The legal status of magic mushrooms varies worldwide. However, they are not regulated in the U.S. or by U.N. treaties. As of yet, they do not have recognized medical uses, but they do have medicinal and cultural uses throughout history.
The ambiguity of their legal status in the U.S. is due to the fact that they have hallucinogenic effects. It is illegal to possess magic mushrooms without a license for research. Moreover, their cultivation is considered drug manufacturing.
Upcoming legal changes in the U.S. include approval for mental health treatment in supervised settings. For instance, an online retailer of psilocybin spores confirms that a ballot initiative has been passed in Oregon legalizing psilocybin for licensed center and mental health therapies. The new law came into effect in 2021. Similarly, for a while, there has been a bill pending in the California State Legislature aiming at legalizing purchase, possession and transportation of: psilocybin, psilocin, DMT, mescaline, lysergic, LSD and MDMA. This bill has recently been approved by the California State Senate with twenty-one votes in favor. Moreover, in 2021, the City Councils of Somerville, Washington, Northampton, Seattle and Cambridge also voted for decriminalization.
To reiterate, spores that do not contain psychoactive chemicals are only illegal in California, Georgia and Idaho. In the rest of the country, it is not illegal to sell spores. However, in most states, magic mushrooms are only legal for ornamental purposes. Selling, growing and/or possessing magic mushroom is prohibited by the Louisiana State Act 159. As of yet, the drug has only been decriminalized in: Denver, Colorado, Oakland, California, Santa Cruz, Ann Arbor, Massachusetts.