State and local-level rules for psychedelic-assisted therapy, guides, and facilitators

Oregon and Colorado were the first two states to decriminalize psilocybin and psychedelics in the United States, with New Mexico recently passing legistation in early 2025. However, across states and cities, regulations and license requirements vary dramatically.

Oregon

In Oregon, anyone over the age of 21 can consume psilocybin in therapeutic settings, when led by a state-licensed facilitator (it cannot be sold and taken home for private use). There are strict rules that the dosing session be conducted in a “non-directive” manner, meaning that there cannot be any direction or therapy discussion during the dosing session. Facilitators are restricted from using the word “therapy” in the administration of psychedelics, although the protocols and processes are often the same as traditional PAT. Also, facilitators are restricted in their ability to use any professional licenses while facilitating a dosing session.Oregon facilitation requirements

Training: Completion of an Oregon Health Authority approved training program is mandatory. These programs must include at least 120 hours of core training and a minimum of 40 hours of hands-on practicum experience.
Licensing exam: After completing the training, you must pass a licensing exam administered by the Oregon Health Authority.
Ongoing requirements: Licensed facilitators are required to maintain their licenses, which include continuing education and renewal processess

Colorado

Colorado was the second state to decriminalize psilocybin, and is currently rolling out its rules and regulations. The draft rules for psychedelic guides were released in February 2024, and draft final rules were released in August 2024.

New Mexico

New Mexico passed Senate Bill 219 in April 2025, decriminalizing psilocybin for certain medical uses including end of life care. While this is a great legal victory, the path ahead is still long. SB 219 kicks off the process to establish guidelines, rules, and regulations for use in the state, with first official patient dosing expected in 2028.

City-level and local rules

Even within states without formal guidance, at the local level, cities and towns have relaxed laws and regulations about psychedelics. You can view the great visual tracker of state and local laws at Psychedelic Alpha

SACHI’S TAKE ON COLORADO’S NEW REGULATIONS

There are four types of licenses for facilitators, with each license allowing different categories for facilitation and guidance of psychedelic services. All facilitators must complete (at a minimum) 150 hours of education, 40 hours of supervised practice, and 50 hours of consultation in order to be licensed. “Healing Centers” will be licensed by the Colorado Department of Revenue and are divided into large scale “Service Centers” and smaller scale “micro-healing centers.” Before offering psychedelic services, safety screenings are mandatory to identify risk factors for both mental and physical conditions, and will determine the level of license required for facilitation. Residential (at-home) facilitation is allowed with specific rules about max dose and monitoring (this is very different from the rules in Oregon). License fees for businesses operating under the natural medicine law are still under review.

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