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Pennsylvania
Psilocybin legal status, legislation & access — 2025
Legislation
Introduced October 12, 2021 by Rep. Tracy Pennycuick (R), the Public Health Benefits of Psilocybin Act would have authorized state-funded clinical research into psilocybin-assisted therapy for PTSD, depression, traumatic brain injury, and other mental health conditions, with prioritized focus on veterans, retired first responders, and their families. The bill was referred to the House Health Committee on the day of introduction and never advanced. A revised version (HB 2421) was introduced in early 2022 that removed the original bill's psilocybin cultivation provisions; HB 2421 also died in committee. HB 1959 expired at the end of the 2021-2022 legislative session.
Enforcement context
Psilocybin remains a Schedule I controlled substance under Pennsylvania law with no active decriminalisation or therapeutic access framework. HB 1959, introduced in 2023 by Rep. Dan Frankel (D-Allegheny), would create a supervised therapeutic psilocybin access programme modelled on Oregon's service-centre framework. The bill has not advanced to a floor vote. Philadelphia's research institutions — Penn Medicine and the University of Pennsylvania — are among the most active psilocybin clinical trial sites in the United States, creating a significant gap between research activity and the state's legal status.
Cities in Pennsylvania
Frequently asked questions
Is psilocybin legal in Pennsylvania?
No. Psilocybin is a Schedule I controlled substance in Pennsylvania. HB 1959, introduced in 2023, would establish a therapeutic access framework, but the bill remains in committee and has not advanced to a floor vote.
What is Pennsylvania HB 1959?
HB 1959, introduced by Rep. Dan Frankel, would create a supervised therapeutic psilocybin programme in Pennsylvania, requiring licensed facilitators and service centres similar to Oregon's model. As of 2025 the bill has not passed.
Where can I find psilocybin clinical trials in Pennsylvania?
Penn Medicine and the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and UPMC at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, host active psilocybin clinical trial programmes — making Pennsylvania a national research leader despite the lack of any legal access framework.