Cities that decriminalized psilocybin: the full list
As of October 2026, 33 U.S. cities and counties plus Washington, D.C. (34 in all) have told police to treat psilocybin as a low or lowest priority. None of these measures makes psilocybin legal, and none allows sales. Here is every one we could confirm, with the date and what it covers.
On this page
- Total
- 34 measures: 33 cities and counties in 8 states, plus D.C. (Denver's 2019 measure is now covered by Colorado state law)
- Most measures
- Massachusetts (8), California (7), Michigan (7), Washington (7)
- Newest
- Portland, Oregon (September 30, 2026), Pierce County, Washington (September 1, 2026) and Nevada City, California (August 26, 2026)
- Not on the list
- Los Angeles, San Diego, Las Vegas and New York City have no such measure
What "decriminalized" means here
Most of these are city council resolutions asking police and prosecutors to make the personal use and possession of natural psychedelics (psilocybin mushrooms and, in most cases, plants like ayahuasca) their lowest enforcement priority. A few are ballot initiatives (Denver, Detroit, D.C.), one is a mayoral executive order (Minneapolis) and one is a prosecutor's policy (Washtenaw County, Michigan).
In practice that means:
- Psilocybin is still illegal under state and federal law in every one of these places, except where state law separately allows it (Oregon and Colorado).
- Selling is never covered. Commercial sales remain a crime everywhere outside licensed state programs.
- Other agencies aren't bound. State police, county sheriffs (in city-only measures) and federal officers can still enforce the law. After Pierce County's vote, its undersheriff said enforcement would continue.
- Some are non-binding. Portland, Maine's 2023 resolution and Grand Rapids, Michigan's 2021 resolution express support rather than set police policy.
Every city and county, by state
| Place | Year | Type and notes |
|---|---|---|
| California | ||
| Oakland | 2019 | City council resolution (June); the first in California, followed by a 2021 resolution |
| Santa Cruz | 2020 | City council resolution (January); amended in 2021 to exclude peyote |
| Arcata | 2021 | City council resolution (October) |
| San Francisco | 2022 | Board of Supervisors resolution (September 7) |
| Berkeley | 2023 | City council resolution (July 11) |
| Eureka | 2023 | City council resolution (October 17) |
| Nevada City | 2026 | Resolution 2026-29, unanimous (August 26); adults 21+ |
| Colorado | ||
| Denver | 2019 | Initiative 301 (May), the first U.S. city measure; now superseded by statewide legalization for adults 21+ |
| District of Columbia | ||
| Washington, D.C. | 2020 | Initiative 81 ballot measure, effective March 15, 2021 |
| Maine | ||
| Portland | 2023 | Non-binding city council resolution (October, 6 to 3) |
| Massachusetts | ||
| Somerville | 2021 | City council resolution (January) |
| Cambridge | 2021 | City council policy order (February) |
| Northampton | 2021 | City council resolution (March) |
| Easthampton | 2021 | Non-binding resolution (October 20) |
| Amherst | 2022 | Town council resolution (July 18) |
| Salem | 2023 | City council resolution |
| Provincetown | 2023 | Select Board vote (December 11) |
| Medford | 2024 | City council resolution (February) |
| Michigan | ||
| Ann Arbor | 2020 | City council resolution (September) |
| Washtenaw County | 2021 | Prosecutor's policy directive (January) |
| Detroit | 2021 | Proposal E ballot measure (November), about 61% yes |
| Hazel Park | 2022 | City council resolution (March 22) |
| Ferndale | 2023 | City council resolution (February 27) |
| Ypsilanti | 2024 | City council resolution, unanimous (January) |
| Jackson | 2025 | City council resolution (December 16, 4 to 2); also asks the county prosecutor to stop prosecuting |
| Minnesota | ||
| Minneapolis | 2023 | Mayoral executive order (July) |
| Oregon | ||
| Portland | 2026 | Ordinance 2026-186, the Psychedelic Health and Safety Act, unanimous (September 30); excludes peyote |
| Washington | ||
| Seattle | 2021 | City council resolution 32021 (October) |
| Port Townsend | 2021 | City council resolution (December 20) |
| Jefferson County | 2023 | County resolution (May), the first Washington county |
| Olympia | 2024 | City council resolution (August) |
| Tacoma | 2025 | Resolution 41609, unanimous (January 28) |
| King County | 2026 | County council resolution (March 24); unincorporated areas only |
| Pierce County | 2026 | Resolution R2026-177, unanimous (September 1) |
Also noted: Grand Rapids, Michigan passed a 2021 resolution supporting decriminalization that stops short of a formal lowest-priority policy, so we don't count it. Proposals in East Lansing (2022), Evanston (2022) and Chicago (2020) did not pass.
