Visiting Seattle: what the law says about magic mushrooms

The short answer

No. As of November 2, 2026, magic mushrooms are illegal to possess in Seattle for visitors and residents alike: Washington lists psilocybin and psilocyn in its Schedule I, and knowing possession is a gross misdemeanor, punishable by up to 180 days in jail (364 days after two prior convictions since July 1, 2023), a fine of up to $1,000, or both. Since Ordinance 126896 took effect in 2023, it's also a crime under Seattle's own code.^{1, 2, 6} Cannabis is different: Initiative 502, approved by voters on November 6, 2012, made limited possession legal for adults 21+, and state-licensed stores sell it.^{1, 4}

Seattle's 2021 resolution declares that entheogen cases should be among the city's lowest enforcement priorities, but it doesn't make anything legal.⁵ Washington's law creates no license to sell psilocybin, so "dispensary" websites and delivery services operate illegally: delivering psilocybin to another person, paid or free, is a class C felony.³ Mail order is illegal too: whoever ships it, the person who receives psilocybin possesses it under federal and Washington law, and the law makes no exception for any seller, including the online shop for adults 21+ that our team runs.^{1, 7} That shop keeps a state-by-state table of psilocybin laws, useful if you're traveling on from Seattle.

Cannabis yes, psilocybin no

Washington's adult-use exemption covers only "useable cannabis, cannabis concentrates, or cannabis-infused products" for adults 21+, within set limits; psilocybin and psilocyn stay in the state's Schedule I.^{1, 2} Licensed cannabis stores can't sell mushrooms either: retail outlets "may not sell products or services other than cannabis concentrates, useable cannabis, cannabis-infused products, or paraphernalia" for them.⁴ The 2021 resolution adds to the confusion, because its title states the City Council's "support for full decriminalization."⁵ Support isn't a change in the law. The timeline lists the votes and rulings, and myths checked covers the claims that still circulate.

What Seattle's resolution does and doesn't do

On October 4, 2021, the Seattle City Council voted 9 to 0 to adopt Resolution 32021. It defines entheogens to include psilocybin mushrooms and declares, in its title:⁵

that the investigation, arrest, and prosecution of anyone engaging in entheogen-related activities should be among The City of Seattle's lowest law enforcement priorities

Seattle City Council, Resolution 32021, 2021

A resolution states policy and makes requests. It didn't amend the municipal code or state law; its own recitals describe the Council's "intent to advance legislation amending the SMC" later.⁵

Two years later the city went the other way. On September 19, 2023, the Council voted 6 to 3 for what became Ordinance 126896, signed by Mayor Bruce Harrell the next day. It writes the state's possession and public-use offenses and drug schedules into city code, leaving out only cannabis, with no exception for psilocybin. It also says "Diversion, treatment, and other alternatives to booking are the preferred approach" when police enforce those offenses.⁶ State law says "The prosecutor is encouraged to divert such cases," but encouraged isn't required.¹

On January 22, 2026, KUOW reported that the new city attorney, Erika Evans, said she would divert cases away from prosecution whenever possible; that police "have not stopped arresting people for public drug use"; and that King County's public defense department had reported 215 city drug charges since 2023.²³ A low priority isn't a promise, and visitors are under the same law as residents.

At Sea-Tac Airport

TSA's guidance is direct: "TSA security officers do not search for marijuana or other illegal drugs, but if any illegal substance is discovered during security screening, TSA will refer the matter to a law enforcement officer."¹² At Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, the Port of Seattle Police Department "provides the primary law enforcement service."¹³

Washington's possession law applies at the airport as it does everywhere in the state.¹ Federal law applies too: psilocybin is a Schedule I substance, and possession is a federal crime anywhere in the country, punishable for a first offense by up to a year in prison, a minimum fine of $1,000, or both. Arriving from abroad with psilocybin is importing a Schedule I substance, a separate federal crime.^{7, 8}

Ferries, parks and federal land

Possession is illegal on ferries and buses as everywhere else in the state, and using a controlled substance in a public place is a separate offense with the same penalty. The statute's definition of "public place" lists "railroad trains, stages, and other public conveyances of all kinds and character," their public depots and waiting rooms, and "publicly owned bathing beaches, parks, and/or playgrounds"; it doesn't name ferries or buses.¹

In national parks such as Mount Rainier and Olympic, 36 CFR 2.35 prohibits possessing a controlled substance unless prescribed "or otherwise allowed by Federal or State law," which psilocybin isn't, and being present "under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance to a degree that may endanger oneself or another person." Violating park regulations carries up to six months in jail, a fine, or both.⁹

Picked mushrooms are no exception: Schedule I covers any material containing psilocybin or psilocyn, and the possession law's exception is for a valid prescription, not for where the mushrooms came from.^{1, 2} The Washington Poison Center also warns that eating the wrong kind can lead to kidney and even liver failure.²¹ The species entry covers the region's deadly lookalikes.

