The Future of Psychedelic Policy Is Happening Now

How do we build psychedelic policy that actually works for the people it's meant to serve?

It's a question worth sitting with. Most policies on the books weren't written with microdosing in mind, and according to RAND Research, the 10 million Americans (or more!) that are microdosing are likely feeling that gap. A daily, low-dose practice doesn't fit neatly into existing legal frameworks, and until it does, most people are navigating their journey without protection, guidance, or support.

Beyond the gap itself is the question of how we build policy that actually works: frameworks that are equitable, that protect people rather than just regulate them, that honor where these medicines come from, and that make room for a practice that existing clinical models weren't designed to include.

Last month, our very own Alli Schaper and Chelsea Coyle sat down with three of the people actively working on those answers.

Between the three of them, they've helped write the bills, argued the cases, and sat in the very rooms where psychedelic policy is being decided.

Here are 6 takeaways from our conversation with Ismail, Allison, and Joshua on where things stand and what it's going to take to build a future focused on safe, equitable access. 👇

#1: Federal policy just made its biggest move in decades ⚖️

"Those two executive orders are probably the biggest shift in drug policy we've seen in 50 years." - Joshua Kappel

On April 18, 2026, the U.S federal government issued an executive order directing the FDA to fast-track review for breakthrough-therapy psychedelic drugs. Just five days later, on April 23, the Justice Department moved medical marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III, following a separate executive order from December.

This order also settled something that had been previously unresolved: whether the Right to Try Act (which lets patients access experimental drugs once they've cleared initial safety trials) applies to Schedule I substances like psilocybin, LSD, and DMT. The new order instructs the DEA to issue the authorizations needed to make this access possible.

What you can do: This is a moment to get genuinely informed. Alli opened the whole webinar by pointing out how many people still think psilocybin is fully legal everywhere in the U.S. and it's not. Knowing the difference between "expedited FDA review," "rescheduling," “decriminalization,” and "legalization" means you're not repeating a misleading headline at best or accidentally breaking the law at worst.

Here's a quick breakdown to get you started:

• Decriminalization removes or reduces criminal penalties for personal use or possession, but doesn't make selling or manufacturing legal.

• Legalization means a substance is fully legal to use, possess, and typically sell under a regulated system.

• Rescheduling moves a substance to a different category under federal drug law (like Schedule I to Schedule III), changing its legal and medical status without making it broadly legal.

• An Expedited FDA Review speeds up how quickly the FDA evaluates a drug for approval, it has no bearing on it’s current legal status.

#2: New York remains a frontier to watch 🗽

A quick update on New York's Medical Psilocybin Act (A2142-A): despite strong bipartisan support, it didn't make it onto this year's Assembly agenda due to budget constraints. The work continues into next session…

The good news is that the bill is co-sponsored by Amy Paulin, Chair of the Assembly Health Committee. As Ismail explained later in the conversation, that kind of sponsorship carries real weight because "that person [Amy Paulin] has a lot of power in the process." 

The bill remains unique for what it would allow: a physician-created care plan that could direct a patient toward a supervised session, at-home use, or even microdosing, the first model of its kind in the country.

Joshua called it "a huge step forward" for people who don't currently have that kind of access such as, "folks who have cluster headaches that want to microdose."

What you can do: If you're in New York (or anywhere with active legislation), show up locally. A short call or email to your state rep, especially one sitting on the relevant committee, genuinely moves things. You can get inspiration from us here.

#3: At-Home Shouldn’t Mean Under-Resourced 🍄‍🟫

When asked what safe, at-home access should actually look like, Joshua asked: "the number one piece is: can people acquire safe tested products?" He pointed out that a lot of mushroom products sold in stores today aren't reliably what they claim to be, and that to safely consume means being aware of what you're ingesting.

He also spoke on the importance of individualized care, essentially using a physician to shape a plan around the person rather than assuming everyone needs the same level of supervision, as no two people nor their microdosing regimes will look the same.

Allison added another piece focused on harm reduction and letting people make informed decisions:

"I think that you need education to start. I think you need some health screening to know what are the contraindications, what are your risks? People should be able to choose their own support and setting."

What you can do: Know your source, and prioritize safety. Seek out tested products, and work with a healthcare provider to better understand your own contraindications and risk factors before you start.

#4: The Importance of Honoring Where These Medicines Come From 🌍

Ismail laid out a thoughtful framework to sit with: our obligation to indigenous communities scales with how narrow or widespread a medicine's origins are. Ibogaine and peyote, for example, come from a small, specific region tied to a handful of tribes. Mushrooms, by contrast, have been used by "probably hundreds if not thousands of tribes" across history. He also raised an important point, that "natural" isn't automatically the more ethical choice, since natural sourcing often carries a heavier ecological cost than synthetic alternatives.

What you can do: Get curious about where your medicine actually comes from. The Indigenous Medicine Conservation Fund's bioregion mapping (which Ismail pointed to directly) is a real starting point if you want to understand the reciprocity question beyond the abstract.

#5: Policy Needs Your Voice 🗣️

Ismail shared his policy "hot take for the day":

Joshua added that at the end of the day, "we just can't legislate everything… At some point, individuals and communities have to take responsibility for safety themselves.”

What you can do: Be the "safe exposure" that shifts culture. Your story, your voice, and the way you talk about your own experience with these medicines are a vital part of the shift. Ismail’s philosophy speaks to this: the more people who model thoughtful, responsible use, the less fear drives bad policy, and the better policy can follow.

#6: The Unseen Community Gap 🫂

Allison raised a concern that doesn't get much airtime in policy conversations: what happens after a big experience if there's no real support waiting for you at home.

"I’m concerned about people who come home from this big experience... without any community or the appropriate support they might need... maybe just going back to the same bad habits or having a spiritual crisis."

She named this as a collective responsibility, not just an individual one, calling it the “gap between facilitation and the real world integration."

The same holds true for microdosing. The benefits people report often come as much from the ritual, intention, and community around the practice, not just the medicine itself.

What you can do: Build your support system and cultivate community where you can. That might mean finding a therapist, an integration circle, or having one honest conversation with someone who won't panic if you bring up your own experience. Your safety net matters as much as the medicine.

If you’re looking to build your community further with us, we would love to have you. To learn more click here.

💬 What's your take on this year’s psychedelic policy progress? Reply and let us know!

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- With love from team Microdosing Collective 🍄

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DISCLAIMER: This newsletter is intended for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered a replacement for professional medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making changes. The Microdosing Collective does not promote the use of any illegal substance. Please be aware that the use, possession, and distribution of psychedelic substances are illegal in many countries and could lead to legal consequences.