Though psilocybin has only been legalized in a few places in the United States, the consensus for the minimum legal age is 21-years-old.[1] However, this limit only applies to the two states (Oregon and Colorado) that have voted for legalization.[2] For these states, there are very strict rules about who will have access and how the psilocybin will be distributed. For places in the United States that have decriminalized psilocybin, that is not necessarily the case.
Regulations in Legalized States
Psilocybin (also known as magic mushrooms) is not available for sale to anyone over 21 the way that alcohol, tobacco, or cannabis are. For both Oregon and Colorado, psilocybin will only be available in controlled medical environments. This medical treatment can be applied to a variety of mental disorders including depression, OCD, and alcoholism.[3] At this time, though, both Colorado and Oregon are in the process of confirming the regulatory framework for who will have access to psilocybin and what the licensing process will be for distribution. Basically, medical professionals are concerned about the risk of losing their licenses for distributing schedule 1 drugs, but state officials are
worried about potential abuse if they allow access to anyone without the proper training. The proper balance can be found, but it hasn’t been fully achieved yet in either state.
The Challenges with Decriminalization
magic mashrooms have also been decriminalized in various cities and states across the United States.[4] The laws in these areas still state that psilocybin is only decriminalized for people over the age of 21, making it a crime for anyone under that age to be in possession of it. However, in several cities the way this has been implemented has been to defund law enforcement, making it difficult for them to have the resources to enforce this statute. Depending on where the psilocybin is sourced from, it may be possible for individuals below the age limit to gain access to it. This is why increased regulation is so critical, as it will define safe, effective boundaries for consumers to utilize this compound.
Reference List
