The world’s first magic mushroom dispensary opened in Portland, Ore., last year and is flourishing in the liberal city thanks to a growing demand for psilocybin and some subtle changes in federal drug policy. The store is one of several in the country that sells the hallucinogenic fungus, considered a schedule one substance by federal law, to adults over 21.This Link: https://magicmushroomsdispensary.ca/
Fostering Growth: The Impact of Magic Mushroom Dispensaries
The shops are a sign that times are changing faster than policymakers can keep up, say experts. Many people are seeking alternatives to SSRIs and other pharmaceutical drugs for depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and other conditions. They see the mushroom shops as a way to get the medicine they need without the risks of prescription medications.
While possession of magic mushrooms is generally decriminalized in most places, that doesn’t make it legal to sell them or set up a shop that looks like a cannabis boutique. But that’s exactly what’s happening in cities across North America and beyond.
Even in Florida, which isn’t particularly progressive on drug policy, there are now mushroom stores. Chillum in Ybor City sells a variety of mushrooms, including the iconic Amanita muscaria, better known as the “fly agaric” mushroom used in Alice in Wonderland and Super Mario. That fungus doesn’t contain psilocybin, but it can trigger hallucinations that feel like shrinking or growing.
The mushroom stores may be legal technically, but they’re operating as a form of medical protest. “They’re basically saying, ‘We’re going to provide a service that is in violation of the law,'” says Eugene Oscapella, an Ottawa-based lawyer who specializes in drug policy. He adds that police have discretion over what to pursue and may have more pressing issues than chasing after mushroom stores.