Why most big cities aren't on it
The list is heavy on college towns and West Coast and New England cities where local advocacy groups organized council votes. The largest cities without any measure include Los Angeles, San Diego, New York City, Chicago, Houston and Las Vegas. In those places, possession is handled under ordinary state law, which ranges from a misdemeanor to a felony. Check your state in our 50-state table.
Does decriminalization make it safe to buy?
No. These measures protect personal possession, use and, in many cases, non-commercial sharing or growing from being a police priority. Buying and selling are still crimes. If you're shopping for "mushrooms" in a store, read our guide to fake and mislabeled mushroom products first: many contain no psilocybin at all.
Frequently asked questions
Which city was the first to decriminalize psilocybin?
Denver, Colorado, in May 2019, through a voter initiative (Initiative 301). Oakland, California followed weeks later with a city council resolution. Denver's measure has since been overtaken by Colorado's statewide law, which lets adults 21 and older possess, grow and share natural psilocybin.
Is psilocybin decriminalized in Seattle?
Seattle made psychedelics its lowest enforcement priority in October 2021, and King County (unincorporated areas) followed in March 2026. Psilocybin is still illegal under Washington law, where possession is a gross misdemeanor, and selling it is a felony. See our Seattle guide.
Is psilocybin decriminalized in Los Angeles or San Diego?
No. Neither city nor county has passed a deprioritization measure, and psilocybin remains illegal under California law. The California cities with measures are Oakland, Santa Cruz, Arcata, San Francisco, Berkeley, Eureka and Nevada City.
Can police still arrest me in a decriminalized city?
Yes. A lowest-priority resolution guides local police and prosecutors, but it doesn't change state law and doesn't bind state or federal officers. Arrests are less likely for personal amounts, not impossible, and selling is always prosecutable.
Which states have the most decriminalized cities?
Massachusetts has eight cities and towns, and California, Michigan and Washington each have seven local measures. Washington's list now includes three counties: Jefferson, King and Pierce.
Sources
- Psychedelics Law and Policy Tracker, UC Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics, 2026.
- Psilocybin decriminalization in the United States, Wikipedia (used to cross-check dates).
- Nevada City Council unanimously approves resolution, The Union, August 28, 2026.
- Resolution 2026-177, Pierce County, September 2026.
- Local officials advance measures to deprioritize enforcement against psychedelics, Marijuana Moment, September 29, 2026.
- King County resolution decriminalizes psychedelic mushrooms, Bellevue Reporter, March 25, 2026.
- Tacoma City Council lowers enforcement priority for psilocybin, Northwest Public Broadcasting, January 30, 2025.
- Portland, Oregon city council votes to deprioritize enforcement, Marijuana Moment, September 30, 2026.
- Jackson City Council passes resolution, WLNS, December 2025.
- Provincetown decriminalizes psychedelics, WBUR, December 14, 2023.
- Around Amherst, Amherst Bulletin, August 1, 2022.
- Portland, Maine council resolution on psychedelics, Spectrum News Maine, October 5, 2023.
- Magic mushrooms are decriminalized in DC as of today, Washingtonian, March 15, 2021.