Indiana Lags in Psychedelic Drug Law Reform: Expect 2–3 More Years
As little as 1/3 of a dose of magic mushrooms in Indiana could land users more than 2 months in jail. If you’re looking to try psychedelics, you’d better head North.
Most psychedelic drugs are illegal in Indiana. Possessing any of them can cost you up to 60 days in jail and $500 in fines. In addition, analogs and salvia are also banned there.
In this article, we will explain why magic mushrooms are being researched for psychotherapy. In addition, we’ll show you the current drug laws and which magic mushrooms you can find in Indiana.
Read on to learn all about psychedelic drugs in the Hoosier State.
Are Magic Mushrooms Legal in Indiana?
Despite having proven medical uses, magic mushrooms are illegal in Indiana.
According to IC35, in Indiana, possessing magic mushrooms can cost you 60 days in jail and a $500 fine.
Remember that these penalties only apply if the dose they find on you is for personal use. If you possess more than a gram of psilocybin (about 33% of a standard “personal dose”), the penalties will be harsher.
Magic mushroom spores, on the other hand, are entirely legal in Indiana. However, this only applies to research — as soon as the spores are germinated, they become illegal once again.
Related: Everything You Need To Know About Magic Mushrooms.
Map of Magic Mushroom Laws In the USA
Do Magic Mushrooms Grow Wild in Indiana?
Yes, you can find several species of magic mushrooms throughout Indiana. The humid subtropical climate of this state is ideal for mushrooms, which thrive in high humidity and warmer winters.
The most common magic mushroom species in Indiana include:
- Psilocybe baeocystis (found in temperate forests across the state)
- Psilocybe weilii (found in coniferous forests)
- Psilocybe cyanescens (found alongside trails or in gardens)
What Are the Medicinal Uses of Shrooms?
Official research on psilocybin began in the early 1960s by researchers including Timothy Leary and Richard Alpert as part of the Harvard Psilocybin Project.
After the fallout of the MK-Ultra project, psilocybin and most other psychedelics were outlawed, and all research came to a halt.
It wasn’t until the year 2000 before the research was officially allowed to continue. Since this time, the psychedelic field has been inundated with promising research on the health benefits of psychedelics — including magic mushrooms.
There are even several companies currently developing their own protocol for psilocybin-assisted therapy.
Some of the most promising health benefits of psilocybin include the following:
- Addiction & substance abuse disorders
- Cluster headaches
- Existential anxiety
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Treatment-resistant depression
Is LSD Legal in Indiana?
LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) and other lysergamide analogs are illegal in Indiana.
There are several other LSD analogs with similar effects — some of which are even stronger than LSD itself (such as LSZ). Other examples include PRO-LAD, ETH-LAD, ALD-52, and AL-LAD.
None of these compounds are officially listed on the restricted substances list but are illegal per the Federal Analogue Act — which prohibits any isomers of known prohibited substances.
The penalties for possession are the same as for magic mushrooms — as per Indiana State Code 2021. Possession penalties involve up to 60 days in jail and $500 for personal quantities.
If caught possesing high quantities of LSD or selling LSD, penalties can be significantly higher.
Is MDMA Legal in Indiana?
MDMA (ecstasy) is illegal in the state of Indiana.
While some states have taken steps toward legalizing MDMA for clinical use, Indiana has yet to make any moves in this direction. With that said, the FDA is currently reviewing the potential use of MDMA in the treatment of PTSD. If approved, it could mean patients in the state of Indiana will have access to this breakthrough medicine.
It’s very unlikely that Indiana will move to legalize or decriminalize the recreational use of MDMA in the near future.
Today, possessing up to one gram of ecstasy carries a penalty of 60 days in jail and a fine of up to $500.
Related: Everything You Need to Know About Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy.
Is Ketamine Legal in Indiana?
Ketamine is currently legal in the state of Indiana for medical use only.
It’s used as a form of anesthesia and as a treatment for depression and PTSD.
There are several ketamine clinics located around the state of Indiana, as well as online companies such as MindBloom.
Recreational use of ketamine remains strictly prohibited in the state of Indiana.
What’s The Difference Between Legalization & Decriminalization?
It’s essential to be aware of the difference between the legalization and decriminalization of a drug. While these concepts are similar, there are some fundamental differences between them.
Decriminalization involves:
- Reduces or overturns past convictions
- Does not authorize the commercialized sale of the substance
- Frees up the courts
- Enables help for the addicts (rather than punishment)
- Drug trafficking violence declines
Legalization involves:
- Overturns all related convictions
- Authorizes medicinal or recreational sales and use
- Aims to nullify drug trafficking
- Tax money is collected on commercial sales of the substance
- Regulators can better track & understand how the substance is used
Key Takeaways: What’s The Future of Psychedelics in Indiana?
The United States has slowly begun to move towards legalizing certain drugs with medicinal uses — such as psilocybin, MDMA, ketamine, LSD, and more.
There are even some states that are discussing decriminalizing natural and safe psychedelics, such as magic mushrooms, bufo toad venom (5-MeO-DMT), and salvia.
However, these discussions have not yet begun in the Hoosier State. We can expect new developments in the next 2-3 years after other US states make progress and can prove these changes don’t lead to increased drug violence or abuse.
