1. What the law is
Paying a fine on the spot in France looks like decriminalization and is not. The amende forfaitaire delictuelle, available to police since 2020 and set at EUR 200, settles a criminal offense: Article L3421-1 of the Code de la sante publique punishes drug use and possession for personal use with up to one year imprisonment and a EUR 3,750 fine. Hallucinogenic mushrooms are classified as narcotics whatever the species. Loi 2025-532 of 13 June 2025 hardened enforcement further.
2. Trials in France
Interventional psilocybin trials with at least one site in France, as their sponsors filed them with ClinicalTrials.gov, EU CTIS and ISRCTN. Each row links to the registry record, which sets out who may take part.
Recruiting or opening counts trials recruiting now, not yet recruiting, or enrolling by invitation. Closed counts trials terminated, suspended, withdrawn or left unverified by their sponsors.
| Registry ID | Trial | Phase | Sponsor | Status | Start date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCT07210112 | Efficacy of Psilocybin and Trazodone Combination in Treatment-resistant Depression: a Randomized Controlled Proof-of-concept Study (PSILOTRAZ) (opens in new tab)Recruiting at GHU Paris Psychiatrie and Neurosciences, Paris | Phase Phase 2 | Sponsor Centre Hospitalier St Anne | Status Recruiting | Start date |
| NCT07638553 | Efficacy in Relapse Prevention: Psilocybin in Alcohol Use Disorder With Depressive Symptoms (opens in new tab)Recruiting at CHU de Nîmes, Nîmes | Phase Phase 3 | Sponsor Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nīmes | Status Recruiting | Start date |
| 2024-512911-34-00 | Efficacy of psilocybin and trazodone combination in treatment-resistant depression: a randomized controlled proof-of-concept study (PSILOTRAZ) (opens in new tab)Site at GHU St Anne Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, Paris | Phase Not stated | Sponsor Groupe Hospitalier Universitaire Paris Psychiatrie & Neuroscience | Status Authorised | Start date |
| NCT07391332 | Psilocybin AsSisted pSychotherapy for the treatmENt of Gambling disordER : a Pilot Study (opens in new tab)Site at Nantes University Hospital, Nantes | Phase Phase 2 | Sponsor Nantes University Hospital | Status Authorised | Start date |
| NCT06647056 | Evaluation of the Effect of a Single Dose of Psilocybin on Neural Correlates of Cognitive Control in Patients With Psychogenic Nonepileptic Seizures (opens in new tab)Site at CHU de Nîmes, Hôpital Universitaire Carémeau, Nîmes | Phase Not applicable | Sponsor Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nīmes | Status Completed | Start date |
| NCT06650800 | Effect of Psilocybin on the Positive Valence System in Treatment-resistant Depression (opens in new tab)Site at CHU de Nîmes, Hôpital Universitaire Carémeau, Nîmes | Phase Not applicable | Sponsor Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nīmes | Status Completed | Start date |
| 2022-501092-11-00 | Effect of psilocybin on the positive valence system in treatment-resistant depression: a pilot clinical neuroimaging study (opens in new tab)Site at Centre Hospitalier Universitaire De Nimes, Nimes | Phase Not stated | Sponsor Centre Hospitalier Universitaire De Nimes | Status Ended | Start date |
| 2023-509679-17-00 | Evaluation of the effect of a single dose of psilocybin on neural correlates of cognitive control in patients with CNEP (psychogenic nonepileptic seizures): a single-arm, open-label pilot study. (opens in new tab)Site at Centre Hospitalier Universitaire De Nimes, Nimes | Phase Not stated | Sponsor Centre Hospitalier Universitaire De Nimes | Status Authorised | Start date |
| 2023-505268-12-00 | A Phase III, multicentre, randomised, double-blind, controlled study to investigate the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of two initial administrations of COMP360 in participants with treatment-resistant depression (opens in new tab)Sites in Nimes Cedex 9 and Paris | Phase Not stated | Sponsor Compass Pathfinder Limited | Status Authorised | Start date |
| 2023-506647-42-00 | Psilocybin in alcohol use disorder with comorbid depression - Randomized double-blind controlled pilot study. (opens in new tab)Site at Centre Hospitalier Universitaire De Nimes, Nimes | Phase Not stated | Sponsor Centre Hospitalier Universitaire De Nimes | Status Ended | Start date |
| NCT06235411 | Psilocybin in Alcohol Use Disorder With Comorbid Depression (opens in new tab)Site at CHU, Nîmes | Phase Not applicable | Sponsor Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nīmes | Status Completed | Start date |
| NCT05711940 | Efficacy, Safety, and Tolerability of Two Administrations of COMP360 in Participants With TRD (opens in new tab)Sites in Nîmes and Paris | Phase Phase 3 | Sponsor COMPASS Pathways | Status Active, not recruiting | Start date |
ClinicalTrials.gov data courtesy of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
3. History
The legal events behind this entry, dated and oldest first. Our own reviews and corrections are listed under Changes to this record.
Illegal status takes effect.
4. Proposed laws
Proposals that are not yet law and would change this entry if adopted.
Loi 2025-532 of 13 June 2025 is enacted. It raises trafficking penalties, creates a specialized prosecutor and expands investigative procedures. A Senate bill proposing depenalisation of drug use, ppl24-272, has been introduced and not adopted.
5. Common questions
Is psilocybin legal in France?
Psilocybin is illegal in France.
Are magic mushrooms ("shrooms") legal in France?
"Magic mushrooms" and "shrooms" are common names for fungi that contain psilocybin, and this entry states the law on psilocybin itself, which some laws treat separately from the fungus. Psilocybin is illegal in France.
Read the law
Code de la sante publique Art. L3421-1 (Law of 31 December 1970): drug use is a criminal offense (delit) punishable by up to 1 year imprisonment and a 3,750 euro fine; all hallucinogenic mushrooms are classified as narcotics. Since 2020 the same offense may instead be settled by an amende forfaitaire delictuelle, a fast-track CRIMINAL fine and not decriminalization: the statute sets it at 200 euros, reduced to 150 euros and raised to 450 euros. Loi n. 2025-532 of 13 June 2025 (anti-narcotrafic) further hardened enforcement.1
Sources
This entry's status is checked against the primary sources below, and the methodology explains how each entry is graded for confidence.
- 1.Légifrance.Légifrance (opens in new tab) · legifrance.gouv.fr
- 2.European Union Drugs Agency.European Union Drugs Agency (opens in new tab) · euda.europa.eu
This entry is for information only and is not legal or medical advice. Laws change, and enforcement can differ from the letter of the law, so check the current position against the primary sources above before relying on it.
Changes to this record
2 changes on file, the latest on . Show allHide
Every change we have made to this record, dated, corrections included. Nothing changes silently.
France's entry quoted a 500 euro fixed fine that was announced but never enacted. The statute sets 200 euros, reduced to 150 and raised to 450, and the entry now matches it.
France was filed as having decriminalized drug use. The fine police can issue on the spot is a criminal penalty for a criminal offense, and a law of June 2025 hardened enforcement, so the status was corrected to illegal.
Psilocybin Media Group. "France: psilocybin legal status." The Psilocybin Record, accession FR-001, version of 23 Aug 2026. https://psilocybinlegalization.com/record/france