The Global Top 200 Psychedelic Lawyers
Policy & Regulation Experts 5th edition 2026
For the past five years we have been publishing a daily column at our website Cannabis Law Report highlighting the latest in regulatory news and information for the world of psychedelics as an increasing number of cities and states in North America take a more enlightened view towards the medical and personal and religious use of psychedelics.
USA
2025 was, from a federal perspective, I would suggest, a watershed year from a legal and regulatory perspective for US psychedelics law.
Firstly the anticipated gold rush on the hope that the Lykos MDMA product would be approved by the USTPO was dashed in January, secondly a close look at the courts around the country show an increasing willingness by religious organisations to push back on enforcement of drug laws under the aegis of religious freedom and finally the arrival of RFK Jr as Head of The Dept of Health & Human services who has stated.
“It’s clear that some of these substances should be decriminalized—if not legalized—in some form.”
How he believes this will be engineered at a federal level is yet to be determined.
I would also suggest events such as the death of actor Matthew Perry in October 2023 from the “acute effects of ketamine” (Los Angeles County Medical Examiner) had by early 2025 filtered through the political system nationally making both politicians and regulators more aware of the nuances involved in regulating an ever growing family of compounds for medical, religious and in some cases adult use.
2025 also saw the first psychedelic law firm merger / acquisition / deal with Vicente amalgamating Pacific NW firm Emerge into their network. All the lawyers previously at the now defunct Emerge have specific psychedelic legal experience and skills so it’ll be interesting to see if it’s just the act of bringing new clients into the Vicente network or if there are bigger lobbying plans for 2026.
CANADA
Before we dive into our general overview I would also like to highlight the ongoing cat and mouse game being played by grey market psychedelics retailers and law enforcement in Canada with a particular mention of an outfit monikered “FunGuyz”.
FunGuyz operates illegally, as sale and possession of magic mushrooms is illegal in Canada. Until November 2024, the business operated physical storefronts, with at least 17 stores in Ontario and one in Quebec. These stores were frequently raided and their products confiscated. The raided stores would usually then reopen quickly after the seized merchandise had been replaced, with the exception of the five locations that were permanently closed by local authorities. In November 2024, FunGuyz announced plans to close all of its physical stores but keep its online business open.
The owner of the business believes that criminal charges would make a constitutional challenge for the legality of Psilocybin possible due to similar actions taken by businesses before the broader legalisation of cannabis. He has stated that his products are for therapeutic use only, however, the psilocybin has not yet been approved by Health Canada.
Identities for spokespeople of the business have varied, since August 2023, police have sought an arrest warrant for the owner of the stores.
The latest update as of November 2025 has owner-spokesperson” Samer Akila in Egypt appearing via video at the Ontario Court in front of of Justice George Orsini at his sentencing hearing for one count of possession of psilocybin for the purpose of trafficking.
In December the judge imposed a $10,000 fine on Akila saying the illegal dispensaries that have popped up across the province “Are largely motivated by financial gain…. Those who brazenly seek to promote the sale of illegal substances through the establishment of illegal dispensaries should know that they can face significant monetary penalties.”
Akila, 33, who lost a constitutional challenge heard by Judge Orsini in earlier proceedings argued current laws violated the section of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in Canada that protects freedom of thought. He has indicated he will appeal the ruling.
Major Developments In Psychedelics in 2025
Let’s start with Lykos
Details of the Patent Rejection
The patent application, which focused on specific characteristics like the MDMA’s particle size as a way to claim novelty over existing “prior art,” faced significant hurdles.
- “Obviousness” Finding: The patent examiner rejected all claims, determining that it would have been “obvious” for a skilled person in the field to mill MDMA to the claimed particle size and that the dosage amounts were parameters routinely optimized.
- Lack of Evidence: The examiner was not convinced by Lykos’s argument that their specific formulation possessed “unexpected or surprising” superior properties and required comparative evidence to prove non-obviousness.
- “Anti-Patent” History: The company, which originated from the non-profit Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), was late to the patent game due to MAPS’ historic “anti-patent strategy”. This late start forced Lykos to pursue a narrower and arguably weaker patent strategy focused on the physical form of the drug rather than the molecule itself, which was already unpatentable.
Broader Context
This patent setback occurred shortly after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a Complete Response Letter (CRL) in August 2024, rejecting Lykos’s New Drug Application (NDA) for MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD. The FDA requested an additional Phase 3 trial, citing concerns about efficacy data, trial blinding, and ethical issues in past studies.
In the wake of these events, Lykos..
- Laid off approximately 75% of its workforce.
- Experienced significant changes in leadership, including the stepping down of its CEO.
