Where Psychedelics Are Legal, and Where They’re Still Banned

Psychedelic laws in the United States no longer fit neatly into “legal” or “illegal.” Psilocybin, MDMA, LSD, and many similar substances remain prohibited under federal law, but states and cities are taking very different approaches. Oregon and Colorado have created regulated pathways for certain supervised psychedelic services, while a growing number of local governments have reduced enforcement for personal possession. Most states, however, still treat these substances as illegal.

The details matter. Legalization can mean access through a licensed service center, while decriminalization may simply make possession a lower enforcement priority without authorizing legal sales. Other states have approved research programs, created advisory panels, or introduced bills that have not yet become law. Psilocybin has driven much of the state-level movement, while MDMA remains largely confined to authorized research and has not received FDA approval as a medical treatment.

To show where the country stands in 2026, 24/7 Tempo reviewed the UC Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics and Psychedelic Alpha law and policy tracker, along with state legislation, agency records, ballot measures, and local government actions. Each entry explains whether statewide access exists, whether any cities have decriminalized possession, and whether pending legislation, research programs, or implementation deadlines could soon change the law.

Statewide status: No statewide reforms; psychedelics remain illegal.
Recent changes: No active statewide bills with traction reported in 2024–2025.
Local actions: No notable local decriminalizations documented.

Statewide status: No legalization; research preparation underway.
Recent changes: HB 228 (2024) created a task force to plan for FDA‑approved psychedelic therapies; draft recommendations circulated in 2025.
Local actions: No local decriminalizations documented.
What's next: Ballot proponents filed an 'Alaska Natural Medicine Act' proposal in July 2025 to decriminalize certain natural psychedelics.

Statewide status: Illegal statewide; active research program.
Recent changes: Since 2023, the state has funded psilocybin clinical research grants; lawmakers considered therapeutic‑use bills in 2024–2025.
Local actions: No notable local decriminalizations documented.

Statewide status: No statewide reforms; psychedelics remain illegal.
Recent changes: No significant movement reported in 2024–2025.
Local actions: No local decriminalizations documented.

Statewide status: No statewide decriminalization; psychedelics remain illegal, with multiple bills introduced but not enacted.
Recent changes: A 2023 decriminalization bill was vetoed; new proposals continue but have not passed as of 2025.
Local actions: Local decriminalizations/resolutions exist in Oakland, Santa Cruz, San Francisco, Berkeley, Arcata, and Eureka (among others).

Statewide status: Regulated access model in rollout; personal use of certain natural psychedelics decriminalized for adults.
Recent changes: Voters approved Proposition 122 (2022). Licensing and program launch progressed in 2025, with facilitators, cultivators, testing labs and healing centers receiving approvals.
Local actions: Denver pioneered local decriminalization in 2019; statewide framework now governs.
What's next: Program build‑out continues through 2025; local governments are setting zoning/operational rules.

Statewide status: Illegal statewide; research and limited decriminalization proposals under review.
Recent changes: Lawmakers advanced study/pilot concepts; 2025 proposals to allow limited personal possession were discussed.
Local actions: No notable local decriminalizations documented.

Statewide status: No statewide psychedelic reforms; illegal.
Recent changes: No significant movement reported in 2024–2025.
Local actions: No local decriminalizations documented.

Statewide status: Illegal statewide.
Recent changes: No significant psychedelic reforms enacted in 2024–2025.
Local actions: No notable local decriminalizations documented.

Statewide status: Illegal.
Recent changes: No major psychedelic bills in 2024–2025.
Local actions: No local decriminalizations documented.

Statewide status: Illegal statewide; state‑level study efforts.
Recent changes: Lawmakers and agencies have explored working groups/task forces on therapeutic access in recent sessions.
Local actions: No notable local decriminalizations documented.

Statewide status: Illegal statewide, and among the strictest regimes.
Recent changes: No reform momentum reported, given its strictness.
Local actions: No local decriminalizations documented.

