1. What the law is
A veto override in April 2026 put state money into psychedelic research, and none of it reaches psilocybin. Senate Bill 77 sets up an ibogaine research framework for substance use disorders, enacted after the General Assembly overrode Governor Beshear. It names no other drug and creates no access program. Psilocybin remains Schedule I, possession is prohibited, and no psilocybin bill advanced in the 2026 session.
Psilocybin is illegal in Kentucky. It is classified as a Schedule I controlled substance under the Kentucky Controlled Substances Act (KRS Chapter 218A), the most restrictive schedule, which the legislature defines as substances with a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use. Possession of a Schedule I controlled substance is a criminal offense under KRS 218A.1415, and no state law authorizes the possession, sale, or supervised use of psilocybin.
Psilocybin remains illegal in Kentucky now, and no enacted law or pending bill creates any legal access to it. In the 2026 Regular Session, the General Assembly passed Senate Bill 77, which became law in April 2026 after both chambers overrode Governor Beshear's veto (Senate 31-6, House 77-18). SB 77 establishes an ibogaine research and intellectual property fund administered by the Department of Agriculture to support clinical drug-development trials of ibogaine; it concerns ibogaine only and contains no psilocybin provisions and creates no psilocybin access program. No psilocybin-specific legislation advanced in the 2026 session, so Kentucky's scheduling of psilocybin under KRS Chapter 218A is unchanged.
2. History
The legal events behind this entry, dated and oldest first. Our own reviews and corrections are listed under Changes to this record.
No psilocybin-specific legislation advances in the 2026 Regular Session; psilocybin remains a Schedule I controlled substance under KRS Chapter 218A.
Kentucky General Assembly overrides Governor Beshear's veto of Senate Bill 77 (Senate 31-6, House 77-18); the ibogaine research bill becomes law as Acts Chapter 158. The bill does not address psilocybin.
3. Proposed laws
No proposed law is on file in Kentucky that would change this entry, as of the 01 Aug 2026 review.
4. Common questions
Is psilocybin legal in Kentucky?
No. Psilocybin is a Schedule I controlled substance under the Kentucky Controlled Substances Act (KRS Chapter 218A), and possession is a criminal offense under KRS 218A.1415. No state law authorizes its possession, sale, or supervised use.
Did Senate Bill 77 legalize psilocybin in Kentucky?
No. SB 77 (2026), enacted in April 2026 over the Governor's veto, establishes a state-funded research framework for ibogaine administered by the Department of Agriculture. It concerns ibogaine only, contains no psilocybin provisions, and creates no psilocybin access program.
Is there a medical or therapeutic psilocybin program in Kentucky?
No. Kentucky has no statute authorizing medical, therapeutic, or supervised psilocybin use. Psilocybin remains Schedule I under KRS Chapter 218A, with no access program enacted as of the last review.
What is the penalty for psilocybin possession in Kentucky?
Possession of psilocybin, a Schedule I controlled substance, is prohibited under KRS 218A.1415. Penalties are determined by Kentucky law for Schedule I possession offenses; this page is a legal-status reference and not legal advice.
Are magic mushrooms ("shrooms") legal in Kentucky?
"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 Kentucky.
Read the law
SB 77 (2026): Ibogaine research framework appropriating $21 million per fiscal year of the 2026-2028 biennium; vetoed April 13, 2026 and enacted April 14, 2026 when the General Assembly overrode Gov. Beshear's veto; 2026 Acts ch. 158. Concerns ibogaine research only; no psilocybin provisions.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.apps.legislature.ky.gov (opens in new tab) · apps.legislature.ky.gov
- 2.lpm.org (opens in new tab) · lpm.org
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.
Kentucky's 2026 session ended with no psilocybin bill. Nothing is pending.
Kentucky had been recorded as mixed on the strength of a law that is about ibogaine, not psilocybin. Senate Bill 77 changes nothing for psilocybin, so the status was corrected to illegal.
Psilocybin Media Group. "Kentucky: psilocybin legal status." The Psilocybin Record, accession US-KY-001, version of 23 Aug 2026. https://psilocybinlegalization.com/record/kentucky