Psychedelics & The Bahamas: Everything You Need to Know
While The Bahamas is a signatory to the 1971 UN Convention on Drugs, magic mushrooms and other psychedelics are actually not illegal here. Indeed, possession, use, and cultivation for private use is fully legal.
The island nation of The Bahamas is a great destination for those looking for sun and fun. But that’s not all you can do!
As it turns out, psychedelics are largely legal in The Bahamas, which means you can also enjoy magic mushrooms knowing you won’t get in trouble with the law.
There’s also some buzz around the legalization of medical marijuana, but nothing official has yet been legislated. Still, there’s reason to be hopeful about the future of drug decriminalization in The Bahamas.
Summary of Drug Laws In The Bahamas
- The main piece of legislation that governs drug policy in The Bahamas — the Dangerous Drugs Act – does not include magic mushrooms or many other psychedelics within its provisions, effectively making them legal.
- Cannabis (and all of its derivatives), opium, coca leaves, cocaine, morphine, amphetamines, and LSD (and all of its analogs) are illegal to possess, consume, distribute, etc.
- The Dangerous Drug Acts allows for adding analog substances into the legislation as they appear.
- The punishment for drug-related offenses varies depending on the specifics of each case. For instance, anyone caught with possession of cannabis may face a fine of up to $50,000 or imprisonment for five years. However, possession with intent to supply can be as much as $500,000 and up to 30 years in prison.
Are Magic Mushrooms Legal In The Bahamas?
In a word — yes!
There are some loose restrictions due to international agreements to which The Bahamas is a signatory, but for all intents and purposes, magic mushrooms are legal. Users may consume, possess, and cultivate for their personal use.
Also, because of the legality of magic mushrooms, psilocybin therapy and psychotourism have taken off in The Bahamas.
Legislation is absent regarding the amount of magic mushrooms one is allowed to possess. Unless one carries copious amounts of mushrooms, there shouldn’t be any issues.
Is LSD Legal In The Bahamas?
No. LSD is not legal in The Bahamas.
Many people often think LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) must be legal since shrooms are legal, but this would be a mistake. LSD is expressly listed as an illegal substance in Bahamas legislation.
All analogs of LSD are also listed as illegal — this includes other popular lysergamides such as ETH-LAD, AL-LAD, PRO-LAD, and LSZ.
Is DMT Legal In The Bahamas?
DMT (dimethyltryptamine) is not mentioned in the Dangerous Drug Acts, so technically, it can also be considered legal.
The most common form of DMT in The Bahamas is ayahuasca, administered at various retreat centers operating around the country.
In fact, a treatment center run by Dr. Martin Polanco, one of the leading physicians in the cutting edge of psychedelic therapy, used to offer treatments for depression using both ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT here in the Bahamas. The treatment center appears to have shut down, but several others are now in operation.
Is MDMA Legal In The Bahamas?
MDMA is not legal in The Bahamas.
As an amphetamine drug, MDMA fits the definition of an illegal drug under the Dangerous Drugs Act.
There is hope for change, though, as The Bahamas has shown itself open to the therapeutic potential of serotonergic and psychedelic compounds. As countries like Canada and the United States are eyeing the legalization of MDMA in a medical setting, places like The Bahamas are likely to change their stance too in the coming years.
Is Cannabis Legal In The Bahamas?
No. Cannabis is not legal in any way in The Bahamas.
With the passage of the Dangerous Drug Act in 1929, cannabis was made illegal. Then, in 1962, the act was amended to include “all parts of the plant Cannabis sativa whether growing or not from which the resin has not been extracted; the resin extracted from any part of such plant; and every compound, manufacture, salt derivative, mixture, or preparation of such plant or resin.”
However, there has been some recent progress toward legalizing medical cannabis in The Bahamas.
In January 2018, the Caribbean Community Regional Commission held a town hall meeting on the possibility of decriminalizing cannabis. A governmental committee was also established to consult with The Bahamas citizens on their views regarding the country’s future marijuana laws and policies.
Then, in May 2021, following the publication of the committee’s findings, a preliminary bill of updated The Bahamas marijuana laws was leaked to the press. The latest bill calls for the legalization of medical marijuana.
Although legislation has yet to be presented, cannabis use is largely tolerated by the general population, and we would not be surprised to see a significant move toward legalization in the coming years.
Key Takeaways: Psychedelics In The Bahamas
In the Western Hemisphere, The Bahamas is definitely a bright spot in terms of the legalization of psychedelics. Not only are psychedelics legal to consume and cultivate, but psychedelic retreats and therapeutic facilities are starting to grow and develop in response to outside interests.
The only thing we would not recommend is attempting to fly magic mushrooms into The Bahamas, as you might get into trouble with the authorities at the departing airport.