Statewide status: Illegal statewide; therapeutic‑access legislation proposed.
Recent changes: Versions of a 'CURE Act' to create psilocybin services were introduced, but not yet enacted.
Local actions: Chicago and other cities have considered deprioritization, but statewide law remains unchanged.

Statewide status: Illegal statewide; active research funding.
Recent changes: Recent sessions advanced or expanded psilocybin research pilot funding with state support.
Local actions: No local decriminalizations as of now.

Statewide status: Illegal statewide.
Recent changes: Bills to reschedule or decriminalize have been introduced periodically without passage.
Local actions: No local decriminalizations currently or likely in the near future.

Statewide status: Illegal statewide.
Recent changes: Limited bills filed to change scheduling rather than legality; none enacted.
Local actions: No local decriminalizations.

Statewide status: Illegal statewide.
Recent changes: No major psychedelic reforms enacted in 2024–2025.
Local actions: None currently.

Statewide status: Illegal.
Recent changes: No major psychedelic reforms enacted in 2024–2025.
Local actions: None; doesn't appear to be a state or local priority.

Statewide status: Illegal statewide; decriminalization/psilocybin services bill considered.
Recent changes: LD 1914 proposed a regulated psilocybin access program, but it did not become law in 2024.
Local actions: Portland and others have discussed deprioritization, but the statewide law remains unchanged.

Statewide status: Illegal statewide; study efforts underway.
Recent changes: 2024 legislation created a task force to study psychedelic use, with attention to veterans and safety.
Local actions: No notable local decriminalizations documented.

Statewide status: Illegal statewide; however, cities have opted to decriminalize.
Recent changes: A 2024 statewide ballot campaign to legalize psilocybin did not succeed; legislative study continues.
Local actions: Local decriminalizations/resolutions in Somerville, Cambridge, Northampton, Easthampton, Salem, and others.

Statewide status: Illegal statewide; however, multiple cities have decriminalized.
Recent changes: State-level bills are under discussion but have not yet been passed.
Local actions: Local decriminalizations exist in Ann Arbor, Detroit, Hazel Park, Ferndale, Ypsilanti, and other major areas.

Statewide status: Illegal statewide; formal study in progress.
Recent changes: A Psychedelic Medicine Task Force established in 2023 is evaluating therapeutic policy options; ongoing in 2024–2025.
Local actions: No notable local decriminalizations as of now.

Statewide status: Illegal statewide.
Recent changes: No significant psychedelic reforms enacted in 2024–2025.
Local actions: No local decriminalizations, nor none planned in the near future.

Statewide status: Illegal statewide; limited research proposals.
Recent changes: Lawmakers have considered bills to study psilocybin’s therapeutic uses, but none have been enacted yet.
Local actions: None, as of now.

Statewide status: Illegal statewide.
Recent changes: No significant psychedelic reforms on the docket.
Local actions: No local decriminalizations.

Statewide status: Illegal.
Recent changes: No significant psychedelic reforms enacted.
Local actions: No local actions yet.

Statewide status: Illegal statewide, but a state working group recently completed a report on the substances.
Recent changes: SB 242 (2023) created a Psychedelic Medicines Working Group, and the DHHS delivered positive findings in late 2024.
Local actions: No local decriminalizations despite the research.
What's next: Lawmakers discussed follow‑on bills in 2025; no legalization enacted quite yet.

Statewide status: Illegal statewide, but decriminalization bills have been introduced.
Recent changes: 2025 proposals sought to reduce penalties or decriminalize small amounts, but none have been enacted as of Aug. 2025.
Local actions: No local decriminalizations yet.

Statewide status: Illegal statewide, but penalties have been reduced for small amounts.
Recent changes: Since 2021, possession of under roughly an ounce of psilocybin carries reduced penalties. 2024–2025 bills explored a therapeutic program.
Local actions: No notable local decriminalizations documented, but a reduction in penalties has proven positive.

