In the United States, psychedelics have been state-regulated or decriminalized in several areas of the country, including Oregon and Colorado, plus some cities in California, Michigan, Massachusetts and Washington State.
Note: This blog was last updated on 07/28/2025. Psychedelic regulations are constantly changing and legal changes happen regularly. Please check your individual city and state legislature for an up-to-date and complete understanding.
What is Legalization / State-Regulation / Decriminalization?
- Legalization: Right now, psychedelics are classified as a Schedule I substance, which means they are always federally illegal in the United States. Although local areas may offer state-regulated programs or decriminalization laws, this does not directly change their legal status.
- State-Regulation: This means that individual states, like Colorado and Oregon, have established licensing frameworks for psychedelic therapy.
- Decriminalization: Possession and use are still illegal but carry reduced penalties or priorities (for example: no jail time, only a fine, or lowest law enforcement priority)
State-Regulated Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy
- Oregon: Psilocybin therapy (Measure 109, 2020)
- Colorado: Regulated psilocybin access and therapy (Proposition 122, 2022)
Our favorite (and very detailed!) resources about psychedelic legalization are regularly updated by Psychedelic Alpha:
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Decriminalized States and Cities
- Statewide
- Oregon: Decriminalized psychedelics (2020)
- Colorado: Decriminalized psilocybin, DMT, mescaline (not peyote) and ibogaine (2022)
- Cities (meaning law enforcement deprioritizes psychedelics)
- California: Oakland, San Francisco, Santa Cruz
- Colorado: Denver
- Michigan: Ann Arbor, Detroit, Grand Rapids and others
- Massachusetts: Cambridge, Somerville, Northampton
- Washington State: Olympia, Port Townsend, Seattle and Jefferson County
- Washington, D.C.
Active Legislation
This means a bill has been introduced and is being considered by lawmakers but hasn’t yet passed into law. It can be in different stages, like committee review, public voting or awaiting a governor’s signature.
- Alaska
- Arizona
- California
- Connecticut
- Georgia
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Missouri
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- Rhode Island
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia