Psychedelics: Timeline of Key Developments – PSYCH: The Psychedelics As Medicine Report 3rd Edition

A chronological overview of scientific, regulatory and policy milestones shaping the development of psychedelics as medicines.

1896 • Germany

Arthur Heffter isolates mescaline for the first time

1901 • France

Dybowsky and Landrin isolate ibogaine for the first time

1912 • Germany

Anton Köllisch synthesises MDMA for the first time

1938 • Switzerland

Albert Hofmann synthesises LSD for the first time

1947 • Global

LSD is introduced as a commercial medication to psychiatrists under the trade-name Delysid

1958 • Switzerland

Albert Hofmann isolates psilocybin for the first time

1962 • US

Calvin Stevens synthesises ketamine for the first time

1962 April • US

Walter Pahnke and colleagues conduct the Good Friday Experiment

1966 May • US

California bans LSD

1968 October • US

Staggers-Dodd Bill passes, banning possession of LSD and other stimulants and depressants without a prescription

1971 February • Global

UN publishes the Convention on Psychotropic Substances; psychedelics including LSD, DMT and MDMA are now internationally controlled substances

1971 May • US

US Controlled Substances Act comes into effect moving most major psychedelic drugs to Schedule I

1971 May • UK

UK passes Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, placing controls on most known psychedelics

1977 • US

MDMA will be used by a small group of psychotherapists for the next eight years

1985 June • US

MDMA joins other psychedelics and is added to Schedule I under an emergency ban by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA)

1996 June • Canada

Canada moves many psychedelics, including LSD and psilocybin, to Schedule III

2000 November • Spain

World’s first clinical trial of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy begins in Madrid; it will be shut down before completion

2001 July • Portugal

Personal possession of all drugs decriminalised in Portugal

2014 September • US

Results from an open-label pilot study show 80% of participants smoking-free six months after psilocybin-assisted therapy

2017 August • US

MDMA-assisted psychotherapy granted Breakthrough Therapy designation (BTD) from the US FDA

2018 October • US

COMPASS Pathways receives Breakthrough Therapy designation from the US FDA for COMP360

2019 March • Global

Esketamine approved in the form of Spravato by FDA, followed by European Commission approval in December

2019 May • US

Denver, Colorado votes to decriminalise psilocybin mushrooms

2019 June • US

Oakland, California votes to decriminalise psilocybin mushrooms

2019 November • US

Usona Institute receives US FDA Breakthrough Therapy designation for psilocybin treatment for MDD

2020 January • US

COMPASS Pathways announces US patent approval of COMP360 for treatment of TRD

2020 February • US

Santa Cruz, California votes to decriminalise psychedelic substances including psilocybin, ayahuasca and peyote

2020 March • Canada

MindMed becomes the first publicly listed psychedelics company

2020 April • US

A number of ballot initiatives to decriminalise / legalise psychedelics in states in the US are impeded by the spread of COVID-19

2020 May • US

MAPS preparing for FDA approval after positive interim analysis of phase III trials of MDMA for PTSD

2020 July • US

Oregon Psilocybin Service Initiative (IP34) succeeds in placing legal psilocybin for treatment in a medical setting on the state ballot for November 2020

2020 August • Canada

Health Canada grants four exemptions for use of psilocybin in palliative care

2020 September • US

Ann Arbor, Michigan becomes third US city to decriminalise psychedelic substances including psilocybin, ayahuasca and peyote

2020 October • Canada

Numinus Wellness harvests Canada’s first legal psilocybin mushrooms

2020 November • US

Washington DC decriminalises psychedelic substances including psilocybin, ayahuasca and peyote

2020 November • US

Oregon decriminalises psychedelics and creates psilocybin-assisted therapy framework with the passing of Measures 109 and 110

2020 December • UK

UK approves clinical trial for DMT to treat depression

2021 March • UK

UK’s first ketamine-assisted psychotherapy clinic opens in Bristol

2021 March • Australia

Australian government invests AU$15 million into research of psychedelic medicines

2021 March • US

MAPS publishes results from phase IIIa clinical trial, showing potential for MDMA to combat PTSD

2021 June • US

California Senate approves bill to legalise possession of psychedelics

2021 June • UK

COMPASS Pathways completes phase IIb clinical trial for psilocybin derivative to treat TRD

2021 July • Canada

Health Canada approves real-world open-label trials for MDMA-assisted therapy to treat PTSD

Many key psychedelics were synthesised in the early 20th century. MDMA was first synthesised by Anton Köllisch in 1912, while LSD was synthesised by Albert Hofmann in 1938. Hofmann later isolated psilocybin in 1958. Ketamine followed shortly after, synthesised by Calvin Stevens in 1962.

The global shift toward prohibition began in the 1960s and 70s. The United States banned LSD in 1966, and the UN published the Convention on Psychotropic Substances in 1971, classifying LSD, DMT, and MDMA as internationally controlled substances. MDMA was later added to Schedule I in the US in 1985.

Significant reform began in 2019, when Denver, Colorado became the first US city to decriminalise psilocybin mushrooms, followed by Oakland and Santa Cruz, California. A major breakthrough occurred in November 2020, when Oregon passed measures to decriminalise psychedelics and create a legal framework for psilocybin-assisted therapy.

The FDA has granted “Breakthrough Therapy” designation to accelerate the development of promising treatments. MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD received this designation in 2017. Subsequently, COMPASS Pathways (2018) and Usona Institute (2019) received the same designation for their psilocybin therapies for treatment-resistant depression and major depressive disorder, respectively.

The financial market for psychedelics opened up significantly in March 2020, when MindMed became the first psychedelics company to go public. This marked a turning point for industry investment, followed by other companies like COMPASS Pathways achieving patent approvals and advancing clinical trials.

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