Canada’s Magic Mushroom Dispensary
If you’re curious about the mind-twisting effects of psilocybin, you may be able to purchase it from a magic mushroom dispensary. But beware: the legality of these stores, which sell fungus that contains the hallucinogenic compound, varies by jurisdiction. Some have been raided, like one in Toronto last month and others in Hamilton and Montreal in the past. But more are opening, and they are spreading across the country. Go here: magicmushroomsdispensary.ca
Healing Harvest: Navigating Magic Mushroom Dispensaries
Inside Darren Lyman’s tiny, brightly painted shop in West Vancouver, it’s easy to see why people are eager to buy mushrooms, even though they’re still illegal under federal law. The storefront has colorful magic mushroom art, books about the drug and a menu of options, including edibles and dried psychedelic mushrooms. Lyman explains the process of microdosing, which involves taking a very low dose that won’t produce full-blown hallucinations. You’re screened and supervised while you take it. Then you sit for an integration session in which an employee helps you process the experience.
A new trend is combining mushrooms with cannabis, which is now legal in Canada. The popular TikTok-famous Zoomers serves a range of drinks, including “psilocybin water” and a relaxation drink with damiana leaf and kava root, that contain anywhere from 500 milligrams to four grams of psilocybin.
But while the legality of psilocybin-infused drinks varies by province, it’s unclear how long the magic mushroom shops will be tolerated, or whether they’ll ultimately be shut down for violating drug laws. That could be a matter of timing, Oscapella says. He notes that when marijuana stores first opened in Ontario, there was a harder crackdown on them than in larger cities such as Toronto and Vancouver, where these shops are appearing.
About Anderson Slater
Anderson Slater is an accomplished author and technologist based in California. He is best known for his book, The Security Blog, which has become a go-to resource for those looking to stay up to date on the latest security topics.
Raised in San Francisco, Anderson developed an early interest in technology and computers. After graduating high school, he attended Stanford University where he earned a degree in computer science and psychology. Following college, Anderson worked at various tech companies before starting his own consulting firm.