The last two decades saw a shift in drug criminalization around the globe. The front is being led by cannabis, of course, which is legalized in many countries, as well as in many US states, and is decriminalized in many others. 

The main argument of political activists trying to remove cannabis from Schedule I drug lists around the world is simple – cannabis and its derivatives are proven to be medically beneficial to many people with various different diagnoses. The list of countries where medical cannabis is legal numbers 27 countries worldwide. Moreover, 37 U.S. states have also allowed the cultivation and use of cannabis for medical purposes. As a matter of fact, just a short while ago, The U.S. House of Representatives passed a landmark legalization bill.

But now, another widely criminalized drug is being hailed for its medical benefits and is starting to take over the debate, and that is psilocybin mushrooms, or as people simply call them – shrooms. 

What Are Magic Mushrooms?

Magic mushrooms are fungi that possess the hallucinogen called psilocybin and when consumed produce psychedelic experiences and an altered state of consciousness. Psilocybin mushrooms have been a part of human cultures for millennia, as we can see multiple references leading to them in prehistoric art found in Central America and Europe. Moreover, they have been an important element of many religious practices among many indigenous people. 

Magic mushrooms were popularized during the countercultural movement of the 60s, and they have since been used for recreational purposes by mainly young people around the world. However, modern societies have banned magic mushrooms in most Western countries during the 20th century. The continued research into psychedelics and their medical benefits since then has pushed the debate to a point where governments have started decriminalizing their use for medical purposes. It is still early for shrooms to be more widely available like cannabis, but the momentum is promising.

So, how exactly should one take psilocybin and where can you do it legally in North America? Scroll down to find out.

Legal Status of Shrooms in North America

Following changes in Canada’s legal framework and some executive exemptions granted by the government, you can get your dose of psilocybin mushrooms from any online shroom dispensary in Canada of your choosing. Although consumption, possession, cultivation, and sale are still illegal, dispensaries have found loopholes in the legislation and are now available in small doses from online dispensaries as well as some shops that have recently opened.

Today in the USA, magic mushrooms are decriminalized in Seattle, Washington; Ann Arbor, Michigan; Denver, Colorado; Oakland, California; Santa Cruz, California; Somerville and Cambridge, Massachusetts; Oregon, and Washington D.C. Oregon has gone even further and has legalized them for medical patients. But even though advancements in legislation have been made, it is still impossible to legally buy them in dispensaries.

The Effects Of Magic Mushrooms

Shrooms can modify your sense perception by bending surfaces, layering visual perception with repeated geometric forms, shifting colors, and altering how sounds are experienced at low dosages. Auras surrounding light, “breathing” surfaces, and afterimages or “tracers” are all hallucinogenic effects. 

Higher dosages can create synesthesia, alter time and space perception, and give the user the feeling of blending in with their surroundings. Visual hallucinations with more complicated open or closed eyes are also conceivable, but they are rarely mistaken for reality. Psilocybin use can cause a variety of subjective emotional consequences, ranging from hilarity to increased worry. Pupils are also dilated when consumed.

Medical Benefits Of Magic Mushrooms

A number of studies about the medical benefits of shrooms have been conducted in the 20th century. One of them is the study by Roland R. Griffiths, published in 2006. It shows that the volunteers involved reported feelings of excitement and joy and felt that their “positive attitudes, mood, social effects, and behavior” have been enhanced, even two months after conducting the study. 

The volunteers also reported increased feelings of mysticism, elevated states of consciousness, transcendence of time and space, ineffability, sacredness, intuitive knowledge, and deep-felt positive mood. Two-thirds of them ranked the experience as “either the single most meaningful experience of their life or among the top five most meaningful experiences of their life”, and none of them had anything negative to say about the experience. 

How To Take Magic Mushrooms

Clear your daily schedule. Psilocybin effects last for 7-8 hours and the aftereffects can be felt for a couple of days. Make sure you get the right dose, especially if you are a beginner. Beginner doses vary from 1 to 3.5 grams. For a first-timer, it is very important to create a safe space for the experience. Have someone you trust to keep you company. It’s important that they do not take psilocybin during that time, and it helps if they have some experience with psychedelic trips.

Final Thoughts

Magic mushrooms can be a great medium for a profound experience. But more importantly, it can help people suffering from mental health issues and traumas such as PTSD. If you are struggling with mental health, you may want to give it a go. But be careful not to get yourself into trouble with the law. Only buy mushrooms from dispensaries. As time passes, magic mushrooms will become more widely available, and it will become easier to get access to them.