With magic mushrooms dispensary canada art on the walls, books on the subject and a menu of edibles, the small storefront looks like any other hippie-themed shop in a liberal city. But this one has an unusual selling point: a legal way for people over 21 to score psilocybin, which is considered a Schedule One drug in the United States. The only catch: you have to call ahead, show your ID and sit down for a discussion about the drug’s intoxicating effects, its potential benefits in helping treat mental ailments including addiction, depression and PTSD and your intended use of the mushrooms.
Catalysts of Change: The Role of Magic Mushroom Dispensaries
The co-op, called Chillum, sells a range of mushroom products from capsules and gummies to powders. There are also mycology kits that would theoretically allow people to grow their own mushrooms, but Hermida asks buyers to sign a form pledging not to do so.
He admits he and his partner, who owns the building, are taking a risk by selling the drugs. They aren’t trying to hide it: the business is openly advertised in Westword and online. He says his phone rings three to five times a day from people seeking information about buying mushrooms.
But he believes psilocybin has an important role to play in the future of medicine. He’s not alone in that opinion: a growing number of doctors have begun to prescribe the hallucinogen, particularly for people suffering from depression or anxiety. The drug isn’t without risks, however, and it can trigger a “bad trip” in some users, similar to the experience of consuming cannabis. Some of those symptoms can be alleviated with chamomile tea, B vitamins and a sedative such as diazepam or haloperidol.