The terms “controlled substance” and “illegal drug” are not perfect synonyms. You can get criminal charges for illegal possession of a controlled substance, but the Controlled Substances Act includes five categories for how tightly it controls the substances. All the schedules except Schedule I are pharmaceutical drugs that physicians can legally administer or prescribe to patients in at least some circumstances. 

Consider that fentanyl and ketamine, two of the most commonly abused drugs, are both part of the anesthesia regimen for many surgical procedures. Even cocaine can legally be used topically during eye surgery, but in practice, eye surgeons rarely use it these days; despite this, it retains its Schedule II classification. Schedule I drugs are never legal, not even in a medical setting. It should surprise no one that heroin is a Schedule I drug, but several other Schedule I drugs have plenty of proponents who speak for their medical benefits. 

The medical cannabis movement has gained so much momentum that most states have medical cannabis programs that allow the sale of cannabis or its psychoactive compounds THC and CBD by licensed dispensaries for patients registered to receive them. There has been public discussion for years speculating whether one or another psychedelic drug is the next cannabis, since anecdotal evidence suggests that psychedelics can treat certain psychiatric disorders as safely and effectively as the currently approved drugs can. 

If you are facing criminal charges for illegal possession of psychedelics, contact a Tulsa drug charge lawyer.

Executive Order Expedites Research on Psychedelics to Treat PTSD

For everyone who has used a psychedelic drug to have an out-of-body experience or discern the meaning of life, there is someone who has used the same drug in the hopes of becoming free of the symptoms of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or addiction and of the debilitating side effects of the drugs their doctors prescribed to treat these conditions. You could say that psilocybin is the new cannabis, but you could also say this about MDMA, LSD, ayahuasca, salvia divinorum, or almost anything you can trip on.

In April 2026, President Trump signed an executive order relaxing the restrictions on several psychedelic drugs, including psilocybin, which are currently listed as Schedule I controlled substances. Several Veterans Affairs hospitals have announced plans to begin clinical trials on psychedelics soon.

The psychedelic drug that has gotten the most media attention in connection with the recent executive order is ibogaine, which is found in the roots of the T. iboga shrub, which grows in the Democratic Republic of Congo and nearby countries in Central Africa. The plant has been used in traditional medicine in Central Africa for centuries. At low doses, it has stimulant properties similar to caffeine, but at higher doses, it produces hallucinogenic visions. The biggest risk of the drug is that it can cause long pauses between heartbeats, and this symptom can persist for weeks after one takes the drug.

Contact Tracy Tiernan About Criminal Defense Cases

A criminal defense lawyer can help you if you are facing criminal charges for offenses related to psychedelics such as ibogaine.  Contact Tracy Tiernan in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to discuss your case.