Crossing into Canada

Canada lists psilocybin and psilocin in Schedule III of its Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. Possession is punishable on indictment by up to three years; importing a Schedule III substance into Canada, or exporting one, by up to ten.¹⁰ Coming back to the U.S. with psilocybin is importing a Schedule I substance.^{7, 8}

British Columbia's decriminalization pilot let adults 18+ possess small amounts of opioids, cocaine, methamphetamine and MDMA. Psilocybin wasn't covered, and the exemption expired on January 31, 2026.¹⁴ Vancouver's mushroom storefronts sell without federal authorization, and buying from one doesn't make possession legal: the act permits possession only as "authorized under the regulations."^{10, 24} On November 1, 2023, Vancouver police raided three stores belonging to one chain and seized their stock, Mugglehead and CTV News reported.²⁴

Alaska cruises

Seattle's cruise terminals are among the port properties the Port of Seattle Police patrol.¹³ Federal possession law applies in Alaska as in every state.⁷ Alaska lists psilocybin and psilocyn in schedule IIA. Possessing any amount of a schedule IIA substance is a class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $25,000; possession near a school or youth center, or on a school bus, is a class B felony.¹¹ If your ship calls in British Columbia, Canadian law applies ashore, and arriving back at a U.S. port with psilocybin would be importing it.^{10, 7}

The nearest legal option: Oregon

Oregon runs the nearest legal, regulated program, for adults 21+. The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) says "Clients do not need to live in Oregon" and "A prescription or medical referral is not required." A preparation session with a licensed facilitator comes first; "The administration session is the only time a client may purchase and consume psilocybin products," and "Products may not be purchased and taken off-site."¹⁵ Carrying psilocybin back into Washington would be possession under state and federal law.^{1, 7}

Seven of the 20 service centers in OHA's public directory give Portland addresses on their own websites: 172.8 to 178.0 road miles from downtown Seattle, about 3.4 to 3.6 hours without traffic, as computed for this almanac with the OSRM routing service on November 2, 2026. OHA says the directory lists only licensees who consented and isn't comprehensive.¹⁷

In 2025, OHA counted 5,935 clients served: 1,753 (29.5 percent) listed as living elsewhere in the U.S., 183 outside the country (one quarter's count withheld) and 446 who didn't answer. Washington State residents aren't counted separately; OHA's "Washington" row is Washington County, Oregon. The annual figures add up four quarterly reports, so a client served in two quarters may be counted twice.¹⁶ Colorado's licensed healing centers reported 109 participants served from August to December 2025, in voluntary, preliminary data with no out-of-state figure.¹⁸ More figures are in Seattle by the numbers.

Mushroom gummies and smoke shops

Some smoke shops sell "mushroom" gummies and chocolates labeled as containing Amanita muscaria or "nootropic" mushroom blends rather than psilocybin. In a July 2024 CDC report, four of six gummy packages bought at gas stations and smoke shops near Charlottesville, Virginia, from three brands, contained unlabeled psilocybin or psilocin; testing also found caffeine, ephedrine and mitragynine, a kratom compound.¹⁹

By October 31, 2024, an FDA and CDC investigation had counted 180 illnesses in 34 states (2 in Washington), 73 hospitalizations and 3 potentially associated deaths among people who ate "mushroom" chocolate bars, cones or gummies. Of the 180, 118 had eaten one brand, sold in smoke and vape shops among other outlets and recalled by its maker on June 27, 2024; FDA's tests of that brand found muscimol, psilocin, acetylpsilocin, pregabalin and kava compounds.²⁰

A label doesn't change the law: psilocybin is Schedule I in Washington and federally, whatever the package says.^{2, 8} If a product makes someone sick, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222; in Washington the Washington Poison Center answers.²¹

If something goes wrong

Call 911 for trouble breathing, a seizure, chest pain, or someone who can't be woken. For a suspected poisoning, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222; after anyone eats a wild mushroom, the Washington Poison Center asks people to call right away if nausea, vomiting or diarrhea starts.²¹ In a mental health or suicidal crisis, call or text 988. For support during or after a psychedelic experience, Fireside Project's peer line, 62-FIRESIDE (623-473-7433), takes calls and texts from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Pacific every day, free and confidential; it says it isn't a suicide hotline.²² The psychedelics entry covers the wider scene.