
Oregon
City
Statewide
Possession
Legalized with a therapist or licensed facilitator.
Medical
Assisted adult use
Effective date
November 3, 2020
Washington
Washington
State or D.C.
Washington
City
Seattle
Possession
Decriminalized
Medical
Illegal
Effective date
October 2021
Port Townsend
Port Townsend
State or D.C.
Port Townsend
City
December 20, 2021
Jefferson County
Jefferson County
State or D.C.
Jefferson County
City
May 2023
Olympia
Olympia
State or D.C.
Olympia
City
August 14, 2024
Tacoma
Tacoma
State or D.C.
Tacoma
City
January 28, 2025
| State or D.C. | City | Possession | Medical | Effective date |
| California | Oakland | Decriminalized | Illegal | June 2019 |
| Santa Cruz | January 2020 | |||
| Arcata | October 2021 | |||
| San Francisco | September 7, 2022 | |||
| Berkeley | July 11, 2023 | |||
| Eureka | October 18, 2023 | |||
| Colorado | Statewide | Decriminalized | Adult use | November 2022 |
| District of Columbia | Washington D.C. | Decriminalized | Illegal | March 15, 2021 |
| Maine | Portland | Decriminalized | Illegal | October 3, 2023 |
| Massachusetts | Somerville | Decriminalized | Illegal | January 2021 |
| Cambridge | February 2021 | |||
| Northampton | March 2021 | |||
| Easthampton | October 20, 2021 | |||
| Amherst | July 18, 2022 | |||
| Salem | May 2023 | |||
| Provincetown | December 2023 | |||
| Medford | February 2024 | |||
| Michigan | Ann Arbor | Decriminalized | Illegal | September 2020 |
| Washtenaw County | January 2021 | |||
| Detroit | November 3, 2021 | |||
| Hazel Park | March 22, 2022 | |||
| Ferndale | February 27, 2023 | |||
| Ypsilanti | January 2024 | |||
| Minnesota | Minneapolis | Decriminalized | Illegal | July 21, 2023 |
| New Mexico | Statewide | Legalized with a therapist or licensed facilitator. | Assisted adult use | April 8, 2025 |
| Oregon | Statewide | Legalized with a therapist or licensed facilitator. | Assisted adult use | November 3, 2020 |
| Washington | Seattle | Decriminalized | Illegal | October 2021 |
| Port Townsend | December 20, 2021 | |||
| Jefferson County | May 2023 | |||
| Olympia | August 14, 2024 | |||
| Tacoma | January 28, 2025 |
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