ATMA CENA

Is Psychedelic Therapy Legal in District of Columbia?

Decriminalized

District of Columbia has decriminalized personal use of at least one psychedelic, but supervised therapeutic use is not yet a regulated pathway.

Status by substance

State-level status for lawful supervised therapeutic use. Regardless of state law, classic psychedelics remain Schedule I federally. Last reviewed 2026-06.

Psilocybin

Decriminalized

Citywide Initiative 81 (2020, effective 2021) makes enforcement against entheogenic plants & fungi the lowest police priority; remains Schedule I, no lawful supply or therapeutic program (district-wide, not a regulated access program).

Official source (2026-06)

MDMA

Illegal

Schedule I; Initiative 81 covers only plant/fungi entheogens, not synthetic MDMA; no therapeutic pathway.

Official source (2026-06)

Ibogaine

Decriminalized

Iboga/ibogaine (entheogenic plant) covered by Initiative 81 lowest-priority enforcement; remains illegal, no lawful supply.

Official source (2026-06)

DMT / Ayahuasca

Decriminalized

Ayahuasca / naturally occurring DMT covered by Initiative 81 lowest-priority enforcement; remains illegal, no lawful supply.

Official source (2026-06)

Mescaline / Peyote

Decriminalized

Mescaline-bearing cacti covered by Initiative 81 lowest-priority enforcement; remains illegal, no lawful supply.

Official source (2026-06)

Ketamine

Legal / regulated access

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

Prescription / off-label clinic-based therapeutic use (Schedule III).

Official source (2026-06)

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 across North America.