Arkansas
Psilocybin is illegal in Arkansas as of 18 Aug 2026.1
- Checked against 2 cited sources at this review.
1. What the law is
Ark. Code Ann. 5-64-203 and 5-64-204 (Schedule I criteria and statutory list); Arkansas Department of Health List of Controlled Substances, Schedule I items 28-29 (Psilocybin, Psilocyn)1
Arkansas schedules psilocybin and psilocyn at items 28 and 29. The legislature has passed no reform through 2026.
Arkansas adopted the Uniform Controlled Substances Act, and psilocybin and psilocyn sit in its Schedule I at Ark. Code Ann. Section 5-64-204, listed among the hallucinogenic substances. Possession, manufacture and delivery are prosecuted under the Act's penalty provisions at Ark. Code Ann. Sections 5-64-419 et seq. Nothing enacted by 2026 decriminalizes the substance, medicalizes it or authorizes it in any other form.
Arkansas adopted the Uniform Controlled Substances Act, codified at Ark. Code Ann. §§ 5-64-101 et seq., which places hallucinogenic substances, expressly including psilocybin and psilocyn, in Schedule I (Ark. Code Ann. § 5-64-204). Schedule I designation reflects the statutory criteria set out in Ark. Code Ann. § 5-64-203. The Arkansas Department of Health maintains the implementing List of Controlled Substances regulation (007.07.18 Ark. Code R. § 002), which itemizes psilocybin and psilocyn under Schedule I. No reform legislation (decriminalization, a medical or supervised-use framework, or a study task force) has been enacted in Arkansas as of 2026, and no such bill has advanced to law. The substance therefore remains fully prohibited under state law, and no current statute or regulation creates any lawful access pathway.
2. Pending legislation
No bill is on file in Arkansas that would change this record, as of the 18 Aug 2026 review.
3. History
The laws behind today’s status, when each took effect, and every review since, in order.
Psilocybin remains a Schedule I controlled substance in Arkansas under Ark. Code Ann. § 5-64-204; no reform legislation has been enacted.
4. Trials in Arkansas
Interventional psilocybin trials with at least one study site in Arkansas, drawn from ClinicalTrials.gov, EU CTIS, and ISRCTN. Registry data is reported by sponsors and shown as filed.
Recruiting, active, completed and closed add up to the 2 trials with a study site in Arkansas, as of Aug 2026. Closed covers trials terminated, suspended, withdrawn or left unverified.
| Registry ID | Trial | Phase | Sponsor | Status | Started |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCT06793397 (opens in new tab) | A Study of a Deuterated Psilocin Analog (CYB003) in Humans With Major Depressive Disorder (opens in new tab)Site at Pillar Clinical Research - Little Rock, Little Rock | Phase Phase 3 | Sponsor Cybin IRL Limited | Status Recruiting | Started |
| NCT06308653 (opens in new tab) | Psilocybin for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) (opens in new tab)Sites in Fayetteville and Little Rock | Phase Phase 3 | Sponsor Usona Institute | Status Active, not recruiting | Started |
ClinicalTrials.gov data courtesy of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
5. Common questions
Is psilocybin legal in Arkansas?
No. Psilocybin (and psilocyn) is a Schedule I controlled substance in Arkansas under the Uniform Controlled Substances Act (Ark. Code Ann. § 5-64-204). It is illegal to possess, manufacture, or deliver.
What statute makes psilocybin illegal in Arkansas?
Ark. Code Ann. § 5-64-204 places psilocybin and psilocyn in Schedule I as hallucinogenic substances. The Arkansas Department of Health's List of Controlled Substances regulation (007.07.18 Ark. Code R. § 002) lists both substances under Schedule I.
Has Arkansas decriminalized or legalized psilocybin?
No. As of 2026, Arkansas has not enacted any law decriminalizing psilocybin, creating a medical or supervised-use program, or establishing a study task force. The substance remains fully prohibited under state law.
Is there a medical psilocybin program in Arkansas?
No. Arkansas has no statute or regulation authorizing medical, therapeutic, or supervised use of psilocybin. It remains a Schedule I controlled substance under Ark. Code Ann. § 5-64-204, with no lawful access pathway.
Are magic mushrooms ("shrooms") legal in Arkansas?
"Magic mushrooms" and "shrooms" are common names for fungi that contain psilocybin. Psilocybin is illegal in Arkansas as of 18 Aug 2026. Some laws control the compound and the fungus separately, so this record states the position for psilocybin in Arkansas.
Sources and confidence
Every status line is checked against the primary sources below. How each record is graded for confidence is set out in the methodology.
- 1.healthy.arkansas.gov (opens in new tab) · healthy.arkansas.gov
- 2.healthy.arkansas.gov (opens in new tab) · healthy.arkansas.gov
Cited at the review
This information is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws change frequently, and enforcement practice can differ from the letter of the law. Verify current status with local authorities before relying on this record.
Changes to this record
Every change we have made to this record, dated, corrections included. Nothing changes silently.
Nothing has needed correcting or updating since this record first published.
Arkansas: psilocybin legal status. The Psilocybin Record. Accession US-AR-001. Status as of 18 Aug 2026. https://psilocybinlegalization.com/record/arkansas
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