The Future of Psychedelic Mushrooms in Washington

• The legalization of psychedelic mushrooms in Washington could happen in the not-too-distant future, as several of the Evergreen State’s largest cities have already decriminalized them.
• Scientific studies have suggested that psilocybin, the primary psychoactive compound in psychedelic mushrooms, could benefit those with certain mental health issues. It has led to a loud call for the legalization of magic mushrooms in Washington.
• Washington psychedelic mushroom laws are unlikely to change dramatically anytime soon. Still, the psychedelic movement appears to be gaining momentum and could lead to at least minor changes in these laws sooner rather than later.

Back in 2019, Denver became the first US city to decriminalize psilocybin, the powerful mind-altering compound found in psychedelic mushrooms. Several other cities, including Oakland and Seattle, soon followed suit, and by the following year, Oregon became the first state to decriminalize psilocybin.

This led some people in the Pacific Northwest to wonder if Washington could decriminalize psychedelic mushrooms next.

Thus far, the state has not decriminalized psilocybin and allowed residents to begin buying and using psychedelic mushrooms in Washington without suffering legal consequences. However, several cities within the Evergreen State have decriminalized psilocybin, offering hope to those wishing to see sweeping changes made to the Washington psychedelic mushroom laws.

Washingtonians may not want to get too excited about the possibility of psilocybin being decriminalized in the near future, as it doesn’t sound like these much-anticipated changes are imminent. Still, there are several reasons for them to be hopeful moving forward.

Are Psychedelic Mushrooms Legal in Washington?

With all the talk surrounding the potential legalization, some confusion has swirled around about where the state’s laws currently stand. To be clear, these mushrooms are not legal in Washington.

Part of this confusion stems from Senate Bill 5660, also known as the Washington Psilocybin Wellness and Opportunity Act, which state legislators introduced in 2022. It proposed legalizing the “supported use” of psilocybin for those 21 and older and was seen as a hopeful sign.

But ultimately, SB 5660 failed to pass, keeping psilocybin illegal in Washington despite the groundswell of support it received. It was deflating for those who had worked hard to bring forth the bill, and it left the future of psychedelic mushrooms in Washington in flux.

Fortunately, the disappointment advocates felt didn’t last long. In 2023, then-Governor Jay Inslee signed the Washington Psilocybin Services Act. It called for the creation of a psilocybin task force overseen by the Washington Health Care Authority. It also laid the foundation for a pilot program at the University of Washington, regulated by the Washington State Department of Health.

Most notably, this act enabled residents 21 and older to “purchase and consume psilocybin within licensed service centers under the supervision of a licensed psilocybin service facilitator.”

Since then, no other major moves have been made toward legalizing magic mushrooms in Washington. However, a few of its cities have taken steps to decriminalize psilocybin, keeping the compound in the news.

Which Cities in Washington Have Changed Their Psychedelic Mushroom Laws?

The legalization hasn’t taken place statewide, but five cities have decriminalized them.

Seattle was one of the first to do it in 2021. The Seattle City Council voted unanimously to make enforcing its psychedelic mushroom laws a low priority.

Four other Washington cities took similar steps:

• Port Townsend made criminalizing psilocybin a “low enforcement priority when done in a nonpublic place” in 2021.
• Jefferson County decriminalized the usage of entheogenic plants and fungi, including those containing psilocybin, in 2023.
• Olympia decriminalized plant-based hallucinogens, such as psilocybin mushrooms, in 2024.
• Tacoma decriminalized natural psychedelics, including psilocybin, in 2025.

Could the Statewide Legalization of Magic Mushrooms Occur in Washington Soon?

About five years ago, the idea of any state, including Washington, legalizing mushrooms sounded far-fetched. Oregon changed the national perception of psilocybin mushrooms when its residents voted for measures legalizing their supported use in 2020.

It didn’t take long for a second state to decriminalize psychedelic mushrooms, but it wasn’t Washington. Instead, Colorado took the plunge, as residents of the Centennial State passed Proposition 122 in 2022, decriminalizing several psychedelics, including psilocybin.

At around this time, Washingtonians also looked like they could make a push to change their laws. So, why didn’t it happen? And why has the state dragged its feet when it comes to decriminalizing in more recent years?

According to a May 2025 KUOW feature story, multiple reasons exist. For starters, there is still much work to be done in educating everyone, from doctors to ordinary citizens, about psilocybin.

One prominent person quoted in the piece was Dr. Charissa Fotinos, who was named the chair of the Washington Psilocybin Task Force in 2023. She readily admitted that even she was surprised to learn about how beneficial psilocybin could be for some Washingtonians struggling with mental health issues.

Dr. Fotinos helped remedy this problem by guiding the task force as it sought to teach doctors, nurses, psychiatrists, and, most importantly, state lawmakers about psilocybin.

Still, this is just one problem that has prevented Washington from fully embracing psilocybin. These issues have also held back the legalization of psychedelic mushrooms in Washington:

• Some lawmakers worry about legalizing psilocybin when it’s still considered illegal on a federal level.
• Certain advocates are worried about legalizing psilocybin and putting pharmaceutical companies in charge.
• A few proposed measures have mentioned legalizing psilocybin in clinical settings but didn’t include anything about decriminalizing it, leading to opposition.

But the biggest roadblock might be the way in which federal law classifies psilocybin under the Controlled Substances Act. It’s considered a Schedule I substance which limits the work researchers can do while exploring its possible benefits.

Another doctor quoted in the KUOW piece confirmed that, if the federal government made psilocybin a Schedule II substance, it could increase the likelihood of Washington decriminalizing it. Dr. Sunil Aggarwal is pushing for this change and hopes Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has advocated for using psychedelics to support mental health conditions, agrees to it.

What Should You Do If You Want to Buy Psychedelic Mushrooms in Washington?

For now, buying psilocybin mushrooms in Washington isn’t possible. State lawmakers, such as Senator Jesse Salomon, who introduced Senate Bill 5201 in 2025 to help push the potential legalization of psilocybin, continue to make efforts. Yet, the bill remains stuck in its early stages.

As a result, growing and using magic mushrooms in Washington remains illegal. However, you may be surprised to discover that buying psilocybin mushroom spores for microscopy and taxonomy purposes is not against the law in WA.