Puerto Rico
Psilocybin is illegal in Puerto Rico, where possession is a felony under the island's Controlled Substances Act. A 2026 executive order tells the Department of Health to study whether a research pilot is feasible, and it authorizes no treatment.1
- Checked against the 2 sources cited below.
1. What the law is
Puerto Rico's own Controlled Substances Act, passed in 1971, lists psilocybin and psilocin in Schedule I, and federal law, which also applies on the island, does the same. Under the island's law, possession is a felony carrying a fixed three-year prison term, though a court can put a first offender on probation and then dismiss the case. In August 2026 Governor Jenniffer González Colón ordered the Department of Health to study whether a clinical research pilot on psychedelic and other emerging therapies is feasible. The order itself authorizes no one to administer, prescribe or offer those therapies as routine care.
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 reform legislation on file for Puerto Rico yet. If one passes, it appears here, dated.
3. Proposed laws
No proposed law is on file in Puerto Rico that would change this entry, as of the 08 Oct 2026 review.
4. Common questions
Are mushrooms legal in Puerto Rico?
No. Psilocybin and psilocin are Schedule I substances under Puerto Rico's Controlled Substances Act, and the listing covers any material that contains either one, which takes in the mushrooms themselves. Possession is a felony under the island's law, and federal law prohibits them in Puerto Rico as well.
Did Puerto Rico legalize psychedelic therapy in 2026?
No. Executive Order OE-2026-037, signed on 4 August 2026, tells the Secretary of Health to study whether a clinical research pilot on emerging therapies is feasible and creates an advisory committee to report on it. Section 15 of the order says nothing in it authorizes anyone to administer, prescribe or offer these therapies as routine clinical care, and any pilot would need a later authorization from the governor.
What is the penalty for possessing psilocybin in Puerto Rico?
Possession is a felony under article 404(a) of the Controlled Substances Act. The sentence is a fixed three years in prison, which a court can raise to five or lower to two, and the court may add a fine of up to $5,000. After an earlier possession conviction, the term is six years. Someone with no earlier drug conviction can be put on probation without a finding of guilt, and if they complete it the court can dismiss the case. That route is available once.
Can psilocybin clinical trials run in Puerto Rico?
Yes, under the same federal rules as in the states: a trial needs an investigational new drug application with the FDA and a DEA registration. Puerto Rico's law adds a step of its own, because article 303(h) has the Secretary of Health review each researcher and protocol before registering anyone to research a Schedule I substance. The 2026 executive order tells the Department of Health to prepare the island for such trials. It does not approve any.
Are magic mushrooms ("shrooms") legal in Puerto Rico?
"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 Puerto Rico, where possession is a felony under the island's Controlled Substances Act. A 2026 executive order tells the Department of Health to study whether a research pilot is feasible, and it authorizes no treatment.
Read the law
Ley de Sustancias Controladas de Puerto Rico, Ley Núm. 4 de 23 de junio de 1971, as amended. Article 202 lists psilocybin and psilocin among the Schedule I hallucinogens, at items (c)(15) and (c)(16), and the listing reaches any material containing either (24 L.P.R.A. § 2202). Article 404(a) makes possession a felony (24 L.P.R.A. § 2404). Article 401(b)(1)(B) sets the penalty for making or distributing a Schedule I substance that is not a narcotic (24 L.P.R.A. § 2401).1
Ley de Sustancias Controladas de Puerto Rico (Ley Núm. 4 de 23 de junio de 1971) (opens in new tab). Article 202 lists psilocybin and psilocin in Schedule I, and article 404 sets the penalty for possession. This is the government's consolidated text, revised to 2 May 2026.
Oficina de Gerencia y Presupuesto · bvirtualogp.pr.gov
Executive Order OE-2026-037 (4 August 2026) (opens in new tab). Orders a feasibility study of a clinical research pilot on emerging therapies and creates an advisory committee. Section 15 says it authorizes no therapy.
Departamento de Estado de Puerto Rico · docs.pr.gov
Sources
This entry's status is checked against the primary sources below, and the methodology explains how each entry is graded for confidence.
- 1.bvirtualogp.pr.gov (opens in new tab) · bvirtualogp.pr.gov
- 2.docs.pr.gov (opens in new tab) · docs.pr.gov
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.
Puerto Rico joins the register. Psilocybin is a Schedule I substance under the island's Controlled Substances Act of 1971, and possessing it is a felony.
Puerto Rico's governor ordered the Department of Health to study whether a clinical research pilot on psychedelic and other emerging therapies is feasible, and created an advisory committee to report on it. The order authorizes no treatment, and psilocybin remains a Schedule I substance.
Psilocybin Media Group. "Puerto Rico: psilocybin legal status." The Psilocybin Record, accession US-PR-001, version of 20 Oct 2026. https://psilocybinlegalization.com/record/puerto-rico