Magic Mushroom Dispensary in Osborne Village, Ontario

 

It took five years of public debate, lobbying and bill amendments to make marijuana legal in New Jersey. A similar process is underway to decriminalize psychedelic mushrooms, and in the meantime, shopfronts offering a variety of magic mushroom dispensary products are opening up around the state.

Healing Journeys: The Promise of Magic Mushroom Dispensaries

Amanita muscaria, or “magic mushrooms,” are a type of fungus that contain the hallucinogenic compound psilocybin. Psilocybin has been shown to have therapeutic effects in a range of mental illnesses, including depression and PTSD. But the mushroom itself is illegal under federal law. The only way to legally possess and sell them is to have a government-approved “facilitator” oversee your trip.

But the illegal shops that are popping up around the country aren’t using facilitators and are operating in the legal grey area. Many of them are targeting people seeking treatment for mental illness, as well as those looking to microdose.

At Magic Mushroom Co-op, Darren Lyman is selling dried mushrooms and mushroom infused drinks like the TikTok-famous Psychedelic Water — 500 milligrams to four grams of psilocybin in a non-carbonated drink. He has more than 180 varieties of mushrooms on hand, with some providing energy and others relaxation.

CBC visited the storefront in Osborne Village, which is one of more than two dozen across Canada. While some, such as the Fun Guyz chain, are able to sell the drugs with licenses and storefronts, many others operate in the shadows, advertising only online. Regardless, the mushroom shops are growing in popularity.

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