Alaska has been a dark horse cannabis leader in this country since the 90s. Voters legalized medical use of the plant in 1998, making it the second state to do so—tied with Washington and Oregon. In 2014, Alaska became the third state (tied with Oregon) to legalize recreational use. Now, residents of The Last Frontier are turning their sights to a different class of substances: a proposed ballot initiative to legalize psychedelics is garnering signatures to appear on the 2026 ballot.
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On Augsut 14th, Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom announced that she approved a statewide initiative application for a measure that would legalize the regulated use of medicinal mushrooms and other psychedelics. The initiative is called the “Alaska Natural Medicine Act” and aims to create a comprehensive program that would incorporate psychedelics into mental health treatments and decriminalize personal use, transfer, and cultivation of psilocybin, DMT, mescaline, and ibogaine for adults over the age of 21.
Public consumption would remain illegal, as would possession with the intent of transferring the drugs for remuneration. Possession limits have not yet been stated.
The initiative would also create a Natural Medicine Control Board to oversee licensure, regulation, and public education; in addition, a Traditional Use Council would be implemented to support existing cultural and spiritual practices around psychedelics.
“These natural medicines offer hope for Alaskans struggling with PTSD, depression, and addiction—especially among our veterans, first responders, and Indigenous communities,” wrote Natural Medicine Alaska—the bill’s sponsors—in an email to Alaska’s News Source.
Natural Medicine Alaska has said previously that its initiative is modeled after Colorado’s successful 2022 psychedelics legalization measure. If passed, Alaska would become the third state to legalize psychedelic use, following Colorado and Oregon.
To get on the ballot, the “Alaska Natural Medicine Act” will need to get about 34,000 signatures (at least 10 percent of the voters who participated in the state’s last general election). Signatures would also have to be distributed among at least 75 percent of Alaska’s legislative districts. Natural Medicine Alaska has a year to reach these numbers.
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Psychedelics are lagging quite far behind cannabis, but some serious progress is in the works. If Alaska can rally to legalize the substances, who knows what advocates in other states will feel inspired to do?