Is Psychedelic Therapy Legal in South Africa?
South Africa currently offers a lawful pathway to supervised therapeutic use of at least one psychedelic.
Status by substance
Statuses reflect lawful access for supervised therapeutic use — not recreational legality. Last reviewed 2026-06.
Psilocybin
IllegalPsilocybin/psilocin are Schedule 7 (no recognised medicinal use) under the Medicines and Related Substances Act 101 of 1965; prohibited. Pretoria High Court / ConCourt challenge to legalise filed 2024 (ongoing). Spore kits legal as they contain no active compound.
Official source (2021-08) ↗MDMA
IllegalMDMA is a controlled substance (Schedule under Medicines and Related Substances Act); UN Psychotropic Schedule I; no general therapeutic pathway.
Official source (2024-01) ↗Ibogaine
Legal / regulated accessIbogaine is a Schedule 6 medicine under the Medicines and Related Substances Act (per 2016 MCC resolution); lawfully prescribed/administered by a registered medical practitioner under SAHPRA oversight. Prescription pathway = Legal.
Official source (2025-06) ↗Ketamine
Legal / regulated accessTracked separately — a prescription medicine, excluded from the blended status.
Ketamine is a scheduled prescription anesthetic; lawful medical/off-label therapeutic use.
Official source (2023-07) ↗Educational information, not legal advice. Laws change — confirm with the official sources above before making decisions.
Looking for legal psychedelic-assisted therapy?
ATMA CENA provides supervised, legal psychedelic-assisted therapy in Canada and trains practitioners worldwide.