As the federal government lags on approving therapeutic psilocybin for medical use, Canadian stores and online retailers are filling their shelves with magic mushrooms. Whether called Shroomyz or Fun Guyz, the shops open in downtown Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver and sell the drug by weight or in various strains infused into gummies and drinks. Watching one tiny store in Winnipeg fill up with customers, it’s clear the public is eager to purchase these “psychedelic” mushrooms that many claim have therapeutic effects. Go here: magicmushroomsdispensary.ca

Psychedelic Pathways: Navigating Magic Mushroom Dispensaries

The shop carries several varieties of mushroom and a range of edibles — all of which are clearly labeled with their names, strains and place of origin. Some, like the “White Lights” and “Daddy Long Legs,” are so large they resemble plants. Others have colorful names, such as Penis Envy or Wollygong. A person can buy a single mushroom or an entire bag of six to eight grams for roughly $10 to $240.

Unlike cannabis, which can cause anxiety or panic in some people, magic mushrooms are generally considered to be safe. But consuming too much can have unpleasant side effects, such as a “bad trip” in which the user experiences hallucinations. In that case, chamomile tea or a sedative such as diazepam (Valium) can help.

The owners of the new magic mushroom dispensary are cautiously optimistic they can stay in business while avoiding a crackdown from authorities. They say they’re using a creative legal loophole and plan to introduce hemp products, such as a hemp-based tincture that’s similar to THC. They also sell mushroom grow kits, spores and mycology growth cultures. Chillum marketed itself as the first magic mushroom dispensary in the United States, but it now sells only mushrooms containing Amanita muscaria that are technically legal because they don’t contain psilocybin, which is illegal at the federal level.