The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has announced plans to significantly increase production quotas for several psychedelic substances next year as part of an expanding federal effort to support research into their potential therapeutic uses.
Major increases aimed at expanding research
A new notice from the agency outlines large proposed boosts to the allowable production of psilocybin, psilocyn, 5-MeO-DMT, and methylone in 2026.
Psilocybin production would rise from 30,000 grams to 40,000 grams.
Psilocyn would increase from 36,000 grams to 48,000 grams.
5-MeO-DMT would jump nearly threefold, from 11,000 grams to 30,000 grams.
Methylone would see one of the largest hikes, rising from 5,200 grams to 30,000 grams.
According to the DEA, these increases are designed to meet projected medical, scientific, and industrial research needs, as well as maintain reserves and support lawful exports.
Part of a larger shift toward psychedelic-based therapies
The move reflects growing momentum in the scientific community toward studying psychedelic-assisted therapy for mental-health conditions including PTSD and treatment-resistant depression.
In recent years, hundreds of clinical trials have been launched to examine how these compounds interact with the brain, how long their effects last, and whether they outperform placebo responses. Federal agencies such as the Department of Veterans Affairs have also begun funding research into psychedelic therapies for veterans struggling with severe mental-health disorders.
While the increased quotas may accelerate research opportunities, experts note that much remains unknown. Long-term safety profiles, optimal therapeutic protocols, and comparisons to existing treatments all require further investigation before psychedelics can move toward mainstream medical use.
Notably, the DEA chose not to raise quotas for several other controlled substances, including cannabis, THC, LSD, MDMA, and mescaline.
Still, the proposal represents one of the most significant federal shifts toward facilitating psychedelic research in decades — even if it comes with the unmistakable bureaucratic formality of the government saying, essentially, “Fine, you can make more mushrooms… but for science.”
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DEA cranks up the “magic mushroom machine” in the name of science
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