- Was acquired by billionaire investor Antonio Gracias and rebranded as Resilient Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in September
Lykos representatives have stated that the patent office action is a normal step in the application process and that they remain confident in their application and intend to respond to the USPTO’s comments
USA State & Federal Updates
In 2025, major developments in United States psychedelics legislation and regulation were primarily at the state level, with notable achievements in New Mexico and Colorado, and a significant number of bills introduced across nearly 30 states.
Federal policy remained largely unchanged regarding psychedelics, with the exception of progress on marijuana rescheduling and continued support for clinical research.
State-Level Developments
State legislatures saw a significant increase in activity, focusing on regulated access and reducing penalties.
New Mexico passed the Medical Psilocybin Act, creating a legislature-driven psilocybin access program for qualified patients, with implementation expected by 2027.
Colorado continued implementing its regulated market, issuing initial licenses for psychedelic mushroom therapy facilitators and healing centers set to open in summer 2025. The state also enacted a law to collect de-identified data on natural medicine use to study health outcomes.
Texas allocated funding for research into ibogaine for opioid use disorders.
Florida passed a law criminalizing the sale and distribution of psilocybin mushroom spores, effective July 2025.
The Minnesota Psychedelic Task Force recommended considering decriminalizing personal psilocybin use and establishing a regulated therapy program.
Bills were introduced in several states, including Washington, Massachusetts, and Illinois, proposing regulated psilocybin service or pilot programs.
Federal-Level Developments
Psychedelics remained Schedule I controlled substances, but clinical research and related drug policy areas saw continued momentum.
There were no federal changes to the legal status of classic psychedelics.
The FDA continued supporting clinical trials and designated psilocybin as a “breakthrough therapy”. One company’s psilocybin treatment is anticipated for potential FDA approval as early as late 2026 or early 2027.
A bipartisan resolution in Nevada urged increased federal funding for psychedelic research into mental health treatments.
Although psychedelic compounds are illegal under US federal law, some states, cities, and counties have enacted specific legislation to legalize therapeutic use, decriminalize possession, or deprioritize law enforcement for certain natural psychedelics.
States, Counties & Cities That Have Enacted Legislation or Codes
States with Legislation and Codes
Oregon: Legalized the supervised, facilitated use of psilocybin at licensed service centers for individuals 21 and older (Measure 109). The state previously decriminalized possession of all drugs but this measure was reversed in 2024.
Colorado: Decriminalized the personal possession and use of natural psychedelic substances (including psilocybin, psilocin, DMT, ibogaine, and mescaline, excluding peyote) for adults 21 and older (Proposition 122). It is in the process of establishing a regulated access program with licensed healing centers.
New Mexico: Passed a bill in April 2025 to establish a medical psilocybin program, becoming the third state to legalize supervised medical use.
Cities and Counties with Legislation and Codes
Local jurisdictions have primarily passed resolutions to make personal use and possession of entheogenic plants and fungi the lowest priority for law enforcement, or have outright decriminalized them.
California:
Cities: Arcata, Berkeley, Eureka, Oakland, San Francisco, Santa Cruz.
Massachusetts:
Cities: Amherst, Cambridge, Easthampton, Medford, Northampton, Provincetown, Salem, Somerville.
Michigan:
Cities: Ann Arbor, Detroit, Ferndale, Hazel Park, Ypsilanti.
County: Washtenaw County.
Washington:
Cities: Olympia, Port Townsend, Seattle, Tacoma.
County: Jefferson County.
Other Jurisdictions:
Washington, D.C. has decriminalized the possession of naturally occurring entheogenic plants and fungi.
Minneapolis, Minnesota decriminalized entheogenic plants and fungi via mayoral executive order.
Portland, Maine voted to deprioritize local enforcement of laws against psychedelic plants and fungi.
Laws and codes are constantly evolving. For current details on specific regulations and the types of substances covered in each area, it is best to consult resources like the UC Berkeley Psychedelic Law and Policy Map or the Psychedelic Alpha Tracker
Outside the US, countries are making limited steps to introduce legal psychedelic medical treatments.
Australia (allowing prescription psilocybin/MDMA for PTSD/depression), Canada (provinces like Alberta allowing medicinal psychedelics), and the Netherlands (some legal access for mental health) have advanced psychedelic legislation, alongside decriminalization efforts in places like Portugal while Brazil has some therapeutic use, and nations like Jamaica now have looser regulations, showing a global trend toward therapeutic access beyond simple decriminalization.
Here’s a breakdown of key country developments
Australia: Approved psilocybin and MDMA for prescription use by psychiatrists for treatment-resistant depression and PTSD (effective July 2023).
