🍄Important questions about magic mushrooms answered.
What are magic mushrooms?
Magic mushrooms, also known as shrooms, refer to mushrooms that contain psychoactive compounds such as psilocybin, psilocin, and muscimol.
When consumed, “magic mushrooms” produce an effect similar to that of an LSD trip. At low doses (also known as micro-doses), shrooms have less obvious psychedelic effects.
Mushrooms that contain psilocybin are usually members of the Psilocybe genus, but also Panaeolus and Copelandia genus’s, while Amanitas contain muscimol.
Where do magic mushrooms grow naturally?
Psilocybin mushrooms occur naturally around the world, including many areas in the United States. Some of the most commonly found types of magic mushrooms in North America include Liberty Caps, Wavy Caps, and Amanitas.
Mushrooms thrive in humid conditions. They are often found in forests or areas that receive a good deal of rain.
Some magic mushrooms are relatively easy to grow in a home setting using kits.
What kind of magic mushrooms do people use?
The most common types of mushrooms used recreationally or for micro-dosing are in the Psilocybe cubensis family which includes strains like Golden Teachers and Penis Envy.
Do people trip on Amanitas?
Sometimes, but it is important to note: Products derived from Amanita Muscaria mushrooms do not contain psilocybin, but instead contain muscimol. Muscimol is not considered a psychedelic, but rather a deliriant.
Traditionally, Amanita Muscaria mushrooms were not popular outside of very adventurous (or reckless) experimenters. This is because Amanita Muscaria also contain ibotenic acid, muscarine and other toxic compounds with undesirable effects.
Unlike mushrooms containing psilocybin, Amanitas are not considered a controlled substance in most countries. Some companies have taken advantage of it’s legal status by extracting muscimol and selling these products marketed as “shrooms”. They are often combined with various cannabinoids like delta-8 or THCA to create “legal highs” to mimic the traditional psilocybin mushroom trip.
Are Amanita mushrooms are illegal?
Amanita Muscaria and it’s main active compound, Muscimol, are not illegal or regulated in most places.
Amanita mushrooms that contain Muscimol are illegal in a handful of countries including Romania, the Netherlands and Australia.
In the United States, Amanitas are legal except in the state of Louisiana.
What do magic mushrooms look like?
Most varieties are usually small or medium-sized and have a light brown coloring. The stems are generally long and pale, and the caps can be bell-shaped or more disc-like in appearance, depending on the variety.
One key-identifier of Psycilocybe mushrooms is that they contain some amount of blue coloring.
When sold for consumption, they are most often found dried or dehydrated.
Dried magic might mushrooms look like this:
What are magic mushroom’s effects on humans?
The effect magic mushrooms have can vary from person to person. However, each trip usually includes visual distortions and mood changes. People may feel energized or mentally stimulated.
At higher doses, effects are more intense. Many users experience a strong sense of connection to the universe, or conversely — may experience extreme anxiety and discomfort.
A study from 2019 titled Psychedelic microdosing benefits and challenges: an empirical codebook reported the most common positive effect being mood changes and most common negative effect being physiological discomfort.
Are magic mushrooms safe?
It is believed that the risk of addiction is very low. However, this doesn’t mean magic mushrooms are risk-free.
They can be toxic in high doses and may cause vomiting. Users experiencing a bad trip may feel extreme anxiety or paranoia.
What is a typical “dosage”?
First, dosage depends on whether the mushroom is fresh or dried and what variety it is.
As a general rule, users will need to take between 1 to 5 grams of fresh mushrooms or between .5 and 2 grams of dried mushrooms to experience effects.
Researching the particular mushroom variety can give users a better idea of the mushroom’s potency.
Dosage Tip: Start small. Half-a-gram is a good starting dosage for the majority of first timers. If that isn’t enough, next time try 1 gram, then 1.5, etc. to find the “right” dosage.
How long does a mushroom “trip” last?
A magic mushroom trip can last for between four and six hours, although this can vary depending on the person, the dosage, and the type of mushroom.
Psilocybin can take between 30 minutes and two hours to take effect, although 30 minutes to an hour is more common. This is followed by the trip itself, which usually lasts for between four and six hours.
How long do magic mushrooms stay in your system?
Magic mushrooms will usually leave your system within 24 hours. Because they’re ingested, the body typically digests and metabolizes them as quickly as any other food.
Do magic mushrooms show up in drug tests?
Magic mushrooms can show up in drug tests, but it’s relatively uncommon. Generally, the mushrooms will have metabolized quickly enough that they are not detectable unless the test is performed within 24 hours of eating them. However, some people may find that mushrooms take up to a week to metabolize and will still be present in a urine test during this time frame.
A hair follicle test can detect mushrooms for up to three months after ingesting them.
Magic mushrooms as medicine?
Magic mushrooms may also have medicinal effects.
Magic mushrooms have been used in traditional folk medicine for centuries, but it’s only recently that modern medical science has looked into the uses of psilocybin. Several medical studies have been done on these mushrooms, and one of the largest and most well-known was performed at Johns Hopkins University.
The Johns Hopkins study treated patients with severe depression with psilocybin alongside psychotherapy. The results of the study showed that there were drastic reductions in symptoms and that most people had gone from experiencing severe depression to mild depression. Some people no longer showed any depressive symptoms at all.
Researchers in Canada, USA and Europe have trialed mushrooms and their chemical components to treat mental disorders such as anxiety and depression. People treated with magic mushrooms have reported to feel more hopeful and spiritually connected. These effects can actually last for many years after the psilocybin is administered.
It’s thought that psilocybin could also aid in treating alcoholics, suicidal patients, and those coping with shame or hopelessness due to debilitating diseases.
What is the legal status of magic mushrooms?
That depends on the type magic mushroom. For example, in the USA “Mushrooms” are not illegal per se (as there are different species of mushrooms called “magic”), rather their chemical compounds (like psilocybin) are what is considered a scheduled drug.
Magic mushrooms containing psilocybin can’t legally be sold or consumed in any state in the United States except for Oregon, which legalized mushrooms used for medicinal purposes. Some states, however, have decriminalized them.
Outside of the United States, magic psilocybin mushrooms are entirely legal in the Netherlands, Nepal, Jamaica, the Bahamas, Bulgaria, Brazil, and Samoa.
In comparison, muscimol magic mushrooms without psilocybin, like Amanita Muscaria, are legal in the United States, except for Louisiana. Muscimol-containing Amanita mushrooms are also illegal in Australia, Romania, and the Netherlands.
Can you buy shrooms online?
This depends on your location. See above notes on legality.
I’m sure there are plenty of places online that will take your money no matter where you are from. 😉
If you are in Canada, you there are many options for buying magic mushrooms. While psilocybin mushrooms are not legal in Canada, law enforcement seems to care little to curb the sale and consumption of shrooms. Online websites that offer magic mushrooms for sale are plentiful and most often paid via interact e-transfer and shipped by Canada Post.