Is Psychedelic Therapy Legal in Costa Rica?

Named in the controlled-substances list under Law No. 8204; supply carries 8-15 years. Personal use de facto tolerated (not criminally punished) but no lawful supply or therapeutic pathway.

Controlled psychotropic under Law No. 8204, treated like LSD; supply/trafficking 8-15 years. No therapeutic/clinical pathway.

Unscheduled / not a controlled substance under Law No. 8204 — the basis for Costa Rica's established ibogaine clinic industry (Guanacaste, Puntarenas, San Jose). Caveat: unregulated; clinics lack Ministry of Health sanitary registration and the MoH has issued public-health warnings.

DMT is scheduled. No statutory religious/traditional exemption; retreats operate in a tolerated gray area because personal use is not prosecuted (de facto, not codified). Sale/transport falls under trafficking (8-15 years).

Mescaline is UN 1971 Schedule I, implemented via Law No. 8204; isolated mescaline and consumption preparations controlled. San Pedro/peyote living plants not internationally scheduled (ornamental tolerance), but decoctions fall under the prohibition. No therapeutic pathway.

Tracked separately — a prescription medicine, excluded from the blended status.

Prescription medical/veterinary anesthetic; added to controlled list via JVD Circular 002-2015 to tighten distribution. Special prescription required.