Statewide status: Illegal statewide.
Recent changes: No statewide psychedelic legalization enacted.
Local actions: No clear local decriminalizations documented at the city level for psychedelics.

Statewide status: Illegal statewide, despite multiple bills already introduced.
Recent changes: Lawmakers have floated measures for therapeutic access and/or decriminalization, but none have passed as of Aug. 2025.
Local actions: No local decriminalizations for now.

Statewide status: Illegal statewide, but a research‑grant bill was introduced.
Recent changes: HB 727 (2023) proposed state‑funded research on psilocybin/MDMA, but it did not become law.
Local actions: None yet.

Statewide status: Illegal statewide.
Recent changes: No significant psychedelic reforms enacted or mentioned.
Local actions: No local decriminalizations.

Statewide status: Illegal.
Recent changes: Advocates are exploring future ballot efforts, but no statewide psychedelic reforms have been enacted.
Local actions: None so far.

Statewide status: Illegal.
Recent changes: No major psychedelic reforms mentioned or attempted.
Local actions: None documented.

Statewide status: Regulated psilocybin services available, though personal possession was recriminalized in 2024.
Recent changes: Measure 109 created supervised psilocybin services (launched 2023). HB 4002 (2024) recriminalized possession of small amounts of controlled substances (including psilocybin), effective Sept. 2024.
Local actions: Many cities/counties opted out of psilocybin businesses, which means access is concentrated where local governments allow service centers.
What's next: Licensed service centers and facilitators continue to operate statewide under OHA rules.

Statewide status: Illegal statewide; research legislation introduced in prior sessions.
Recent changes: Bills to authorize psilocybin clinical studies have been filed multiple times since 2021; none have been enacted to date.
Local actions: None thus far.

Statewide status: Illegal statewide; bills proposed.
Recent changes: Legislation to decriminalize small amounts and consider supervised access has been introduced, but not enacted.
Local actions: No local decriminalizations documented.

Statewide status: Illegal.
Recent changes: No significant psychedelic reforms in existence.
Local actions: None.

Statewide status: Illegal statewide.
Recent changes: None.
Local actions: No local decriminalizations documented.

Statewide status: Illegal.
Recent changes: None discussed.
Local actions: None documented.

Statewide status: Illegal statewide, but there's been a recent and major state‑funded research push.
Recent changes: Following earlier psilocybin studies for PTSD, lawmakers in 2025 advanced a large public investment in ibogaine research for PTSD, TBI, and addiction.
Local actions: No local decriminalizations documented.

Statewide status: Illegal statewide, other than state task force activity.
Recent changes: Utah convened a task force to study psychedelic‑assisted therapy and continues to evaluate policy options.
Local actions: None yet, though residents remain hopeful.

Statewide status: Illegal statewide, but an advisory group has been formed.
Recent changes: S.114 (2024) created a Psychedelic Therapy Advisory Working Group; preliminary recommendations did not urge immediate legalization.
Local actions: None documented yet.

Statewide status: Illegal statewide, but an advisory board concept is being debated.
Recent changes: SB 932 (2023) proposed a Psilocybin Advisory Board and rescheduling; it passed the Senate but did not become law.
Local actions: None as of 2025.

Statewide status: Illegal statewide, but multiple cities have decriminalized or deprioritized enforcement.
Recent changes: State lawmakers studied psilocybin services but did not pass a statewide program; however, local reforms have advanced.
Local actions: Local actions include things happening in cities like Seattle (deprioritization), along with other municipalities like Port Townsend, Olympia, and Tacoma.

Statewide status: Illegal statewide.
Recent changes: No significant psychedelic reforms.
Local actions: No local decriminalizations.

Statewide status: Illegal.
Recent changes: None on the docket.
Local actions: No local decriminalizations.

Statewide status: Illegal statewide.
Recent changes: None.
Local actions: None, given the taboo nature of the substances.