Psilocybin (also known as magic mushrooms) has gained popularity as its potential benefits continue to emerge. Three U.S. states have legalized the drug for therapeutic use, citing its potential to ease certain mental health conditions. Now, one European country is making waves by legalizing psilocybin nationwide for medicinal use—and others could soon follow.
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Lawmakers in the Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, amended the country’s Criminal Code to permit psilocybin use for medical purposes. The use of the drug will be allowed under strict conditions, defined by the Psychiatric Society of the Czech Medical Society JE Purkyně. Approved cases could include treatment-resistant depression and mental health conditions related to cancer diagnoses.
The drug would be administered in approved settings under the supervision of licensed practitioners authorized by regulators. Practitioners would administer a dose of up to 35 milligrams of synthetic psilocybin. A patient’s body weight would determine the exact dosage. Under the law, patients may receive up to 75 milligrams of psilocybin per month, divided into a maximum of three doses.
Treatments could begin as soon as January. However, the cost of the therapy has been the subject of debate. Government officials are working with insurance providers to determine if coverage would be made available. Despite demonstrated need across the Czech Republic, per-session costs would likely remain out of reach for many citizens.
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Czechia is the second EU country to approve psilocybin for medicinal use. German officials passed similar legislation earlier this year, approving two psychedelic treatment facilities. Switzerland has allowed legal psychedelic therapy since 2023.
Other European countries are also considering psychedelic reform, with nations including the UK and the Netherlands actively involved in research. In the United States, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has advocated for psychedelic therapy, particularly for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder.
As momentum continues to build across Europe, legal psychedelic therapy could become more widespread in the coming years.
