Czechia poised to legalize magic mushrooms for mental health treatment

Czechia is on the verge of becoming a trailblazer in Europe by legalizing the medical use of magic mushrooms—specifically, psilocybin, the psychedelic compound found in these fungi—to treat depression and other mental health conditions.

The country’s lower house of parliament recently passed a groundbreaking amendment allowing psilocybin-assisted therapy in psychiatric hospitals and clinics, where qualified psychiatrists and therapists would administer the treatment under strict supervision. This reform is part of broader criminal code changes aimed at modernizing drug laws and improving mental health care access.

Psilocybin therapy, currently available only in clinical trials, has shown promise especially for patients for whom traditional antidepressants have failed.

With shortages of some antidepressant medications like Anafranil affecting patients, many are looking toward psychedelics as a new hope, reports ČT24. The outlet highlights a vase where a patient who faced severe depression after an incurable cancer diagnosis, described how psychadelics helped her regain joy, self-esteem, and a new outlook on life.

Jiří Horáček, head of the Center for Advanced Brain and Consciousness Studies at the National Institute of Mental Health, said that psychadelics can shorten suffering where traditional medications fall short.

“If this law passes, it could offer new hope to thousands suffering from depression and anxiety by providing faster, more effective treatment options.”

A survey shows 68 percent of Czechs support medical use of psychedelics when prescribed by doctors, signaling growing public acceptance alongside political will.

The bill now heads to the Senate, where those close to the issue believe it will pass. 

While Czechia pushes forward, other European countries are cautiously exploring similar paths. The Netherlands and Portugal have long decriminalized certain psychedelic substances, and recent medical trials are underway in countries like Germany and the UK.

However, Czechia’s move to formally legalize psilocybin for therapeutic use under medical supervision would place it among the first in the EU to integrate psychedelics into mainstream mental health treatment.