Canada: Provinces like Alberta allow regulated access to psilocybin, MDMA, ketamine for therapy, while others have similar frameworks.
Netherlands: Has a unique system allowing some psilocybin truffles (magic mushrooms) for mental health under specific conditions.
Brazil: Uses psilocybin and ayahuasca therapeutically, though under specific medical guidance.
Jamaica: Offers relatively open access to psychedelic mushrooms for spiritual and therapeutic purposes.
Portugal: Decriminalized all drugs, including psychedelics, making possession for personal use a minor offense rather than a crime, though not fully legalizing therapeutic use.
Colombia/Peru: Indigenous use and some therapeutic tourism for ayahuasca and San Pedro.
In New Zealand Medsafe has given one psychiatrist approval to prescribe medicinal psilocybin for treating treatment-resistant depression. This is the first time psilocybin will be prescribed outside of a research setting in New Zealand.
Some nations are beginning to move beyond decriminalization (Portugal) to establish regulated frameworks for therapeutic (medicinal) use, especially for MDMA and psilocybin, following Australia and Canada’s lead.
USA court cases involving psychedelics in 2025
Several US federal court cases in 2025 addressed access to psychedelics like psilocybin under the Controlled Substances Act.
Advanced Integrated Medical Science Institute v. DEA
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on February 13, 2025, upholding the DEA’s denial of a request to exempt a doctor from CSA registration for using psilocybin to treat terminally ill patients under Arizona’s Right to Try law. The court found the DEA’s decision neither arbitrary nor capricious, citing psilocybin’s Schedule I status due to high abuse potential and lack of accepted medical use. Petitioners argued the Right to Try Act overrode CSA requirements, but the DEA maintained it could not initiate rulemaking without detailed proposals.
Other Developments
No additional major US court cases involving psychedelics were reported in 2025 beyond the Ninth Circuit ruling, with most activity focused on state legislation rather than litigation. Efforts like amicus briefs for psilocybin rescheduling in end-of-life care preceded but did not result in new 2025 decisions. Religious exemptions, such as for ayahuasca by the Church of Gaia, were granted administratively by the DEA
US State Court Psychedelic Rulings in 2025
Limited state court rulings on psychedelics occurred in 2025, with most activity centered on legislative bills rather than judicial decisions. Federal courts handled key cases like Utah’s Singularism dispute, but state-level litigation was sparse.
Utah: Singularism Religious Exemption
A Provo-based religious group, Singularism, challenged state prosecutions for psilocybin use as a sacrament under Utah’s religious freedom law (SB150). US District Judge Jill N. Parrish issued a preliminary injunction in February 2025, later granting an anti-suit injunction enjoining state criminal proceedings against adherent Mr. Jensen for psilocybin possession. The ruling found the Utah Controlled Substances Act substantially burdened the group’s free exercise rights, marking a major win for psychedelic religious use.
New Mexico: State v. Kellum
The New Mexico Court of Appeals addressed a conviction involving psilocybin mushrooms in an unpublished opinion filed around April 2025. The case upheld identification of psilocyn (from psilocybin mushrooms) via lab testing protocols, affirming trafficking and possession convictions alongside methamphetamine charges. No reversal or novel psychedelic-specific ruling emerged.
Who Are The Powerhouse Law Firms Practicing in the Field?
Canada
Aird Berlis
UK
Mackrell
USA
Calyx – Intellectual Property Expert
Antithesis
Vicente
Husch Blackwell
Perkins Coie
Zuber Lawler
Solo Practitioners We Recommend
Allison Hoots
Omar Figueroa
Paula Amy Hewitt
Rod Kight
Courtney Moran
Paul Lewin
Andrew De Weese
Robert T Rush
Sean McAllister
Don’t Forget That This Directory Also Recommends Experts Who Can Advise On Policy & Provide Expert Witness Testimony, advise on litigation etc.
If you have any questions about experts in specific fields do get in touch and we are only too happy to try and point you in the right direction.
Although we have some MAPS employees fellows listed in the directory they aren’t your only source for great information, there are plenty of other great and relevant bodies and organisations.
Questions to hocking.sean@gmail.com
The USA based Psychedelic Bar Association continues to build its membership and they’ve just started publishing a blog with articles relating to psychedelics and the law.
Media
We recommend
Psychedelic Alpha (UK) for Business & Markets.
We hope you find this our 4th edition of The Global Top 200 Psychedelic Lawyers, Policy & Regulation Experts a worthwhile read and resource tool.
Please do get in touch with us with any questions, comments or thoughts for the next edition.
Sean Hocking – Editor
The Global Top 200 Psychedelic Lawyers, Policy & Regulation Experts 2025